One of my favorite places to train

Faith Mountain is one of my favorite places to train. If you are in West Virginia or Kentucky, and you are looking for a place to have a family retreat, strategic planning for your Board of Directors, Staff Retreat, or workshops (complete with an overnight stay)I would highly recommend a stay at Faith Mountain. You need to know up front, they are a Christain based organization, and go to there web site for more information on their mission, vision, rates, and other information. Youth groups, churches, and Faith-Based Organizations will find the view breath taking, the hospitality top notch, the peacefullness soothing, and the whole experience calming. On top of it all, their rates are cheaper than most hotels (and you get so much more). I always like to spread the word when I find an organization that is truely fullfilling their mission, offering the best customer service, and offering a unique service. Faith Mountin hits the mark on all accounts. They are also hosting serveral workshops over the next few months for nonprofits and faith based organizations. They will host a Board Roles and Responsibilities workshop on May 11th, 2007 in conjunction with Mission West Virginia, Inc. I will be the trainer for that event. It is free of charge and open to the public. Just call Faith Mountain if you are interested in attending. I am going to add a few more pictures of the actual cabin I stayed in.


Needless to say, I arrived at Faith Mountain on Thursday evening tired (worn out really) and not feeling well. I was shown to a beautiful cabin, with a great back porch, a wonderful view, a pristine kitchen, and a whirlpool bath tub!!!! Guess where I headed first! Yep, the big bath tube! Just what I needed. I read, relaxed, and recharged, and was my old self again by the time I started the training the next day. I have plans to take the family back, for my hubby's birthday no less! There web site is www.faithmountain.org. Hope you get a chance to go, it is a great experience, and a great way to support another nonprofit in West Virginia.

Nonprofit Congress

I am placing a link to this blog on this blog (that sounded wierd). It is so important that we stay abreast of what this movement is doing, and that we support it. I visit this blog about once a week. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do. I will keep adding links. Please let me know if you have any np blogs you like and want me to add to this blog.

Marketing Workshop

I have been searching for commercials and print ads to use in my Marketing Workshop in Kentucky on May 7th, 2007. I have been going through the book "Robin Hood Marketing" by Katya Andresen and pulling up the different ads she talks about. I came across this Dove ad, and really liked what it had to say. It would be interesting to take this concept, and take a person from "street person" to "executive" using a teacher, community support, family, etc. instead of a make-up artist. A kind of "showing us the potential underneath" approach. So, go ahead and watch, and see what you think.

Thoughts on Virginia Tech

My personal thoughts on Virginia Tech. Why in the world are we cutting funding in this country for mental health when it is so obvious that it is a critical need? What more has to happen to illustrate the need for public mental health services, that are affordable, available, and critical!?!? I encourage you to visit this website
http://www.vt.edu/
Today, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and friends, the students and the community. Hope everyone is wearing their maroon and orange today. I know that the students of Marshal University have formed a bond of grief and understanding with Virginia Tech. And as a past University Prof. (Lindenwood University), I can only imagine the grief and disbelief shared on campus. I hope we will wake up as a country, and demand funding for social services that will give communities and individuals the tools needed to avoid future tragedies. Today, I am a Virginia Tech alumni even though I graduated from a different university, and I hope you are too.

The First Blog

I went to this great training today, and as a result I learned about blogging (which I already did personally, but not professionally) and came home motivated to make this blog site for people who want to share ideas, thoughts, news, and support to other people who work in the nonprofit sector. I also thought this would be a great way to stay in touch with so many of the wonderful people I have met through the Leading The Future trainings. I am putting in links, and books, and news, and what ever else I can think of that might be of interest to you. Let me know what else you might want to see on this site.