“I don’t think there can be a higher calling,” said Mobius Board Member Toby Knox about mentoring.  Toby offered words of inspiration to a group of fellow mentors at the launch of the Mentor Ambassador program.   Twenty mentors from seven programs have agreed to be Mentor Ambassadors.  Toby charged [...]]]>  

“I don’t think there can be a higher calling,” said Mobius Board Member Toby Knox about mentoring.  Toby offered words of inspiration to a group of fellow mentors at the launch of the Mentor Ambassador program.   Twenty mentors from seven programs have agreed to be Mentor Ambassadors.  Toby charged each one to think of every person they know, and reach out to them with the reality of mentoring – that’s it is not hard, that it is really fun, and that we all have the skills to be good mentors.

The Mentor Ambassadors will recruit mentors May through August, each with a goal of recruiting at least two each month.  Heritage Aviation, a Mobius partner, hosted the launch and orientation, which began with a group photo in the hangar.  Mobius Executive Director Andrea Torello opened the orientation with thanks to Heritage, as well as to Sp!ke Advertising, who donated the creative for the U and I are Mentors campaign, the ammunition with which the Mentor Ambassadors will recruit their family, friends, and colleagues.   She also thanked Jane’s Trust for funding the implementation, which includes three videos, each featuring a Mentor Ambassador and his or her mentee.  Most importantly, Andrea thanked the inaugural troupe of Mentor Ambassadors who are breaking new ground in mentor recruitment, as the first to implement the research based, professionally designed recruitment techniques Mobius has worked on for the past three years.

Whenever a group of mentors are together in one room, there is inspiration in the spontaneous sharing of stories about their mentees.   The launch was no different.  Sarah Soule recounted taking her mentee, Makayla, on the ferry.  Makayla had never been out of Vermont before, and she was really excited to take the ferry to New York.

Sharing stories like that is an effective way to convert potential mentors.  The three videos for the U and I are Mentors campaign are made to help recruiting efforts by reaching web visitors with the experiences of Boys and Girls Club match, Mark Redmond and Sharmarke  King Street pair, Sarah Soule and Makayla, and Connecting Youth Williston match Sam Messer and Ricky.  The first video will be released on May 17^th.

In the first of the three videos Mark and Sharmarke recall a bass fishing trip.  For Sharmarke a highlight was the fast boat ride.  He says in the video “I felt like I was flying.”   As mentors we often feel like we are flying, and sometimes it only takes a smile from a mentee to give us flight.   It’s not too late to become a Mentor Ambassador.  Please join us in our effort to recruit 150 mentors by the end of our campaign on August 17, 2012.  Go to joinus@mobiusmentors.org.

What do former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin and King Street mentor Sarah Soule have in common?

What do State Senator Peter Galbraith and Spectrum Executive Director (and Boys and Girls Club mentor) Mark Redmond have in common?

“We went to the Soup Bowls for Hunger fundraiser at the high school last night.  Afterwards, with plenty of light still available, we headed out behind the school with [...]]]> “We rented bikes and rode the bike path this past Monday!” King Street mentor John Bossange and his mentee, Anthony, enjoyed the sun.

“We went to the Soup Bowls for Hunger fundraiser at the high school last night.  Afterwards, with plenty of light still available, we headed out behind the school with gloves and a softball and tossed until we could see the ball no longer!  A funny note is that the first time I remember us both being in skirts at the same time (a rare event for either of us alone) was also the first time we decided to play catch!”  This report from match Deb and Ann, with Mentor Connector in Rutland is another  illustrating how wonderful weather makes for great mentoring moments.

What a gift this weather has been!  The unusual (for March) warmth and sun has moved mentoring activities outside.  At Dinner and Art at Shelburne Art Center, pizza was a real treat for  mentors and mentees alike because it was served in the courtyard.  It was real inspiration for going inside to make jewelry, jewelry boxes, and other pieces from porcelain and terra cotta.

Beth Crane, Executive Director for St. Albans’ Watershed  Mentoring program, which participates in the Amachi grant through Mobius, said their matches reveled in the great weather. “One of our new matched pairs, Nichole and Zoey,  went to the beach and collected shells and pretty stones! They had such a good time they want to do it again next time they meet. Our lunchtime matches at St. Albans City School enjoyed lunch outside at a picnic table, followed by an energetic game of kickball.”

Rebecca Majoya, the Executive Director of Mentor Connector in Rutland (also in the Amachi grant) reports one of her matches went panning for gold!  Another of her mentors  offered this:  “K and I have spent our last few visits doing a mix of things. We typically go to the humane society every other week to visit the cats. We spent some time at the park recently, which she loves very much. She tends to meet new short term friends there which is always nice. Her experiences at the park scored me an A on a term paper that I needed to write for college too. Pages upon pages on that little girl and her time at the park!

K enjoys driving in my car with the roof open. She loves staring at the bright blue sky! This week we split up our time. We went bowling on Wednesday night and then had to soak up some sun, so we went and ate some ice cream at Sewards. Yummy, of course!”

The amazing weather came and went.  Did you get a chance to enjoy it with your mentee?  Did it give you great ideas for planning mentor activities when the weather finally gets warm and stays warm?

That [...]]]>

Andrea and Hawa at American Flatbread

American Flatbread might best be known for its focus on healthy delicious food and its support of  local farms.  But in the mentoring community they are also known as a favorite spot for mentor pairs to dine.  As a Mobius Mentoring Card sponsor, they offer 50% off for mentor pairs that dine there.

That is only one of the ways American Flatbread supports mentoring in our community.  For the fourth year in a row America Flatbread Burlington raised money for mentoring by having a benefit “bake” during National Mentoring Month.  This year they raised  more than $500 to support mentoring.

Supporting mentoring is in line with the mission of American Flatbread, which is “to provide good, flavorful, nutritious food that gives both joy and health, and to share this food with others in ways sustainable to all.”  They have a philosophy of being a good neighbor and an education resource.

Sasha Adams, Tara Bartlik, Emilly Bellmore (Manager of American Flatbread), and JJ Vandette at the annual Mobius Benefit Bake

“The Mobius movement is a wonderful program that we love to support. It’s for kids, it’s about supporting local mentoring movements, and it benefits others in the community,” according to American Flatbread manager, Emily Bellmore.  But for her, it is probably even a bit more personal than that, because she has been a mentor with the Boys and Girls Club for more than three years.

There are many ways to support mentoring in our community.  The best way to begin is to become a mentor.  You’ll love it, and Mobius would love to get you started. Join@mobiusmentors.org.

This year’s bowling party was a big hit with all.  Thirty or so pairs from four programs came out and [...]]]>

Kristen Hayden-West with some HowardCenter Community Friends Pairs

Some of us only bowl once a year.  But what a great time it is when that once a year is the annual mentor pair bowling party that winds up Mobius’ National Mentoring Month festivities!

This year’s bowling party was a big hit with all.  Thirty or so pairs from four programs came out and showed off their skills (or their eagerness to develop their bowling skills).   Mentees ranged in age from  6 to   17.   Mentors ranged…let’s just say we ranged in bowling skill levels from some who get quite a few strikes and spares to “I need bumpers, too.”

King Street pair, Nurto and mentor Monique Fox

Bowling is an activity that some pairs do from time to time, thanks to Spare Time’s generosity as a Mobius Card partner.  But it was especially fun to bowl with so many other pairs.  The pizza and soda were were crowd-pleasers.  But for the mentors, perhaps the best part was the delight in the faces of their mentees when all the pins fell, or even if most of the pins fell down.

Spectrum Mentor Colleen Montgomery and Samantha

“We all enjoyed watching the little girls from King Street hugging the bowling ball with both arms to carry it over to the lane.  We were bowling for fun, not to be competitive.”  Spectrum mentor, Colleen Montgomery.

“As program coordinator of the mentoring program at Spectrum, attending the bowling party at Spare Time is just the kind of event that fuels my commitment. It combines the positive power  that the mentors give to their mentees, the generosity of community businesses, like Spare Time and the sheer joy of kids who are thriving because of having a mentor. The sum is much greater than the parts, a combined effort that touches and  changes the way these  kids view themselves and their futures.” Spectrum Program Coordinator Dee Johnson.

The bowling party was a great success.  If you are not a mentor, we’d love to talk to you about becoming one.  Then you can bowl with us next year.  Joinus@mobiusmentor.org.

Is it a strike? King Street Center mentee, Hannah, watches to see.

King Street Mentor, Emily Kittredge

Emily Kittredge, Hannah, and Makayla (King Street)