January Newsletter 2012 - Partners Mentoring Youth

Quarterly Newsletter
Winter 2011
Engaging the Community with National Mentoring Month
Across the nation we welcome January and the New Year with the 11th annual
anniversary of National Mentoring Month. First started in 2002, this month long
campaign encourages communities to highlight the importance of, and the need for,
mentors as well as advocates for increased community support of mentoring. This year,
the theme of the month is “invest in the future, mentor a child”. This theme
encourages communities to make an investment in youth mentoring and the long-term
benefits for young people that it will provide.
In last year’s National Mentoring Summit, First Lady Michelle Obama called to
action this need in the launch of the Corporate Mentoring Challenge. This initiative is led
by the Corporation for National and Community Service and pushes U.S.
companies to use their power to take an active role in curbing dropouts and juvenile
delinquency in American schools through the use of mentoring. Specifically, the First Lady
challenged corporations to launch mentoring programs, expand existing
employee mentoring programs as well as provide resources to support local mentoring
programs within one year of taking the challenge. The First Lady noted the positive impact
that could be made if corporations take the challenge; specifically that youth will gain
leadership skills, achieve their educational goals and increase their confidence.
Fort Collins/
Loveland
Sharing
Lives.
530 S.
College
Avenue
Building Futures.
Unit #1
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-484-7123
Estes Park
P.O. Box 484
Estes Park, CO 80517
970-577-9348
Greeley
710 11th Avenue,
Suite 216
Greeley, CO 80631
970-378-6501
(Continued on Page 2)
PMY and NOCO 2030 host successful 5th annual
Christmas for Kids event
It was a cold and snowy December Saturday morning as 124 junior partners, their
senior partners and a host of activity volunteers,
staff and board members gathered at Greeley and
Loveland Wal-Mart’s, with a single mission – a
holiday shopping spree!
Armed with a $50.00 Wal-Mart gift card the
children set about seeking gifts for their family
and friends to be shared this holiday season. This
is just one of the life skill activities that Partners
puts on throughout the year and this one was organized in large part due to the help, support and
generosity provided by NOCO Active 20/30
members.
(Continued on Page 3)
“I have had the
opportunity for personal
growth far beyond my
expectations.”
Senior Partner, age 56
www.PartnersMentoringYouth.org
Partners’ Perspective
Happy National Mentoring Month!
As we usher out 2011 and welcome in 2012 we have much to
celebrate. First and foremost, we continue to support youth at
a record pace. Last year we served 460 youth in our
mentoring programs, up from 353 in 2010. We anticipate
serving 530 youth in 2012, helping meet our goal of serving
500 youth per year by the end of 2013 – one year early. We
want to thank donors, funders and volunteers for stepping up
and continuing to support our organization, and our kids.
Our new long term vision is to support 1000 youth per year
by the end of 2016. To do this, we need to continue to build
off recent successes in our community based mentoring
program, increase agency capacity in Weld county and grow
our School Based Mentoring program. We will also need to
engage corporate and individual donors in meaningful ways
to ensure all are invested in our mentoring goals. As we enter
2012, I would ask you to think about what your impact on
Partners might be. Is this the year you become a mentor? Is
this the year you participate in Superstars? Or is this the year
that you find out how you can leave a long lasting legacy. We
appreciate your on-going efforts in supporting Partners and
wish you a prosperous 2012.
Sincerely,
Chris
Chris Imsland
Executive Director
Introducing: Elle Hart
Through a new program with United Way, PMY is
excited to welcome Elle Hart as their first AmeriCorps
State member. Elle will serve her 11-month AmeriCorps
term with us as our Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator.
Elle recently moved to Colorado after graduating this past
May from the University of Massachusetts—Amherst with
a Bachelors degree in Marketing. As an undergraduate,
she served as a peer mentor to first year students, which
first sparked her interest in youth mentoring.
In her free time, Elle enjoys snowboarding, photography,
and exploring her new home of Colorado.
Welcome Elle!
January 26th is National Thank Your
Mentor Day. Honor your
Mentor by visiting our Facebook page
and posting a note on January 26th.
Engaging the Community: Continued from Page 1
Since the launch of the Corporate Mentoring Challenge, many corporations have decided to
take the plunge, including Comcast, AT&T, Viacom, Bloomingdales, Macy's, Bank of America,
Deloitte, Ritz-Carlton, to name a few. By taking the challenge, these corporations have not only
demonstrated their dedication to their community, but have more importantly have invested
themselves into securing a brighter future for the next generation. Corporations have the power to
make a tremendous difference in the lives of youth, and it is important to engage and cultivate this
sector into becoming large advocates for youth mentoring.
Locally, the corporate sector is definitely making a difference in youth’s lives through
mentoring. Here at PMY, 52 percent of our mentors spend their professional lives in the corporate
world, and have chosen spend hours of their personal time “investing in the future, through
mentoring a child”. Businesses such as Otterbox, Hewlett Packard, Poudre Valley Health System,
McKee Medical Center, Group Real Estate, City and County Offices, and many others make up the
places of work for our volunteers. Working with mentors from this realm allows our youth to gain
exposure to the business world, see and learn leadership skills, and encourages them to have
confidence that they too can grow up to contribute positively to the community. Many of the same
local corporations also support PMY financially, through donations, event sponsorship, and
employee giving programs. During National Mentoring Month this year, we echo the nation in
recognizing the importance of corporate support for mentoring, we thank our local supporters, and we
encourage others to “accept the challenge”.
The 14th Annual Sharin’ O’ The Green
March 17, 2012 at Odell’s Brewing Co
Corporate Spotlight
Who’s On-Board in 2012
This years Sharin O The Green, 5k run/walk and kids fun run
is taking place this year on Saturday March 17 th. The kids
Shamrock Scurry starts at 8.15am, with the main event
beginning at 8.30am. Come celebrate the start of the running
season by participating in this fun event.
This year we have new location for the event with all races starting and
finishing at Odell’s Brewery. After many years of holding the event at Library
Park we had to find a new location due to the construction work that the library
is currently undertaking and we are excited that we have been able to find a
new venue close to the original site and within close proximity of the down
town St Patrick’s Day parade.
While sad to leave an old home, we are grateful to Odell’s allowing us to use
their facilities and excited about the possibility of being able to grow and
expand the event to include music food and beverages and party activities
throughout the morning.
All runners over the age of 21 will be able to help celebrate the day with a free
complimentary adult beverage courtesy of Odell’s and a variety of other
beverages will also be available. What better place to be than on Saturday
March 17th than to celebrate St Patrick’s day at Odell’s brewery and participate
in a Ft Collins and Partners Mentoring Youth tradition. For further details and
information on how to register please go to our website.
Volunteer Spotlight
Name: Kim Kinney
Staff Nominee: Gail Shatz
Volunteer Since: August 2010
Type of Service: Senior Partner and Co-Chair
of the Greeley Advisory Council
Kim became a member and co-chair of the
Greeley Advisory Council since the Greeley satellite office opened
in 2010. She and her Junior Partner were the first partnership
matched in Greeley (10/4/2010) and have now celebrated their 1st
year together!! They have participated in many activities such as
ice skating, origami, Christmas for Kids, as well as participating in
the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Kim has been instrumental in helping her JP stay connected in school, to the point
that at their year anniversary review, JP reported that she has
learned many things from Kim like “school is cool!”.
Not only does Kim volunteer with her JP and on the Advisory
Council, but has regularly supported Partners Mentoring Youth by
attending fundraising events such as Party for Partners and
participating with a Superstars Sports Challenge team. Kim is a
committed volunteer with a “can do spirit”!
Thank you, Kim, for all you do for your JP and for Partners!!
Christmas for Kids: (Cont. from Page 1)
After the shopping spree was
done, everyone headed to the
Embassy Suites for gift wrapping
a sumptuous breakfast and a true
dose of holiday spirit and good
will. This event was just a part of
the overall Christmas For Kids
Campaign that we have
Undertaken to raise $100,000
thereby allowing us to serve 70
youth for a whole year in our
program. At the time of going to
press we are delighted to
announce that the Christmas For
Kids Campaign has so far raised
$70,000.
2012 Events Calendar
Sharin’ O’ the Green 5K Run/Walk
Saturday, March 17
Party for Partners
Friday, June 8
SuperStars Sports Challenge
August 4
Running of the Bulls 3.75 mi Run
September
Corporate sponsorship opportunities available.
Major Contributors
Board of Directors
Shane Brown, Past Chair
Cathy Mathis, Chair
Brett Kemp, Chair-elect
Melissa Clary, Treasurer
Eric Reisler, Secretary
Kris Binard
Lee Busse
Pete Fardal
Terri Hanna
Pete Kelly
Timiry Krieger
Crista Mann
Justin Morrison
Lauren Roesener
Randy Watkins
Katie Zwetzig
Staff
Chris Imsland
Executive Director
Ivan Jackson
Development Director
Trent Krassow
Business Manager
Diana Laughlin
Estes Park Program Coordinator
Laura Perry
SBM Program Coordinator
Tami Roskamp
Program Manager
Eliza Schwoebel
Loveland Program Coordinator
Gail Shatz
Greeley Program Coordinator
Sarah Sporrer
SBM Program Coordinator
Heather Vesgaard
Program Director
Renee Wieszcholek
Program Coordinator
Adolph Coors Foundation
Clear Perceptions—Graphics, Inc.
Daniels Fund
Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation, Denver
Victim Assistance & Law Enforcement Fund
If you would like to be removed from the Partners
Mentoring Youth mailing list or your address has
changed, please call us at 970-484-7123 or email
[email protected].
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Partners Mentoring Youth
530 S. College Ave.,Unit 1
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Non-Profit Organization
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PAID
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Ft. Collins, CO 80521