Learning Curves

     Welcome one and welcome all to the launch of "Joel's Place: Live and Unplugged!"  As the Executive Director, I will be giving weekly updates from our Marika Road home base: reports on our programs, successes, opportunities and needs as well as providing spaces for the staff to share their favorite stories and the readers to take steps into partnership with this remarkable organization.
    
     What is Joel's Place?  The short answer is that Joel's Place is a sanctuary for youth.  The long answer is that this is a building with a skate park, skate shop, cafe, rec room, garden, art room and outdoor recreation area that provides a safe place for young people, ages 10-20, to play, rest and give back while we feed hungry children, put on community events and serve as an Americorps hub for Fairbanks.

     Joel's Place is open to all but especially attracts energetic, marginalized youth who have extra energy to burn and limited opportunities to release it.  Here they find the freedom to skate or play or make music or art and walk out our doors a little more tired, a little more in control and having learned a little bit more about themselves and what they are capable of doing.

     Joel's Place was born over twelve years ago through Mike and Linda Setterberg's desire to care for their children and their children's friends.  Over the years they have changed locations and staff; programs have come and gone; a new generation of youth has grown up; but the focus has remained constant: Love every young person we come in contact with no matter how they look, where they are from or what they believe.

     It is into this amazing place that I find myself newly (as in 4 days ago) hired as the next Executive Director.  I have deep roots in Fairbanks, having lived here for over 30 years.  I have non-profit experience as a youth/college minister.  And I have a deep respect and appreciation for this group as I have seen and heard nothing but glowing reports about them throughout our community.  Mentioning I am from Joel's Place has provided smiles and instant trust with strangers that I talk to.  I feel blessed to be in this chair.

     I also feel blown away by the immensity of the job and the legacy I am following.  The learning curve is steep right now between juggling finances in the time of the year that has the fewest customers and the most staff, grant writing, building projects, fundraisers, establishing new business models and getting to know the staff, the board and the kids.  What I feel like...

     What I feel like is a new parent.  A first time new parent.  My son was born just over 10 years ago.  He was big and happy and healthy.  Everything we had hoped and prayed for had come to pass...now what to do next.  Whether it was learning how to install and utilize car seats or how to change a baby who wiggles or avoid being peed on or figure out what cries meant "too hot" or "to cold" or "sleepy" or "hungry," every day seemed like it ended with me apologizing to my son that I didn't know what I was doing.

     I remember that now when I look at the mountain of urgent paperwork and messages and e-mails.  I figured out the baby thing well enough that we had a little girl a few years later and are expecting a third this fall.  I will struggle through this learning curve with the help of an amazing staff and a community of supporters.  I am eager to see where we go together.