| APRIL 6, 2012 -- A major goal of this administration is to be responsive to the needs of each and every Community and Pomona Grange that we serve. The State Master recently contacted me with the idea of establishing a Mentor Program for the Connecticut State Grange organized under the Deputy Department. This is where WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The dictionary defines a mentor as 1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. 2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter. This will be an opportunity for members to draw on their experience through success and failure (as the ritual instructs us) and offer guidance to Granges. In some cases you will need to be a cheerleader supporting them and offering them the confidence to push forward. All you need is a desire to help.
What will I be doing?
Mentors will be expected to visit assigned Granges as much as possible and offer any assistance they can. Mentors do not have the responsibility or authority of a deputy. Instead, they will offer guidance and assistance. For example, a Grange may have a brand new slate of officers (or a large percentage of new officers) that are less familiar with the operation of a Grange meeting and might need guidance in taking minutes, performing the opening or closing, etc. This is where a Mentor can offer suggestions and point them in the right direction. A Grange might be having difficulty organizing a fundraiser or a community service project. A Mentor would be available to offer his/her experience in helping them get on the right track.
How will I know what to do?
All members interested in participating in the Mentor program will receive training from the State Grange. It is important that Mentors know when to refer Granges to the Deputy, State Master or other State Grange resources. As I said, Mentors do no replace the Deputies, but they will serve an important role in directing Granges/Grangers to the resources that will benefit them most.
Granges involved in the program can be: established Granges in need of assistance, reorganized Granges, or completely new Granges (we hope to have many of these!). Mentors will be assigned to Granges by the State Grange. Granges interested in having a mentor can also contact the General Deputy for more information.
How do I get involved?
Please contact the General Deputy, Todd Gelineau by emailing GeneralDeputy@CTStateGrange.org, by calling (860) 626-0326 or writing to 170 Scoville St., #14, Torrington, CT 06790. Once enough members have signed up, a training session will be set-up.
All members are welcome to participate in this program. We look forward to hearing from you! |
