Thursday May 27, 2010

5:15 PM – 6:30 PM

Salida Library

Presented by:  Planned Parenthood

Snacks will be provided

FREE for all Mentors

Reserve your spot ASAP by calling 719.530.2581 (Salida) or 719.395.7006 (Buena Vista)

We’re thrilled to welcome educator Liza Cochran from Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains out of Colorado Springs for this SPECIAL & IMPORTANT TRAINING!  Mentors, we hope you can join us.

Description of training: Sharpen your skills around talking with youth about sexuality and sexual health. Participants have the opportunity to explore their own values about sexuality in a safe and non-judgmental environment. We will also explore how to respond to difficult questions from youth about sexuality and how to plan an effective conversation with a young person.

Natalie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Metropolitan State College of Denver in 2004 followed shortly thereafter with her Art Education K-12 teacher licensure in January 2005. Natalie has taught Art Education K-12 in Jefferson County, St. Vrain, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and has substitute taught in Chaffee County and Lake County.

 She has worked with non-profits including the Center for Visual Arts, Denver Public Housing and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chaffee County.  Within these organizations she has explored the creative connection between youths and mentors.  She enjoys exploring each child’s potential by offering guidance, support, and encouragement aimed at developing a strong sense of character.

 Natalie loves to travel and has worked for a European travel company.  Her favorite trips include New York (to see the famous installation art “The Gates”), Paris, Austria, and a trip that involved a $500.00 Nova that she and her husband drove to Canada and back.  Natalie lives in Buena Vista with her husband and dog, Kamala.  Her enthusiasm for life and her joy of teaching youth make her a perfect fit for the Program Coordinator for Chaffee County Mentors.

Chaffee County Mentors Manager, Eleanor Fahrney: 719-530-2581

Chaffee County Mentors Coordinator, Natalie Moore: 719-530-2582

Chaffee County Mentors Coordinator, Mary Surrena : 719-530-2578

Chaffee Mentors PLUS Manager, Menessah Nelson: 719-530-2580

The old hospital has been renovated and will be the new home for many county and city offices

Soon we will be moved in to our new Salida office at the Touber Building (formerly the hospital).  This is an exciting time – our new location will allow greater collaboration with other county services, more meeting spaces, larger offices, increased communication between volunteer mentoring and Mentors Plus, and more!  We’ve certainly enjoyed our three+ years at 124 East 2nd Street.  Yet, we know that we can’t even anticipate all the good that will come out of this change.  We hope you will embrace the change with us and come visit us after we get settled in.

We start packing up our Salida office this Thursday, February 25th, and then will begin moving in the old hospital – now called the “Touber Building” – on Monday, March 1st.  With the change will come a new phone number yet to be determined.  In the meantime, please call the Buena Vista office (719-395-7006) if you can’t reach us in Salida.  We also may be out of internet service for March 1st and 2nd, but should be able to check email once a day in Buena Vista.  Although our physical address is changing to 448 East 1st Street, we will keep the county PO Box – all mail should be sent to Chaffee County Mentors, PO Box 1007, Salida, CO 81201.

Thanks for your patience through our transition.

Heather (right) with Manager, Eleanor (left), at Monarch in Jan. '09

Chaffee County Mentors Program Coordinator, Heather Barron, has announced that her last official day with our program will be April 30^th. 

We are sad to see Heather go – she has brought great gifts of listening, creativity, vision, laughter, and open-mindedness to our program.  We know that she will bring these gifts and more to all who cross her path in the future.

We are seeking applicants for the new Program Coordinator job.  The Program Coordinator position will be running Youth In Action half-time and supporting matches the other half.  Program Manager, Eleanor Fahrney, will focus on supporting matches and managing the program.  We hope to have the new coordinator start April 1^st so they can shadow Youth In Action and get training from Heather.

Job Posting:

Chaffee County Mentors seeks full time Program Coordinator who is a highly organized and personable individual capable of managing multiple program activities and office duties. This individual must take initiative and spearhead projects independently, including running Youth In Action – peer mentoring that empowers middle school students as mentors and reading buddies to pre-school children.  Other duties include: supporting adult-youth mentoring matches; recruiting, screening, and training volunteer mentors; running monthly group activities; budget management; grant reporting; and fundraising.  Desirable skills include: background in education, demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse youth in mixed-age groups, demonstrated ability to work in a strengths-based fashion with parents and families, volunteer and staff training and management, proficient computer skills, graphic design, strong verbal and written communication skills, and ability to travel county-wide and work evenings and some weekends.  While direct service skills are critical, organization is key as the position is half-time paperwork.  College degree required.  Position is based out of Salida Family & Youth Initiatives office.  Salaried position with benefits.  $32,000 to $35,000 based on experience.  More info and complete job description online:  www.chaffeementors.org.  To apply, please submit cover letter, resume, and two letters of reference by 5pm on 02/16/10 to Eleanor Fahrney, Program Manager, Chaffee County Mentors, 124 East 2nd St, Salida, CO 81201.  Position starts 04/01/10.

Click link below for a complete job description:

CCMCoordinatorJobDescription-Feb10

Chaffee County Mentors is incredibly grateful to all the mentors pictured and not pictured for the time they give every month to offer youth in Buena Vista and Salida valuable one-on-one time.  They are truly an extraordinary group of people and most have been mentoring for over two years. 

Chaffee County Mentors currently has 30 matches and plans to make 15 more by June 2010.  Help us serve our local youth by becoming a mentor!  To find out more about volunteering, click here.  With a little time, YOU could make a BIG difference – and help us celebrate National Mentoring Month!

Hey Mentors! You are AMAZING, and we want to know how to support you best! From everything you tell us, the Coffee Talks are “really important,” “so helpful.”

However, the past 3 months we have had a steady decline in attendance with only three folks in July and one in August. We want to be sure that this is a service that still fulfills the original desire of our mentors: to have time with other mentors to learn and share ideas and tips on mentoring.  Please take a few minutes to complete an anonymous survey that will help us create the mentor support YOU want.

We will be assembling the data from this survey in December and deciding whether to resume the Coffee Talks. Please take the survey by NOVEMBER 30th.

Thanks!

Go here: Coffee Talk Survey

Lawton and Jelissa at last year's party!

Everyone in the community is invited Saturday, October 24th, to the 5th Annual Family Halloween Party & Dance sponsored by Family & Youth Initiatives in collaboration with Salida Recreation, Arkansas Valley Music and Dance, and the Salida Circus! 

This fun event will include a haunted house for the little ones (ages 10 and under) created by the older ones (ages 14 and up), a dessert potluck, live old-time music by Millcreek (Megan, Amanda, and Jacob Smith), dances taught and called by Eleanor Fahrney, and, of course, a costume contest.  The party is FREE, so put on a costume and bring your friends and family members of all ages to the Salida Scout Hut on Saturday, October 24th, from 6:30-9:00pm. 

This is the October group activity for Chaffee County Mentors, so mentors are encouraged to bring their mentee to the festivities.  Perhaps you’ll want to carve a pumpkin before hand and bring that to help decorate or bake some cookies together to bring to the dessert potluck.  Teens and their mentors may want to help with the haunted house.  You must sign up to help by calling Kelly at 530-9955.  We also need some teens and mentors to take photos.  Call Eleanor at 395-7006 if you’re interested.

A bus from Buena Vista will be provided and is meeting at 6:00pm at Avery-Parson’s Elementary.

Family & Youth Initiatives Director, Arden Trewartha (l), spearheads the For Kids Sake fundraiser. FYI is supported by great donors including Kathie Younghans (r), owner of Amicas Pizza & Brewery. This photo was taken at last year's silent auction.

Mentors, volunteers, community members, and those just interested in a good time are invited to our 6th annual FOR KIDS SAKE Silent Auction party on Saturday, June 13th at 7pm at the Salida Steam Plant Ballroom.  You can bid on incredible items including a trip to Belize, tickets to Planet Bluegrass’ Folks Festival, golf packages, handmade jewelry, massages, and more – all while knowing that your purchases support important Family & Youth Initiatives programming.  Invite your friends and come out the best silent auction of the year!

Then, on Sunday, June 14th, join in the FOR KIDS SAKE GOLF TOURNAMENT.  The shotgun start is at 8:30am.  Two-person teams sign at the Salida Golf Club by calling 539-1060.  Fee is $50 / person.

If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor or donating to the silent auction, please contact Arden at 539-1060.  Click here to see the event poster, including our Tournament-level sponsors.

Mentor, Steve Phillips, with mentee, Josh, served as "fore caddies" at last year's tournament. We're looking for volunteers to help at this year's event.

Mentors and activity volunteers with Chaffee County Mentors are invited to an appreciation dinner to be held Tuesday, May 12th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Twisted Cork Cafe, 8048 US Hwy 50, Salida.  RSVP by Monday, May 4th and let us know if you want chicken, fish, beef, or veggie.