Joel's Place 2013 in Review

     Time is a funny thing.  The seconds and minutes pass by at constant rates, never stopping or pausing before the next moment arrives...however our experience feels like time fluctuates rapidly.  Sometimes the day flies by and other times the minutes drag on endlessly.  I sit here at my desk feeling both shocked at how quickly the year has passed and also completely spent by everything that we crammed into 365 days.  I thought that before we opened up 2014 I would take a few moments to reflect on what has happened here this year and where it leaves us moving forward.

     This year has been about transition and change.  I thought about trying to make lists of the camps that we hosted or the grants that we were awarded or the money that we have raised or the staff/Board turnover that we have had.  None of that really illustrated what 2013 was for us.  Here are a few points that I view as very significant:

• Our Founders stepped away.  I wrote about this in the fall, but Mike and Linda both left their active roles with Joel's Place this year.  Their dedication to the youth in this community has been amazing.  Senator Begich even stopped by this year to honor them with inclusion into the Congressional Record.  I have heard horror stories of founders leaving and am so grateful that there has been nothing but blessings and goodwill that have come from the Setterbergs.  They listened to God's call when they started Joel's Place and have been willing to hand over their baby to others.  I hope and pray that we are worthy of that honor.
• Building Upgrades.  This year saw us finish fencing in the property, upgrade the sound system, upgrade our wireless network and weatherize the building.  We received a weatherization grant that provided 2" of foam insulation in the walls, new siding and an exterior electrical overhaul.  The building is warm and beautiful while being increasingly functional for both the youth and the staff.
• .Outstanding training by Ron and Linda Ruthruff and Rod Devore.  We as staff have a lot to chew on as we move forward.
• I received my Certificate of NonProfit Management this fall...meaning that I can no longer plead ignorance about what I am supposed to be doing in my job.  I know stuff now...sort of.
• Money has been tight this year, but I am pleased to announce that we made it through a full year without Grant support of the Financial Manager or Program Director positions for the 1st time ever.  Our capacity and sustainability is steadily growing to where we can begin to stand on our own.  I just paid our last bill of 2013 and we still have some money in the bank.
• Ramp It Up was a huge success.  The event was high quality, everyone did a great job in their presentations and those attending were extremely generous.  Thanks to everyone who helped!

     I was talking with Kelli at our Christmas Party.  She said that she came across her wish list from 2012 and was able to cross everything off it.  It has been a really good year and I am eager to move forward.

     What do we have coming up in 2014?  Mostly we will continue to roll with whatever comes along, but I know that there are some things that I have on my to-do list.

• I am wanting to create and fund a Fund Development Coordinator position.  This will be someone who helps me write grants and helps me in fundraising.
• Resolution to our Balloon Payment.  It is due in September and we will either have the building payed off or a long term solution in place this year.
• I want to upgrade our security system and do a few internal remodeling pieces to make our space more efficient and safe.
• I want to see increased building usage: concerts, field trips, meetings, rentals, etc.  This place is just better when there are people, especially young people, in it.
• Focus.  It is time to reevaluate our place within the community.  Where are we uniquely situated to serve the youth of the Interior?  What programs should we expand or cut or create?  I am excited to see what we discover.

Joel's Place has been through a wild ride in 2013.  As I look at the big picture, it seems that most of 2013 has been preparation work to equip us to move forward.  We are entering a new season and we need new tools to fulfill our mission in that new season.  I am so grateful for our partners.  You make it possible to pour resources into the youth.  Thank you for your support, your encouragement and everything that you do to propel Joel's Place along.  I am eager to see where 2014 takes us and I encourage you to come along.  The only thing I know for certain is this:

     It will be an amazing ride.

Christmas Card

     What a fine looking bunch!  This is our staff team at Ramp It Up.  We all looked so nice, I thought I would take advantage of the moment and take our Christmas Card picture (a strategy I also employed for my family picture that evening).  In case you don't know them, allow my to introduce my amazing staff:
From the left:

• Arlys, our Financial Manager.  Kind, caring and detail oriented, Arlys keeps our books clean and our paper trail running smoothly.  She hides in our upper office and is deeply cherished by the rest of the staff.
• Orion, Skate Park Manager.  Orion is still in High School but still has the energy and the maturity to do a fabulous job of connecting with the younger kids while keeping our skaters safe.
• Kelli, Joel's Place Program Manager.  Simply put, I would be lost here without Kelli.  She brings a level of fun and creativity to the center that I do not possess.  She is outstanding at developing the staff and connecting with the youth.
• At the center of the back row is Mark, our Youth Development Coordinator.  Mark is quick to listen to what the kids need and eager to help them achieve their goals....I also destroyed him in a badminton match, which boosts my confidence when I see him.
• Keturah, Cafe Manager.  Keturah is feisty, perfectly willing to go toe-to-toe with the youth who forget their manners at dinner.  I have learned that you cannot be timid if you want teenage boys to eat well.  Keturah is no mean lunch lady, however, as she is quick to laugh and lavishly generous of her time and resources.
• Jay, Staff.  He wants a better title but he hasn't earned it yet.  Jay is the newest member of our team but has wasted no time in diving into making friends with the kids, starting up epic dodgeball games and learning how to skate.
• Me.  You already know lots about me.  I like to write.  I like to plan.  I was the only one who wore a tie that night...Yup.  That's about it.
• Leah, Front Desk.  You know what is said about the importance of first impressions.  Leah is our first impression at Joel's Place.  She welcomes people in with a smile and sincere greeting.  She knows everyone's name.  She goes out of her way to help people feel welcomed.

   On behalf of the myself, the staff here at Joel's Place, the dozens of volunteers, hundreds of donors and over 900 youth who have used our facility this year

                  Have a Merry Christmas and 
                  a Joy-filled Holiday Season!

The Christmas Post

     I was looking back over my previous posts to see what I had written about Christmas last year.  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  It made sense as Lucy was born at the very end of November and life was a little crazy, but I still neglected to write about my favorite time of the year.  This will soon be rectified.

     Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and usually it is not even close.  I love Christmas specials.  I love Christmas baking.  I listen to Christmas songs throughout the year.  Maybe my enjoyment of the holiday comes from my mom's kitchen and her history of making amazing things to eat during this time of year.  Maybe it comes from school age and having a break from school.  Maybe it comes from memories of opening presents with my brothers.
                          (Side note:  One year Christmas festivities just stopped for a half hour as all three of us simultaneously opened gifts that contained Nerf guns.  It was a maelstrom of darts and wrapping paper and body parts and tinsel.  I would like to say that I was a young boy...but I was probably 20.)

     Perhaps I cherish this season because it is the one time of the year when everyone enjoys winter instead of complaining about it.  Being from Alaska and choosing to call this state and this climate my home means that I not only tolerate winter, I enjoy the snow and the dark sky and the chilly temperatures.  On Christmas, everyone else sees winter the way that I see it year round.

     Maybe I simply love Christmas because it falls about a month after my birthday.  Close enough to check off the rest of my wish list but far enough away that most relatives could not get away with sending me a joint Christmas/birthday present.

     While all these are definitely elements of why I enjoy this season, the most significant piece lies deeper.  It is not something that I often think about or reflect on.  Reflection requires slowing down and listening and we live in a world that urges us to move faster and take on more and more.  When I do slow down, I am overcome by a simple word that I ascribe to this season and this season alone.  It is not "Joy" or "Peace" or "Noel" or anything else that I have seen on a Christmas card.  It is "Wonder."

     My favorite definition of Wonder is "amazed admiration."  It is children staring at wrapped presents under the tree, imagining the possibilities of what could be in those packages.  It is my 1 year old daughter gazing, mouth open, at Christmas lights.  It is a parent looking at their sons and daughters, stunned that they were part of creating something so amazing.  Wonder is what happens when we gaze on something that is beautiful and complete yet is full of unrealized potential...it will only get better and our imaginations are released into dreaming of what they could become.  Wonder is delight at what we have and excitement at what will come later.  When I think of Wonder, I think of a parent beholding their newborn and my mind turns toward the first Christmas.

     I imagine the baby Jesus, Lord of the Universe and helpless infant.  I imagine the wonder in Mary and Joseph's eyes being matched only by the wonder of the heavens.  I imagine the constant chorus of praises being temporarily paused in heaven as the angels looked on at wonder at the newly revealed Divine Plan.  Immortal and Eternal wrapped in quivering and frail flesh.  A perfect baby, a perfect gift with limitless potential yet to be revealed.  I imagine the Father with a small smile whispering "Watch and see what I will do."  The silence of Wonder...the implications of this gift...minds and hearts racing as the Divine entered creation.

     Sometimes when the house is quiet...and I am quiet...I catch a glimpse of God pouring out unexpected gifts onto unsuspecting mortality.  I feel the amazed admiration as I ponder what could come next.  I hear a faint whisper to "Watch and see what I will do."  And I sit in Wonder at the amazing God we serve.

Merry Christmas and may this season be filled with Wonder for us all.

The "Ten Minutes From Now" Guy

     I am a "Ten Minutes From Now" kind of guy.  My attention tends to be focused on what is coming up and what I need to do now in order to be ready for the next meeting, event, project or report.  I have passed this trait on to my daughter.  This morning she had a rip in her pants and her mom was patching them up before we headed off to school.  Their interaction went something like this:

• Girl (obviously antsy): Hurry, mom...we're already two minutes late for school
• Wife (confused): Honey, school doesn't start for another 10 minutes. I don't think you are reading the clock right
• Girl (highly insulted at her ability to tell time being questioned):  Yeah but dad says that it normally takes us 12 minutes to get to school unless we hit the lights just right and make great time but we can't count on that so we are already probably late for school and it will be my fault because they are my pants and I didn't plan ahead and we will need to get tardy slips and give them to my teacher who makes fun of us when we are late and now we are three minutes late so could you hurry?  Please?
• Wife (looking baffled as her husband proudly snickers on the other side of the couch):  Ok.  Done.  Off you go.

     The benefit of being a "Ten Minutes From Now" person is that I am usually on time and prepared for whatever comes next.  I anticipate problems before they arise and work to fix them before people know something is broken.  I have a strategic view of work and life and strive to help those in my circles succeed.  Each of these traits has been tremendously helpful in my work at Joel's Place.

     There are a couple of drawbacks to having this personality trait.  First and foremost is that you do not live in the present.  That means that if something good happens, I very rarely enjoy it because I have already moved on to the challenges of my next thing.  It also means that I live my life by my plans and if...when...they are disrupted, my entire world is thrown off a little bit.  I get grumpy when chaos enters my life.  The third piece is that I have a hard time being thankful.  Thankfulness requires that we stop and reflect on the blessings that have been poured upon us.  It is not about fixing anything or planning anything or doing anything.  It is simply being present and soaking in the goodness that we have been given while acknowledging that these are things we have been given, not that we have earned.  Thankfulness is directly tied to receiving.  If the things that we celebrate are earned, we are less thankful and more proud of our accomplishments.

     So in acknowledgement of my natural tendencies and out of respect for this Thanksgiving week, here are some things that I am deeply thankful for:

• My wife and children are all happy, healthy, full of laughter and so much fun.
• I have a great house to live in and a good car to drive.
• My job pays a liveable wage, regularly challenges my mind and my faith and pours resources into our community for a demographic who really need people to invest in them
• I have a tremendous staff
• I have a Board of Directors who love Joel's Place and volunteer their time
• We have hundreds of supporters who give of their time, money and resources to allow Joel's Place to exist.
• Fairbanks is an outstanding place to live and raise a family.
• It is snowing outside right now.
• I have a book coming out in the spring
• My parents live in town and are astoundingly generous and helpful
• I work somewhere that specializes in making people smile
• The Faith Community loves youth and works with us to serve them.
• I have a flexible schedule that allows me to be with my family as they grow
• My wife made me chocolate cupcakes for my birthday breakfast
• I have people who read this blog and offer me encouraging feedback.

     I am thankful for holidays that are scheduled into the year that remind me to step out of "Ten Minutes From Now" and embrace thankfulness. I invite you to join me, take a step back, stop all the cleaning and preparing that you are doing today and remember the good things you have been given.  Allow Thankfulness to propel your holiday weekend instead of panic and duty.  See you on the other side.

Welcome to Joel's Place, Jay.

Our newest employee is Jay Byam.  He is a college student and musician who holds the unofficial title of "Floater" at Joel's Place.  He helps at the front desk, the Red Room, outside or wherever else the kids are.  For his first Monthly Report he sent me this story which I felt I should share.  Sometimes this job is just fun.

A Story:

At about 8:20 on a Sunday night, 40 minutes until closing, Kelli asked two very fine young men, S and I, to do something.  The task was to empty the huge freezer that was in front of the sound booth, move the heavy and awkward freezer outside and fill it back up with what we removed. 

Initially excited, we retrieved the key from Kelli and opened the freezer lid.  Much to our dismay, the container was packed to the brim with everything from hot dog buns to 20 pound roasts to Reese's ice cream cakes.  

Our discouragement did not last long, however, as my brain began to formulate a genius ploy.  "You toss stuff to me and I'll put it in a pile on the ground over here.  It'll go lots faster,"  I suggested.  "Okay," was all that came out of S.

We began at what would be considered a normal speed for such a job, but S soon realized that I became quite flustered if he threw me the next item before I had placed the previous one down safely.  This epiphany led to a frantic race to see who could do their job faster than the other.  Our heart rates raced as we stopped only a few times to either make fun of the other's mishaps or catch our breaths.  This continued for a surprisingly short amount of time and the freezer was emptied.

Then next part of the job was getting the freezer outside.  We discovered just how good we were at waddling while a heavy object, with no handles might I add, slowly slipped out of our grasps.  Despite these setbacks, the bulky unit was in place outside, plugged in.

The activity that ensued will be faithfully denied by all who were involved.  I mean, of course, this never happened.  I stood at the back doorway, about 25 feet away from the pile we had made where S took his position.  With very few words the process began, differently than before.  We didn't gradually reach a ridiculous pace; we achieved it immediately.  S would either underhand toss things very slowly as if they were a bowling ball, side-arm fling the objects on a laser beam path or catapult the items much like a soldier with a grenade.  There was no in-between.  My body was the only thing stopping the projectiles from matching the destruction of the objects they resembled as they flew through the red room air.  My job was simple.  I was to absorb the impact of the things of differing masses and varying velocities, often with only one free hand, and toss them into the freezer around the corner, in some sort of order, in time to catch the next projectile, which was normally in the air long before I turned the corner.  When the smoke cleared and all body parts were accounted for, two young men with goofy grins on their faces stood over a fully completed task. Or, so we thought. 

Our grateful leader came outside and saw how happy we were to have done such an outstanding job.  Having had enough, she spoke the words that pierced our vulnerable souls.

"Actually, boys, I need it over there…"

Ramp It Up!

     If you have been following my posts at all, you will know that Joel's Place has been preparing for its annual fundraiser for a while now.  There were a million details floating around and they all came together this past weekend.  It went better than we had any right to expect; we had an incredible night this past Saturday.  The Ride Team was amazing: they helped with the setup, tear down, service and put together a tremendous video for the evening.  The food was exceptional.  The speakers were clear, yet personally involved.  The ask was simple and the program was short.  Everyone had a great evening and we raised over $35,000 for Joel's Place.
   
     There are a lot of people to thank, so I wanted to take this post to recognize as many of them as I could.  If you notice a name that should be on here, let me know.  (The great thing about the internet is that if I remember someone else later, I can simply come back and edit this file without anyone being the wiser.)

     Without further ado:

• First and foremost, Thank you to my staff.  I am specifically talking to you, Kelli.  There was room prep, printing, volunteer management and recruitment, and (most importantly) Centerpieces.  I wanted nothing to do with that.  Thanks everyone for helping this night to go off smoothly.
• Jameson Kapec and his team prepared our meal and it was delicious.  Everyone raved about how much they enjoyed the food.  Special thanks to Lavelle's Bistro for their assistance.
• Friends Church provided the location while The Works Catering provided the kitchen facilities.  Thank you for giving us a great space in which to host Ramp It Up.
• Rod Devore was our speaker from Rocketown in Nashville.  He was a font of information throughout the night and during the training leading up to the weekend.
• Speaking of Rod, Variety Motors provided him with a car and Pike's Waterfront gave him a room for his stay.
• BP and Airport Equipment Rentals were our Event Sponsors, allowing us to put on the event at all. 
• North Pole Coffee Roasters provided a complimentary coffee service.
• Andrea Johnson from The Works was a tremendous help on putting all the food service details together.
• Our Table Sponsors: The Setterbergs, R&D Environmental, Black Gold Express, Black Gold Oilfield Services, The Sadlers, Spartan Construction, Harvest Church, Cribs, Cradles and Things, Spirit of Alaska, MAC FCU, Northland Wood, Family Centered Services of AK., Henry Hedberg, SMRT Construction, Sauer Electric, Seekins Ford, Stanton Construction, Lifewater Engineering, The Meurlotts, RJG Accounting Services, The Johnsons.
• Jon Huff and AUP for running sound
• Rob Prince who shot and edited our video.
• Vince and Nick Meurlott who each gave a testimonial
• Jay Byam and his band, BroTalk, who played to open our evening.
• Our Board of Directors who helped promote and organize the event
• Lacey Shephard who volunteered a lot of hours to help this go smoothly

 Thank you to everyone involved.  We took our first steps into paying for this wonderful building and it was a great success.  



 
I am eager to see what happens next.
 

Encouragement

     I have a personal filing cabinet next to my desk at work.  It contains budgets, programs, evaluations, grant rejection letters...normal, important business stuff.  The file at the very front of the cabinet is the one that I open the least but need to have accessible the most.  I have it labeled as simply "Encouragement."  This is where I keep thank you notes, words of support, drawings from my kids and other items that will remind me of why I have a great job.  

     This fall has been quite busy with travel and classes and putting together Ramp It Up (tickets still available, by the way!) and staff turnover and grant management and...the list goes on.  I talk a lot about how great Joel's Place is and I write a lot about how great Joel's Place is.  The problem that I have is that I get so wrapped up in our administration that I miss out on our mission.  I wonder if we are doing anything important or having any impact.  I wonder if young people are being transformed.  I wonder if the kingdom of God is richer because of what we do. 

     (Quick side note:  When looking for development and transformation in teenage boys, one must take a long-term approach.  Whether they are 9 or 19 they will still chase each other, throw things they aren't supposed to throw, eat things they aren't supposed to eat, act as rude as you will allow and test every boundary that you establish.  The key is not to see if they stop these things but rather to observe if they follow up the socially unacceptable behavior with more compassion, awareness and humility than they used to.)

       When I begin to wonder these things, I have three assets that I have built into my work life. 

• I turn to the monthly reports of my staff.  I ask each of them to give me a report each month with the best thing about their job, a hard thing about their job and a story from the month.  The staff are the ones who are witnessing our mission being lived out.  They are the ones seeing youth grow before their eyes.  It is encouraging to see the staff investing themselves into young people with the result being that both parties come away richer.
• My second asset is field trips.  Joel's Place hosts several events during our closed hours: camps, field trips, playgroups, etc.  Usually the staff are still home, preparing to come in to work at 3 when we open up.  So I get to teach kids how to skate or show them what kind of resources Joel's Place offers.  I run around for an hour or two; everyone has fun and breaks a sweat.  Then they leave and they tell me that this is the greatest place in Fairbanks and they will be bringing their friends back. It helps me remember how much fun this place is.

      (Quick side note 2: When talking about working with at-risk youth, we are talking about a Continuum of Care.  On one side of the spectrum is emergency services: food, shelter, safety and other vital services that pull them out of the spiral they are in.  On the other side of the spectrum is transition into society: job training, education and other resources that set them on the trajectory of being productive members of society.  You cannot go directly from one side of the spectrum to the other...too massive a leap.  Between those two sits Joel's Place and other organizations that provide opportunities for youth to discover the things that they are good at or are passionate about or want to explore more or simply things that they enjoy.  The importance of fun cannot be overstated in this part of the process.  Youth won't change their lives just to get out of bad habits or situations.  They will change their lives in order to pursue something better.  They get out of a bad situation, find a place of safety, discover what they want to pursue in their lives, utilize the resources to pursue it and move into society, ready to transform the world.  This is the continuum and our place in it.)

• My third asset is my Encouragement file.  I see pictures of kids on the autism spectrum learning to skate and garden and play with others this past summer.  I see thank you notes from a housing project who we fed.  There are letters from 6th graders who had a blast.  There are messages from my staff, friends, partners and scripture that are especially poignant and meaningful.  Joel's Place...this silly little skate park...has touched hundreds of lives and made this community a little bit brighter for lots of people.

     I hope you have an encouragement file or drawer or folder.  Something that reminds you why you got out of bed and showed up at work today.  We are not just working for the money, but to make the world a better place.  When reminders of that come in, stash them away; cling on to them.  I find them to be extremely valuable...and who doesn't like having an "Awesomest Dad Ever" sign hanging out by their desk?

About Fundraising

     Ramp It Up, our annual fundraiser, is a little over three weeks away.  Preparations are going great:  the site is excellent, tickets and flyers are printed, the speaker is booked and his reservations are taken care of, a few donations have been pledged already, the food is nearly set and the caterer is the executive chef at a local resort.  Trust me when I say the food will be amazing.  Truth be told, I think the entire night will be exceptional.  The only thing that remains is to get people there.  In order to do that, I need to take off my Administrator hat and put on replace it with my Fundraiser hat.  I find that my best communication comes not when I am trying to be funny or trying to be persuasive, but rather when I make my best effort to be real and honest.  So before I launch into an impassioned case about why you should send your hard-earned money to us, allow me to give a couple of my reflections on fundraising.
   
     I have tried writing this next part four or five times and it has not come out right yet.  Hopefully this time will work.  A fundraising conversation puts a lot of stress on its participants.  If I am at the table with you, it is because I believe that we have a lot of common ground.  I believe that you understand and support our mission: the work we do with the kids, why that is important and why we do not charge them much money to participate.  I believe that you want to help in some way.  I believe that you have resources of some kind that you are interested in investing into our mission.  I believe that with time you could become the most valuable resource a nonprofit can have: a Partner.

     See...the goal of fundraising is not just to find money to pay bills.  It is to find money and to create a network of Partners who will hold up your organization.  Partners connect the organization with resources in the community like money, volunteers, donations, clients and other Partners.  They offer encouraging words after a demoralizing encounter.  They provide creativity in problem solving.  They are advocates who provide your organization with the stability to weather whatever storms may come.  People can be Partners without money being involved, but it is rare for two reasons.  The first reason is that the heart and the bank account are linked...we care about the things we invest our money into and we invest our money into the things that matter most to us.  The second reason is that a lot of nonprofit storms revolve around money, specifically cash flow.  If we cannot discuss money then there is a significant amount of problem solving that we cannot work on together.

     So if I am sitting at the table with a potential Partner, the stakes are high for me.  I want to be honest about our need...or opportunities if you want to rephrase it...while not scaring someone away.  I want to build this potentially valuable relationship...but not at the expense of not asking about money.  Again, most partnership involves money and if I have a lot of potential Partners but no money coming in then what I am left with is a lot of people who will feel bad when we close.

     It helps to be strategic when sitting at that table.  Give a concrete project that someone can give to (Help us pay off our building).  Give a time frame so they don't feel trapped (The next 12 months).  Perhaps provide a nifty slogan that they can remember ("Help Burst our Balloon Payment!").  Offer a set amount of money that they could donate ($50/month) and remind them of what that money would go towards (Joel's Place becomes a sustainable endeavor and permanent resource for the youth of our community).  If necessary you can break the cost down into more bite size pieces ("That's the price of one cup of coffee per week to help the kids who can't help themselves.")  But strategy only goes so far.

     In the end it is about being able to be honest at that table.  I want to be upfront with this person that I value what they bring to the table, not just their money.  I want to be clear that I am not interested in manipulating them in order to get a check.  We are sitting there in order to advance the mission of building up our youth...that's much bigger than any one check.  The Foraker Group talks about nonprofits having 2 bottom lines:  Financial and Mission.  Partners will assist with both.  And so I will ask about money and I will ask about helping further our mission.  I have found that the only way that I can have these conversations go well is if I am not afraid of the outcome.  If my value and the entire fate of Joel's Place hangs in the balance of this conversation...it will not go well...even if we get a huge check.  I have learned to place my trust in a God who provides, allowing me to view these conversations as opportunities to see that provision in play.

     Joel's Place is doing amazing work.  We have a great mission, a great staff and great kids.  We have a couple of large debts and an ambitious goal to pay them off...with the help of our Partners.  If you would be interested in joining us, please let me know either by phone (907/452-2621) or by e-mail: joelsplacealaska@gmail.com.  I would love to see you at Ramp It Up as we work on knocking out the Balloon Payment.  I would love to sit down for a cup of coffee in order to talk about how to partner.  I would love for you to pass this post on to others who share a passion for investing in youth. 

     Thanks for giving me a few minutes to share.

James

The Joel's Place Ride Team

     I have been working around young people for a long time now.  Coming up on a couple of decades now...which means that I am getting old.  But that is beside the point.  I have seen enough stupid behavior and been engaged in enough drama-filled conversations that very little will surprise me when it comes to teenagers.  One element is usually predictably consistent:  youth are incredibly self-focused and self-centered.  That's not a bad thing, it is usually simply part of the process of young people discovering who they are and finding their way in life.

     Kelli, my Program Director, called me into her office the other day to run a proposal past me.  It involves the Joel's Place Ride Team.  The Ride Team is a group of 5-10 youth who are regulars at Joel's Place and who wanted to take their riding to the next level.  They agree to provide lessons, skate at exhibitions and make appearances at community events for Joel's Place.  In exchange they have free riding sessions throughout the year.  The Ride Team provided the volunteers for the A.Skate clinic, the lessons and demos at our fair booth and generally make it possible for me to show the community what we offer to youth without having to kill myself on a skateboard.

     The ride team came together and approached Kelli with an idea.  They love riding for free and realize that it is a special honor.  Instead of flaunting that to the other Joel's Place kids, they decided that they wanted to make a way for other riders to have the same experience.  Skating is more fun when there are more people able to join and the way you get the most people is to offer it for free.  So they asked Kelli if they could raise money to make "Free Ride Fridays."  Kelli and I helped them draft a support letter and they are currently out in the community seeking funds to help their peers ride for free.

     There is a lot that I wrestle with here.  There are lots of questions that I ask.  I have been taking classes in Non-Profit Management and have a list of 25 issues that need to be addressed immediately.  This journey has frequently been a struggle...but then I see this band of young men and women who are willing to brave fundraising because what we offer at Joel's Place is so good...so good that they want to offer it to as many youth as possible.  It's just skating, right?  Well...we do offer food too.  And it is a warm, safe place in the winter.   And the staff...the staff offer support and boundaries and encouragement and laughter and accountability and challenge and hope.  Joel's Place is somewhere that these youth can come and play and learn and become men and women of character.  It is a place that offers a home to those who are searching...and better yet a home where you can run around without worrying about breaking things.

     I am excited to see what happens with the Ride Team's project.  I hope it is incredibly successful.  I hope that partly because it would mean more kids for Joel's Place, which is always good.  I also hope that because I want the Ride Team to know success and take pride in their efforts.  They inspire me to continue working, continue trying to make this place the best it can be. 

     Thank you, everyone for how you continue to support Joel's Place.  We are truly blessed.

The PFD (Proactive Financial Discussion)

     Alaska, and Fairbanks specifically, is all abuzz in money talk at the moment.  The first installments of the PFDs came out this week.  PFD stands for Permanent Fund Dividend for those of you who do not have the fortune of living in this magnificent state.  Without going into details, the PFD is the annual share of oil money that every resident of Alaska receives every year.  This year the number is $900.  For those of you who don't live here, I will let your imagination run wild with what would happen if everyone around you suddenly received an extra $900 to do with as they wanted...

     So here is the reality: Everyone has some extra money and everyone else knows about it.  The question on everyone's mind is "What are you doing with your PFD?"  Every retailer has specials and sales going on.  Airline tickets are especially cheap.  There are opportunities to buy or rent or invest or donate or save or use money in some other way that only appear during this time of year.  A few people will save their money.  Many will use it to pay off debt.  Many more utilize it for buying toys and special purchases.

     As someone who raises money as a large part of my job, allow me to share some of what this time is like for me.  On the one hand this is the perfect time to fundraise...a target rich environment, if you will.  Lots of money is flowing in Fairbanks at the moment and surely at least a little of it could make its way here.  However I do not want to just be another voice in the cacophony trying to convince you that this is the best place to spend your money.  There are literally hundreds of those voices on the airwaves and in the papers at the moment.  Don't get me wrong.  I would be happy to accept donations.  Money is really useful and we always seem to be right on the edge of not having enough.  However there are two major factors that allow me to sit out the PFD frenzy.

     The first factor is a long-term view.  One time donations are great.  They allow us to pay off large expenses and really give this time of year a big boost for our annual budget.  I love months where our income is significantly higher than our expense.  However there is a donation that is even more valuable:  the monthly donation.  Monthly donors are the people who really feel like partners.  They will meet with you, talk with you, encourage you, network for you and pray with you.  This is a relationship business and there is always a question when approaching a donor for an annual gift.  "Do we have enough relationship that they will want to give this year?"  Consistent monthly donors are the gold standard in this industry.  It would be great if they were all in a position to give $200 every month, but that is not reality.  I cherish our monthly donors that give $10-100 each month.  They are the foundation that we are able to build our structures on.  The big annual gifts will fund the buildings, but without the foundation they will not last. 

     The second factor that helps me step back from the frenzy is our stance as a faith-based organization.  I believe that God will provide for our us.  I still put in the work of asking because that is my faithful response, but I have the freedom to ask without fear or panic.  I often say that I do not need your money.  God has unlimited resources and creativity.  We give because it is a joyful way of living.  Your gift will bless you as much as it will bless myself, the staff and the kids of Joel's Place.  Transactions in the kingdom of heaven never only have one person who benefits.  The gift will grow relationship and allow us to partner together in caring for the young and the poor, both of whom God holds in a special place in His heart.  My hope is that if you hold these views as well, you will listen for God's invitation and respond.  If He invites you to give, we are eager to receive.  If He invites you to invest elsewhere, blessings upon you and your money. 

     One other money-related note for our readers of faith:  If you are not committed to a community of faith, I would invite you to consider sending part of your tithe to Joel's Place.  Scripture is filled with encouragements to give 10% of our earnings towards the work of the kingdom.  The easiest way to do that is to put it into the offering plate each sunday.  If we are not attending a church community, it becomes really easy to intend to give and just never get to it.  Giving is hard for me and I don't say this lightly: it is important for the health of our souls that we freely bless others with our money. 

     Money is a great tool.  There are lots of things I would love to fix up with it.  It is not a substitute for relationship.  Let's be intentional about how we use our stuff (that includes our PFD's) in order to build what really lasts...
                   ...that's relationship, in case I was being too subtle.

Honor

     Yesterday was a monumental day for Joel's Place.  Not necessarily good or bad, but monumental.  We had a Board of Directors meeting where our Board President and co-founder, Mike Setterberg, resigned and handed the reigns of the organization to someone else.  Who it was is almost insignificant (although Christopher Huffman, our interim President is extremely cool and an exceptional choice).  The big step is that Mike has now joined his wife and our other co-founder, Linda, in transitioning out of the direction of Joel's Place.  Linda wrapped up her time in the office about six months ago and has been dedicating herself to caring for her grandchildren, finishing her Master's degree, mentoring young women in the community, exploring the launch of a new non-profit and leading the Well Church.  It's like being less busy than she was...but not.

     Founders are the single most important people in the history of an organization and in Mike and Linda we have two of the best.  Founders determine the focus, the values, the culture of an organization.  They set the mission which informs everything else.  Founders take dreams and make them into reality, often at great personal sacrifice.  Then...at some point...founders step away and see if their creation can fly on its own.  What I have found to be true is this: Organizations, especially faith-based ministries, can survive and thrive in the face of leadership change.  Personality cults cannot; they just wither up and die without the founder.  This is the point in time where we will discover which category Joel's Place belongs to.  I have been a founder myself, someone who invested my life into an organization for a decade and then left.  I am familiar with all the conflicting emotions that accompany letting go of something that you hold so dear.  I am aware of what it takes to move on both personally and professionally after dedicating your blood, sweat and tears for so long.  But before getting into what Joel's Place looks like moving forward, it is right and appropriate to step back and honor those who have brought us to this place.

     Everyone that I have spoken with in the Fairbanks is in awe of how much the Setterbergs have given of themselves in order to care for the youth of this community.  And not just any youth.  Mike and Linda have always had a special heart for those who were marginalized or were not being loved by anyone else.  I had an old boss who described young men as coconuts with razor-blades sticking out of them.  They were tough and they were sharp and they poked anyone who got too close and yet they were fragile and likely to break.  While most people in our world would wait for those coconuts to mature, Mike and Linda would rush in and hold them in an embrace, opening their hearts and their home to anyone who was thirsting for love.  The dream of Joel's Place was never based out of a love of skateboarding...it was based out of a love of skateboarders.  It was a dream to provide youth with a place to be safe and a place to be loved and a place to be themselves without getting into trouble.  Our founders have invested countless sleepless nights and long, long days into crafting a home for the homeless and a family for the abandoned.  Every year our accountant reviews our audit.  Every year she says that this enterprise should not work and will likely close in the coming year.  We are coming up on 15 years of this place being open due to the sheer will, determination and faith of these two.

     There are times when our strategy or our history drives me crazy.  We have some practices that give me headaches.  But what I am learning more and more is that you can teach practices.  You cannot teach attitude...character...heart.  And this place, this organization, has been infused with more heart than any other place I have ever stepped foot into.  Mike and Linda poured passion into the very marrow of Joel's Place, going so far as to make our mission "Creating a compassionate community."  Compassion literally means "to suffer with."  The Setterbergs have Master's Degrees in suffering with.  They are quick to listen, willing to mourn, eager to give and help in any way that they can.  They walk around with personal stories that will both make you cry and fill your heart with joy at God's goodness.  There is more laughter within these walls than any other place where I have worked.

     I don't know exactly how to capture the scope of impact that Joel's Place has had.  I know that since Mike and Linda decided to pursue this crazy adventure, they have ministered to thousands of kids.  Maybe just a single meal.  Maybe a place to sleep.  Maybe a safe place to spend the winter.  Maybe a new family altogether.  I don't think we will know the full impact that they have had through this place until we get to heaven and they are welcomed in by everyone whose lives they have transformed.

     Personally, I am honored to be entrusted with this precious gift.  As much as I like creating new things, I am wise enough to know that there is a heart and a spirit about this ministry that simply requires that I stay out of the way.  Joel's Place attracts those who need to be here and offers life transformation in a way very few other places can.  I am grateful to have had an Executive Director who gave me space to try my own things while still being available for mentoring.  I am grateful to have had a boss who was as vocal and enthusiastic an advocate and supporter as any I have ever had.

     Thank you Mike.  Thank you Linda.  I will do everything I can to build a structure worthy of the strong foundation that you have left for us.  May the Lord lavish blessings upon you as you enter the next phase of your lives together.  I cannot wait to see what the next Act bring for us all.