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4th Quarter 2013
Feature Article
Calendar
Mentors Corner
Get to Know
Get Involved
Dear Friends
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Fall Classes Are Here!
It's that time of the year again. The days are getting shorter and the air is crisper which can only mean one thing -- TRUE Mentors' classes are underway and are open to all children from ages seven to seventeen!
According to Vanessa Broerman, Class Director, "Most of the kids who come to the classes are interested in being matched up with a mentor and taking part in mentorship program. The classes are also for adult volunteers who are interested in volunteering with the TRUE Mentors program. Several adults who started volunteering at the classes have become mentors."
The classes provide a safe, fun and enriching environment where the mentees and mentors can get to know each other better. The weekly classes are planned and organized by TRUE Mentors, so it is a great opportunity for the mentors and mentees to spend quality and learn something new at the same time.
There are monthly themes for the classes. September's theme was leadership. October's theme is friendship. November's is perseverance and December's theme is dream big.
All classes are held at the Boy's and Girl's Club and the schedule of classes can be found at www.TRUEmentors.org.
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TRUE Mentors Events
TM Scavenger Hunt! Sat, Oct 12th
contact: jsproule@truementors.org
Kids Classes: 6 - 8 pm
The Boys & Girls Club, 123 Jefferson St
Craft Lanterns Thr, Oct 10
Ben & Jerry’s Tue, Oct 15
Food & Culture Thr, Oct 24
Tribal Art Thr, Oct 29
Science/Engineering Tue, Nov 5
Japanese Food Tue, Nov 12
Mind/Body/Wellness Thr, Nov 21
Holiday Crafts Thr, Dec 5
Mind/Body/Wellness Thr, Dec 12
Ben & Jerry’s Tue, Dec 17
Local Events
* Harvest Festival, Pier A Park
Sat, Oct 19, 11 am – 3 pm
* Ragamuffin Parade, Washington St.
Thurs Oct 31, 3pm
* Artist Studio Tour, maps at City Hall
Sat/Sun, Nov 9/10, 12 -6pm
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Mentors
Corner
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Activity Ideas Apple and/or Pumpkin Picking
Carve a Pumpkin
Make Caramel Apples
Throw Around a Football
Cheer on the NYC Marathoners
Hoboken Artist Studio Tour
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Thoughts From Mentors "If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
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Get to know: Tina Puglisi- Relationship Manager
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Q: How did you transition from your role in the classes to your role as a relationship manager?
How do the relationship managers help support the mentor/mentee relationships?
A: I transitioned from my role in class to a relationship manager about 3 months ago. I started out attending the classes and really loved seeing the kids every week. They are so much fun to be around! As I got more involved with TM I was asked to become a relationship manager. I was so excited and it fit me perfectly. I am a teacher and have a lot of experience dealing with both parents and kids. I can say that at TM they are very good at playing to everyone’s strengths. I am so excited to be more involved and working with both mentors and mentees!
Relationship managers help to support the mentor/mentee relationship in many ways to ensure both have a wonderful experience. Some example include: contacting the mentors on a monthly basis to see how their match is going, providing ideas for activities, approaching the mentee's family to gain insight into their experiences with TM and how we can better meet their needs, and having get togethers for the mentors allowing them to build relationships and interact about their experiences.
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Get Involved
One-time or longer-term volunteer opportunities!
- Become a Mentor
For more information on visit: http://truementors.org/mentor
- Support the Kids Classes
Provide homework help during a class
Plan and/or teach a class
Help staff at events & fundraisers
-Scavenger Hunt Volunteers Needed
Sat, Oct 12th
- Help with set up
- Be a clue checker
- Join the Teen Program, contact: rdenaro@truementors.org
- Support TM via an organizational position
Leverage your skills
Gain additional leadership experience
for more information
email: volunteers@truementors.org
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Dear Friends,
As the cool air of fall approaches, I hope this newsletter finds you well. The TRUE Mentors team has been very busy over the summer. We successfully launched the Teen Internship Program, and the three teens are currently working on their projects. Our annual fundraiser, the Scavenger Hunt quickly approaches on October 12, 2013, and the planning is underway. Weekly classes launched a few weeks ago. New lives are being impacted weekly.
All of this reminds me how intentional we need to be in our planning and in our relationships with all of you, especially active volunteers. These relationships set the tone for the entire organization. Time and energy are valuable and limited resources. As supporters and volunteers of this organization, we hope to optimize the time, energy and resources that you dedicate to our cause. The dedicated efforts of TRUE Mentors volunteers don’t go unnoticed in our community and we touched 27 lives at a kayaking event in August and matched 6 children with mentors since our last newsletter.
Vince Lombardi said, “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Our team mentality improves our organization, which improves the lives of children, which improves their chances at success, and ultimately improves the lives around them and our community.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or message me to be added to our weekly email for more regular updates.
Best,
James Sproule
Executive Director
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