Hey SoS Team!
This is a letter I wrote in collaboration with the August Gathering SoS National team, for the purpose of thanking donors for their support of our gathering. My own personal experience at this event was phenomenol! I most remember enjoying the green jobs / making it real stuff, especially the Know Your Farmer brainstorm session. It was fantastic seeing the people we'd been working with all year and watching them interact with OMNI Center & Fayetteville. I still think about those moments, even today walking to the library, my thoughts fluctuated between "ooh, autumn leaves!" and "ooh, august gathering!" This solutionary work is super imporatant and exciting, as it is guiding my career path and pretty much consumes my daily life. For example: yesterday we rearranged the apartment furniture, which was a nice change of pace! Now there is space for an SoS meeting in our living room. See? Always about SoS in some way :) I'll be attaching one of Michelle's photos from the gathering, or multiple pics, in a moment. And the letter / report:
Thank you for supporting Grand Aspirations - Summer of Solutions August Gathering! Youth participants representing 8 cities attended the gathering in Fayetteville, Arkansas from August 14th - 18th 2010.
Youth leaders engaged topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to anti-oppression for collective liberation in workshops, discussions, and listening circles. The most popular sessions included program sharing, green job creation, and one-on-one time with peers, in which participants learned strategies of successful programs while reflecting on ways to improve them next year. Gathering in one place also allows Grand Aspirations to observe key components of each city's program, including demographics, fundraising methods, and facilities such as housing. Attendees noted that meeting one another and sharing inspirational stories was one of the most valuable benefits of the event.
“We have individual personal motivation towards each person's own goal to realize sustainability in the future. This gives diversity and awesomeness!” -Joe, West Virginia
During the gathering, participants contributed to significant organizational decisions that will improve development and communication for future Summer of Solutions programs, including creating a set of guidelines for new programs, national media strategies, and envisioning our future direction as a non-profit. These decisions are improving Grand Aspirations' national cohesion, program support, and quality of results.
“Even more important than training leaders is what those leaders will do.” - Serena, Arkansas
Youth leaders within Grand Aspirations who attended the gathering have already begun creating resources for future events, including a planning guide for running a national gathering from start to finish. These steps, along with your support, ensure the sustainability and future success of the Summer of Solutions projects happening all around the country.
“It's the goal of our program to create something that lasts beyond the summer.” - Casey, Minnesota
At its conclusion, the gathering was thoroughly evaluated by attendees, who noted that it was overall very successful while ensuring improvements for next year in areas such as geographic accessibility and increasing communication among the various programs.
This enormous confluence of inspiration and solutionary action was made possible through your generous donation of cliff bars to Grand Aspirations. Thank you once again for your support!
