Active 20-30

There's No Time To Be Afraid

2012-01-27T09:47:00.002-05:00

I'm in full-on Super Bowl mode with the big game just over a week away and my calendar dominated with volunteer shifts. I thought I'd wrap up this week with this sports-inspired piece of motivation.

This applies to every aspect of our lives as leaders and learners. It's right - we only get one go around. Is it worth behaving badly or sitting scared? What would you take on if that little voice in the back of your head would just shut up?

I Can Only...

2012-01-23T09:57:00.000-05:00

Agree? Disagree?

How much of that we do is driven by what someone tells you to do and how much is driven by what we feel inspired to do?

Discuss.

To Quote - Be The Best...

2012-01-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Martin Luther King, Jr. has so many memorable and inspiring quotes to his credit. Many were circulating on Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere Monday as the nation celebrated his amazing legacy. The two quotes below go hand-in-hand and, I believe, are necessary to be reminded of as we continue to develop as servant leaders in our communities.

  "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance."

"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.   If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be the best little shrub on the side of the hill. Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are."

To me, these speak to the personal growth aspect of our mission. It's an attitude. It's an expectation. It's setting a standard for those who follow behind us.

And, just in case you were curious... that's a picture of Stanley the Street Sweeper from WOW Toys.

It's Not OK

2012-01-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

Today many of us are marking the birthday of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. Some are doing it by tweeting quotes, others are sleeping in and enjoying a day off of work, while still others are coming together to serve in their communities and recognize the difference one inspired person can make.

I was talking with a friend this morning who couldn't believe he didn't have the day off of work. I guess it was carryover from a weekend with the RoudyBoys*, but the first thing out of my mouth was, "do you know why MLK was important?" The response, "he had a dream." ... and off he walked.

Today, my answer to that question would be that MLK saw the culture, the beliefs and the practices around him and declared: It's not ok.

How many times have we taken stock of the world around us, noted the wrongs and kept going with the status quo. Perhaps it's that we don't believe in our own power to change things. Maybe it's that there are just so many things wrong with the world and we believe we can't remedy them all. Maybe we see the cost and feel it's just too high - especially the personal costs like safety or criticism.

Active 20-30's founders declared it's not ok to tell young potential-leaders to sit quietly and let the established leaders lead. Our local clubs have said it's not ok to allow a child to go without a Christmas present under the tree or go hungry when away from school.

Vineet Wahi challenged me to read the book "Half the Sky". It opened my eyes to practices around the world that are not ok. Many that I've turned a blind eye to - from human trafficking to prohibiting girls from attending school in developing nations to allowing mothers and babies to die needlessly. These were all accepted behaviors until someone said "it's not ok..." to buy and sell humans. To deem someone a lower class citizen because she is a girl and not a boy. Each story includes someone who saw the uneducated girl or young woman sold to a brothel and declared "it's not ok", changing lives along the way

It's our responsibility to follow the lead of Dr. King and many many others. To recognize things around us that offend our sensibilities then to stand up and say "it's not ok!" We don't have to have the answers for how we'll fix the problem - we do, however, need to realize that until we say this simple phrase, nothing will change.

What has caught your attention and made you say "it's not ok"?

* Teachable moments abound as we walked the miles of museum exhibits in Chicago.

Will Your Tribe Change the World? [Video]

2012-01-13T08:51:00.000-05:00

No matter what we call ourselves, we're members of tribes. We make up a bunch of small-ish local tribes, regional tribes and one far-reaching national tribe. Our beliefs and egos and attitudes control what we'll achieve to a great extent.

Take a look at this TED Talk video below. Don't hit play, check your email and play Words With Friends. But really listen to it and think about how it applies to the tribe that is your local club. Think about the larger tribe that is Active 20-30 US & Canada.

When you're done, please post in the comments: which stage do you believe we're in? Do you think understanding this will help us to evolve? There's no right or wrong answer.

Your Major Award

2012-01-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

Service is about giving to and doing for others, but it really is nice to be recognized for the effort sometimes, isn't it? Annually, Active 20-30 seeks to find and showcase the best projects, officers, members and clubs through our national awards program.

This year's awards and the judging process have been modified a bit to level the playing field between large clubs and smaller ones. The awards committee and national board would love to see an increase in the number of clubs participating and being recognized.

Will you showcase your best and brightest? The packet is available for download at:http://active20-30.com/index.cfm?page=national-awards. Submissions are due no later than April 1st.

If you have questions about the process or a specific award, drop chairwoman Vanessa Norgauer a note or post in the comments and they'll be addressed.

The McKnight Principle (aka Mistakes Will Be Made)

2012-01-06T16:44:00.000-05:00

I started this blog when I started my term as Region 1 Director back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth (ok, 2008). It was intended to be a short-term project to help connect my region's clubs to each other and to resources and knowledge. It has grown and evolved and changed focus over time - much like the very people who make up Active 20-30.

Today marks a milestone for me: my 500th blog post. It gave me a good reason to pause, look back and take stock of the journey I've been on and some of the people* who have shaped that journey. It really has been an amazing ride so far - with more twists, turns and hills than I imagined back in the first post.

All in all, I like the woman and the leader I've become. I've found my legs and my voice during this journey and continue to strengthen them. I've enjoyed so many opportunities to connect and (hopefully) inspire. I've made my fair share of mistakes and surely will find new ones to make before I'm done. I've been fortunate enough to have wonderful leaders beside me when I've stumbled.

There is one principle that has stayed at the core of what I do; at the forefront of my mind as I talk with people and as I lead and serve. Former 3M Chairman, William McKnight's 1946 address, now known as the McKnight Principle, finds its way into my head often:

"As our business grows, it becomes increasingly necessary to delegate responsibility and to encourage men and women to exercise their initiative. This requires considerable tolerance. Those men and women, to whom we delegate authority and responsibility, if they are good people, are going to want to do their jobs in their own way.

Mistakes will be made. But if a person is essentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are not as serious in the long run as the mistakes management will make if it undertakes to tell those in authority exactly how they must do their jobs.

Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative. And it's essential that we have many people with initiative if we are to continue to grow."

I can't think of a better statement to govern us as young leaders and mentors. Active 20-30 is very much about finding our own styles and letting others find theirs. It's about creating a safe place to try and to experience... and even to fail. It's our job to be compassionate not only with those in need, but with one another.

Do you have any mantras or quotes that have shaped the leader that you have become?

* You know who you are, I hope.

Day One

2012-01-04T12:40:00.001-05:00

The new year always seems to bring its fair share of resolutions. "This year I will ______." "This year I won't _______." We proclaim our often vague goals and go out into the world to achieve them. Until mid-February. You know, when the gyms clear out and the new shiny blog sits abandoned.

The new year is a logical milestone to reset your goals. I wonder how often we put off goal setting until such a lofty milestone when we could treat today as Day One and just get on with it. So, my resolution (started in late October 2011) is to stop waiting. Stop saying "I'll do it when...".

Sure, there are priorities and dependancies, but no more just pushing things off because I can. No more waiting for something great to happen or for the clock to strike midnight.

My questions for you:
1. What resolutions have you made over the past year (or week)?
2. What do you do to make sure they don't fall by the wayside before they're complete?

2 Hours in Scotland

2011-12-30T15:47:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night I had got to spend two hours with some of the Roundtable members from Arbroath Scotland. I can't thank them enough for inviting me and coordinating the logistics (oh, and for being gentlemen at 10pm).

I'd met a few of these gents when they traveled to Las Vegas for the WOCO Convention in 2008 and have kept in touch with one loosely on Facebook. The call started off with a little Q&A* and quickly moved into swapping stories of service projects carried out and friendships formed. It was as if we'd been hanging out together regularly for years - no one held back.

There were a few brand new members in the room, so I got to ask one of my favorite questions: "With all the options you have to serve, why join this group?" The answers were to the effect of "here, we can have fun while we give back" and "the work is easier when it's with friends". It's nice to know some things are the same no matter where you are.

It truly amazes me that I could be so welcomed by a group of people and talk as if we were life-long friends. That's one of the many things Active 20-30 (and WOCO) gives us as members - an instant connection; a brotherhood. Whether I need a fresh perspective or a word of encouragement, I know I have an even larger circle I can look to now.

My 2 hours in Scotland reminded me of one very important lesson - we are connected and should take far more advantage of it than we do. We meet members of other US clubs, International associations and other service groups at conventions and visitations. What happens when we go home? We tend to let the conversations die. We forget that we have a larger circle than just the people at our local meetings. The cost of these lost connections is immeasurable. There's the potential shared resources, inspiration and friendships that will never play out. I encourage each of you to connect with one person you've met, but lost track of. Why not go one step further and reach out to someone in another club and make a new connection?

By the way, the Arbroath men have invited all of us to come visit in person and to find a time they can come to the US to visit us. If they were this much fun on a SKYPE call, I can only imagine them in my living room!

* Yes, now that I know there will be Highland Games in Indy in October, I will indeed be going. No, I won't call the Sheriff of Boone County Kentucky and tell him some Scot named Jamie says hi.

Lights. Cameras. Take Action.

2011-12-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Active 20-30 Clubs across the country have executed some really unique fundraising ideas. Some have been conceived by members. Others have adopted events that have been successes for other clubs or organizations. A few lucky ones have been inherited from other organizations who chose not to run them anymore.

This is the case with the Redding Club and their newest fundraising project: The Sundial Film Festival. Presented with the opportunity to take charge of an already-established event that just needed a little TLC seemed like a great idea for a club passing their 5-year mark in the city.

It doesn't mean the project will be an easy one, though. They still have to secure entries (see shameless plug below), sponsors and guests. They can't sit back and watch everything happen - like every project or event, they'll be in the thick of it every step of the way. They do, however, have the benefit of seeing what's gone right and wrong in the past and get to put their own touches on the film festival.

I can't wait to join them in Redding on March 10th to see the photographs and short films that were submitted from around the country.

Scottsdale and Denver share the Brokers Benefiting Kids project idea; Albuquerque's kickball tournament plans have spread east to Indianapolis; black tie events, crab feeds and 80's parties are popping up among our clubs.

Feel free to share your experiences in taking a project and making it your own. What event have you done that you'd like to see spread?
The Sundial Film Festival is accepting entries through January 3rd (less than 1 week from now) Active 20-30 has some incredibly talented photographers and filmmakers, I'm certain. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your work?
For entry information, visit: http://www.sundialfilmfestival.com/

How Do You Choose?

2011-12-26T11:09:00.001-05:00

A while back, I spent a whopping $3.65 and took part in what I can only describe as a social experiment in charity with Penny For Your World. Each day I receive an email featuring two little-known or grassroots charities serving different causes. I then have to pick one to receive my penny that day.

It's hard to imagine how many people have to be taking part in order for our pennies to add up to something meaningful for any single charity. Sure, we collectively could give thousands of dollars over the course of the year, but isn't it spread so thin?

The more I thought, the more I wondered if it's about the money at all. Perhaps its more about awareness of the organizations, issues and solutions that surround me. I see organizations I never knew existed: helping people still impacted by the Chernobyl disaster was head-to-head with supporting entrepreneurship for women in third-world villages; pairing pets-in-need with the elderly competed for my penny against helping a food bank feed hungry children in Montana; serving the families of deployed soldiers squared off against keeping high-risk kids in school.

You get the idea. All worthy causes. All major issues to those effected.

For me, some are easy choices, but most aren't. I want to help both, but I only have 1 penny for the day. So, how does one decide?

I've started paying attention to the patterns that have emerged in my giving on the site. For me, it's life-sustaining first (food bank), then life-enhancing (entrepreneurship). It's also close-to-home (United States), then abroad. Human, then animal. I don't know if any of these decisions are right and I could make a good argument for why the other choice would be equally as wise. But it got me thinking about the choices I make in my giving of time and resources.

We're faced with the same choices everyday. There are so many worthwhile partners and people in our communities that could benefit from the work of your Active 20-30 club, but you only have so much manpower and money. How do you decide which to serve?

There are more and more service organizations that do good work. How, when you were considering joining Active 20-30, did you decide?

I really am curious: when faced with such important choices, how do you choose? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Who Is Your James?

2011-12-21T09:01:00.000-05:00

This is my absolute favorite holiday story. In fact, it very well may be my favorite giving story. It was shared with me by a Past Active who often brightens my day. The story is simple and genuine and reminds me why we're really here. It reminds me of the small things we can do to really make a difference. Among the chaos of life, I encourage you to each take a minute to reflect on the amazing things you've done and find your own James.

Who Is Your James?
In thinking about my future in Active 20-30 and the course I hope to chart, I have spent a lot of time thinking about why so many of us do what we do... why we give our hearts and souls to the organization, our friends in the club and - most importantly - the kids around us. Many of the members I encounter have a story to tell about the moment that solidified their commitment to Active 20-30.

I'd like to use this post to pass along the story from a past national officer. He's asked me to share this anonymously, but I would like to thank him for bringing tears to my eyes in the middle of a work day and putting things in perspective.
Please share your story in the comments and with your new and prospective members and donors. It is so important that even as we endure the everyday grunt work of fundraising and club management, we remember why we're here.

Why We Do What We Do
One cold, rainy Wednesday morning in December 15 years ago, a small band of 20-30 elves accompanied Santa on his annual journey. For me, it was just my 7th month in 20-30 and my first experience with my club’s Project Santa - an event that basically brings Christmas gifts of essential clothing and toys to “at-risk” and low-income kids that would otherwise receive nothing.

While visiting Wintun School, classes were brought in one by one to sit on Santa’s lap, get a candy cane and a photo. I was amused, amazed and even a little embarrassed, not having known at the time that Wintun featured a curriculum that combined “mainstream” kids with those that endured emotional and severe physical challenges.

As the kids filtered through, we watched their reactions range from outright joy to abject fear, but in almost every case Santa was able to win them over with a laugh and some candy.

As what we thought was the final group left, one teacher asked if we were in a rush or if we had time to wait for one last class that took a little extra time. Seemed that one student in particular required some extra care due to his wheelchair, but the teacher explained that he had been talking about little else for the past 2 weeks than getting to see Santa Claus. She explained that all day, everyday it was, “when do I get to see Santa, I can’t wait to see Santa, when is Santa coming, is he bringing reindeer”? We all laughed and assured her that we’d be happy to wait for this young boy.

A few quiet minutes later they brought in James, all chatting and squirming while strapped in his chair (for his own safety). The teacher explained that he was partially quadriplegic, having very limited control of his upper body, yet he insisted they take him out of the chair so he could “sit on Santa’s lap and see him up close”. Past-Active Life George Carl had been the Santa Claus for this event for over 25 years and was such a great guy in these cases, and he was careful to support James completely while he moved around uncontrollably and chatted away making Christmas requests and asking about flying reindeer.

Finally the time came when, candy cane given and photo taken, James was strapped back into his chair and left with a wave from Santa. It was then that the administrator, with tears flowing, thanked us for all of our annual visits and in particular for waiting to make one little boys dream come true. We assured her that it was our pleasure, as well as our purpose, and that no tears were necessary.

At that, she smiled and shook her head and revealed what all of us in our joy and pride had missed… James was also blind. He’d never seen Santa Claus and never would; yet he knew in his heart that’s who had truly held him. Suffice it to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the room as we all turned away to dab at our tears.

I found out the following year that that Christmas had been James’ last. He passed away quietly over the summer.

You never know when inspiration will strike your life, or what shape it may take. For some, it may be a winning Lotto ticket or landing a new job. But if you’re really lucky it may be an opportunity to watch a 10 year old boy in a wheelchair hug Santa Claus. To watch him “see” his dream through blind eyes… and blind faith.

There are many ways to show gratitude for the blessings in your life. Small scale or large, what the Active 20-30 club does matters to someone. Don’t ever, for even a minute, think that it doesn’t.

I can never repay the gift James gave me that day… but I always strive to try.

Happy Birthday!

2011-12-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

Active 20-30 US & Canada turns 89 years old today. We've gone through enormous changes over those years and have evolved into an organization that, I hope, would make our founders proud.

I often wonder when they set out on those first days what their hopes were for the organization. Did they have hopes that their idea would spread from Washington state and Sacramento, CA across the country to Colorado, Kansas, Indiana and New York? Did they understand the power of a few impassioned men (and women) could spread that passion to friends and strangers, alike?

In my role, I get bogged down some days with the challenges of sustaining and growing Active 20-30, of giving our members everything they deserve in exchange for their dues and dedicated service. But when I step back and look at the evolution - from year-to-year and from 1922 to now - I am absolutely blown away that this was all created and shaped by people, by volunteers with a passion for serving.

As you blow out the candles on your Active 20-30 birthday cake, what's your wish for the future of the club?

Bonus question: how should we celebrate our 90th birthday next year?

The Best of Us

2011-12-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Last week we memorialized a Past Active member who was described as embodying what it means to be an Active 20-30 member. I've also been part of many many conversations lately talking about who our "ideal" member is, what qualities he should possess - demographics, skill sets, personality, place in the community, etc.

My question for you is this: how would you describe the ideal Active 20-30 member? I realize and am thankful that it takes a diverse set of people to make our club what it is, should be and will be. I don't mean to insinuate that it should be at all limited. But there is some common thread that runs between all truly successful, exemplary members. What are those traits?

Please share your thoughts in the comments. If you care to share an example of a current member who embodies Active 20-30, I welcome, too.

Anonymous Extraordinaries [Video]

2011-12-12T10:04:00.000-05:00

My journey in life and in Active 20-30 has helped me flush out what my passion is. It's aiding in the development of young and emerging leaders. I see such hope and promise in young adults - people in their teens and 20's who are discovering their passions and their voices.

The origins of Active 20-30 resinates with me because a few strong people, in 1922, stood up and said "we're tired of old stuffy men with old stuffy ideas telling us to be quiet. That one day it'll be our time to lead and learn. No. Our time is now." (Paraphrased, of course. Our founders were certainly much more eloquent).

But the sentiment holds true and is among the things that drive me forward each day. In the work I do with my local Girl Scout council's Gold Award committee and in my role as a leader in Active 20-30, I am so fortunate to see the amazing things impassioned people - ourselves included - are capable of.

Below is a TED video that I have to share with you. At 18, Natalie Warne’s work with the Invisible Children movement made her a hero for young activists. At TEDxTeen she uses her inspiring story to remind us that no one is too young to change the world.

Grab a coffee and spend the next 13 minutes listening to Natalie's story that took her from LA to Oprah's studio in Chicago to help save countless lives in Africa. Then share how you are an anonymous extraordinary. I'm pretty certain you are in one way or another.

"You can change the world. You're not too young. Start today. Start now."

"Don't ignore the young. They may not have your experience, but you don't have their ideas. Imagine what you could do if you worked together."

Red Wine & Aloha Shirts

2011-12-09T09:43:00.001-05:00

Joey Gray, a past active member and past president of the Active 20-30 Club of North Bay and past national director, passed away last week. Through the postings on Facebook and conversations with many members across our organization, I've heard many stories about his character, quiet dedication and impact on the people he touched.

In general, I've found that we have a tendency to turn people into saints when they die. All their faults fall away and we hold them up in a false light. There are rare people who don't need this treatment - they lived their lives as an example for the rest of us. I truly believe Joey is one of these men.

I've heard stories this week of his playful spirit, but also of his sincere friendship and loyalty. Past National President, Duane Dougherty, talked to me about inside jokes and stop-overs whenever Joey passed through Reno. He talked about how Joey operated behind the scenes, bolstering those around him without seeking credit for himself. The embodiment of the Active 20-30 mission - friendship and service at their highest levels.

National Director Gioia Hershey is one example of someone guided by Joey's advise. "When I was campaigning for Regional Director, a wise, wonderful man named Joey Gray told me to visit all the clubs and have a good time getting to know people. Joey was someone that I looked forward to seeing at #656 meetings and getting a big hug from. The last time I saw him was Oct. 6th with a gavel in his hand and where he was in charge of North Bay’s Past Active Night. Not only was he a PAL, a #656 Past President, he was also a previous Regional Director that told me to have some fun while getting my work done... Active 20-30 lost a wonderful man when he passed away Dec. 1st."

I challenge you to look at the bar Joey has set for who we are as Active 20-30 members and see if you can - through your life and actions - raise that bar.

I invite you to post remembrances in the comments of this post - about Joey and about others like him who have exemplified the Active 20-30 spirit. What was it about this man that left such a big hole when he passed?

In Joey's honor, the men of North Bay #656 have created a scholarship fund. For more information, please contact the club.

Crabs

2011-12-07T11:27:00.001-05:00

I read an article recently that started with: What do crabs in a pot have to do with leadership. The author went on to tell the story of crabs in hot water and the advise his father gave him.

He began by asking if we’d ever seen crabs in a pot getting boiled. We said sure but weren’t sure where he was going with this. “Here’s the thing, he said, there will always be one crab who gets his claw up on the rim of that pot and is just about ready to pull himself out of there. And then the other crabs will grab him and drag him back into the pot. They’re not getting out of there, but they’re going to make sure he’s not getting out either. Both of you guys are smart and talented. You could go places. Don’t let them drag you back into that pot, boys.”

Mr. Neal shared a lot of wisdom with Ty and me back in the day but the crabs in the pot story is the one that I’ve always remembered. One of the big challenges of leadership is not getting pulled back into the pot. It’s about understanding what the current reality is (i.e. it’s hotter than hell in here and if we don’t get out, we’ll be cooked) and influencing others to come with you to something better while resisting their efforts to pull you back in.

I don't believe any of us intentionally hold another back, but haven't you seen this very thing at play? Many of you have climbed out of pots - at work, in Active 20-30, in other aspects of your life. Some of us have been pulled back in a few times, sweating it out and living to climb out another day.

Thinking back, what helped you to do that without getting pulled back in by those around you?

Please share your tips and tricks for climbing out in the comments.

Welcome to [Insert Your City]

2011-12-05T10:01:00.000-05:00

I was traveling last week when I saw Michele Spilman's post on her blog about "Welcome to..." road signs. The timing made me chuckle and the content made me smile. I hope you're following her writings. If not, you can catch many of them here.

I'm sure you've noticed signs as you've entered various towns, highlighting the organizations that meet there - Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Active 20-30. Active 20-30? Yes.

In addition to "Welcome to..." signs, what interesting places have you found our logo or name? One of our cities has it painted on the side of a building (is it Petaluma?) Where else have you seen it unexpectedly? Please post in the comments.

Welcome to...
I had come across the group photo above and wanted to learn more about the service club road signs. I also thought this would be a good start to a new category here: the 20-30 scavenger hunt.

When did Active 20-30 get signs posted? Reading through the Twenty-Thirtian Magazine, there was a mention of the Hayward club placing 20-30 signs at all the entrances to their city in 1926. Looks like all other cities that had clubs followed suit. Here's a photo that was in a 1928 issue of the magazine:

So the question I've been wondering is: are they still there? I've been trying to figure out if Sacramento even has a service signboard coming into the city anymore. Please keep your eyes out for city signboards and share if you find Active 20-30 on any of them.

You're Part of Something Bigger

2011-12-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

We are each members of a local chapter of Active 20-30 and may see that as the extent of our involvement. After all, there are more kids in our individual communities than we can ever serve fully.

If you've read many of the posts on this blog or heard me talk, you know that you and your club is a part of something bigger in the US. I strongly believe that our network of clubs and connections we form between them enables us to do more than all of our members of all of our clubs can do individually. We share ideas, lessons learned and challenge one another to do more.

But the Active 20-30 family doesn't stop at the edge of North America. We extend into Central and South America and become - what our logo reflects - Active 20-30 International. Although each country is unique in it's membership and in it's needs, we've all working toward the same common goals. We all have something to teach and something to learn from one another.

If you haven't already, please take a minute to read an address from International President Oriel Castillo Vásquez on the international website. He talks about the sacrifices officers make and I believe that extends down to officers of local clubs, as well as each member who chooses to serve in any capacity. He also talks about the value Active 20-30 brings to our lives and the lives of the children we serve.

"What does Active 20-30 do for me" is a question that's often repeated. So, I ask you... what has Active 20-30 done for you? Do you feel it's important that we're more than disperate individual clubs or a stand-alone national association? Is it really about us or is it about what our connection with each other? Is it about creating something larger than ourselves? Is it about having the means to better, more effectively, more efficiently serve children and developing leaders?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Inspire. Be Inspired.

2011-11-28T12:50:00.000-05:00

I thought a light post-Thanksgiving post might be in order. This GapingVoid image speaks for itself, but offers a lot of food for thought.

It really is a vicious cycle. Inspire others and become inspired yourself by what you see happening in the world. As you become inspired and take action, you in turn inspire others. Hopefully this is more than a circle - an upward spiral of action and impact, perhaps. We continue to challenge and push and elevate the quality.

I know this has been true for me. Whether it's watching what Girl Scout Gold Award candidates are capable of doing as part of their projects or working side-by-side with a Active 20-30 member or OneBrick member, I feel more pumped up and energized as I see what they're doing. I can feel my energy excite others as I talk with clubs about what I've experienced, achieved or witnessed.

What about in your experiences?

Out Wait the IRS, aka That 501c3 Thing

2011-11-23T10:51:00.000-05:00

"That 501c3 thing" seems to be on the radars of a lot of clubs lately. National President-Elect, Jason Deshayes, has found himself as the go-to-guy for questions in this space. While road-tripping through California a couple weeks ago, he found it was still a hot topic and put together some thoughts for us.

Waiting for your 501c3? Creative Ways to Wait Out the IRS
We've got a number of clubs who are in the long process of getting their own 501c3 - a tax-exempt entity recognized by the IRS where individuals, businesses and grant making groups can make deductible contributions to. As of November 1, the IRS was just getting around to processing nonprofit applications from March 2011. That means you're looking at approximately 8 months from the date you apply for your 501c3 before you get the approval letter!

So, while the IRS makes the application retroactive (so if you requested the exemption kicked in July 1, but you didn't get the approval until March of the next year, you are deemed to have been approved on July 1), many places want to see the approval letter before they give you money. Here are some creative ways to be productive in your fundraising while you wait for the IRS to get off their butts.

1) Partner with another club - This doesn't mean "use another club's 501c3" - it means, do a joint project that will allow you to build relationships with that club and likely serve more children in the process. There is a lot of risk in acting as a passthrough for another group, so the partnership aspect allows the club without a 501c3 to get the benefits of having it, while the club with the 501c3 can mitigate risk by being a part of the project itself.

2) Partner with an outside charity - If you were planning on giving the proceeds to a specific charity anyway, see if you can partner with them to utilize their tax exemption. Many times, these charities have a list of dedicated donors and supporters who you may never have thought about. If you can tap these connections together, both your club and your charity will come out better for it. Be very careful to establish clear roles and guidelines for your relationship - this way, you will avoid miscommunications on who is supposed to do what.

3) Look at a local community foundation - many community foundations will allow nonprofits in the process of getting their 501c3 to fall under the community foundation's tax exemption. They'll even set up an account for individuals to donate to and you may be able to receive funds from anonymous individuals who don't have a specific charity in mind, but want to help children in need. This may be a more attractive option for a smaller or newer club without the resources to do their own 501c3.

4) Talk to the Grant Writing Committee - the brilliant Stephany Murphy is leading our Grant Writing Committee. We can utilize the national foundation as the recipient of the grant that will fund projects in areas where we have volunteers (namely your club's members). There are plenty of grants available for organizations that help kids, so contact Stephany for assistance in the search of possible grantors.

These are just some options - if you want to talk about your specific situation, feel free to e-mail me at jase2030@gmail.com and we can see what will make sense for you!

Yours in Service,

Jason Deshayes, CPA
National President Elect

What's Important?

2011-11-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

It seems like around the holidays, more and more attention is focused on the needs of others. There are the homeless, the hungry, the neglected, the undereducated...

Sometimes it feels like there is far too much need for us to even make a dent, but we know better. Our members make a difference each day in one way or another and there are so many stories of hope and success to prove it.

We, as Active 20-30 members, have an amazing amount of flexibility to identify and serve a single need or set of needs. To serve a chosen population where we feel we can truly make a difference.

It's been an awesome experience to watch each individual club find their city's unique need and tackle it. Our mission tells us we're here to serve "children in need" and each of our almost 50 clubs has been given the latitude to do so in their own special ways.

My question for you: Whether your club has chosen to actively address it or another issue, what is the biggest need you see in your community?

Champions for Children

2011-11-18T08:31:00.000-05:00

The Active 20-30 Club of Santa Rosa was recently given the Champions for Children Award for their work in Sonoma County. Congratulations and thank you for all of the amazing work you do to improve the quality of lives for children around you.

It's important to celebrate the successes of our clubs. Please feel free to share your club's or members' achievements in the comments or by email.

Lesson From The Road: Meetings

2011-11-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

National President-Elect, Jason Deshayes, brought back a few lessons from his recent California road trip. Below, he talks about meetings. Hey, they can be a really interesting topic. Read on, my friends!

How to Run a Meeting
One of the joys of being a leader in any organization is running a meeting. Your personal style can range pretty drastically - I've seen the militaristic drill sergeant busting through business like it was an enemy base and I've seen the lovey-dovey, neverending kumbayi fest with no results. Most leaders shoot for somewhere in the middle - get stuff done, but enjoy yourself in the process. Here are some ideas on how to make your club meetings run like a well oiled machine that has your members wanting to be in attendance.

1) Personalize your introductions - there is only so much you can get out of an introduction that is merely your name, rank and serial number (or job title). People connect to people - not necessarily positions. In recent visitations, almost all of the clubs had a "question of the day" that each member would answer during their personal intro. For example, at the 11/1/11 (lots of ones) Santa Rosa #50 meeting, they asked "What did you do last night?" Answers ranged from "Pretended to not be at home so I wouldn't have to give out candy" to "Took the kids around and passed out on the couch" to "Didn't have any trick-or-treaters so I mowed my lawn" (thanks for that one Mr. Hershey). By adding that personal touch, members may connect to each other in ways you wouldn't expect - be it a favorite football team, lunch spot or living in nearby each other.

2) Cap your discussion - Nearly everyone wants to be heard and make sure their 2 cents are a part of a discussion. The downfall of this is that depending on your club's size, your meeting may drag on and on, with your members' attention spans dropping to seconds. If your club is one that would benefit from group discussion, cap the amount of time that you will spend on discussion. For example, if you are trying to figure out what font you want to see the budget presented in (a very intensive topic mind you), introduce the motion or topic with "We'll spend 2 minutes on this topic, or less if we don't have much to say." This sets a tone of "get your point across quick" and makes people think about talking before blah blahing just to blah blah.

3) Or not have discussion at all! - When I visited Santa Rosa's meeting, they had very little discussion during their meeting. If they did, their 90 minute meeting with 30+ guys would end up taking about 3+ hours. Action items and discussion were held at the committee level and the results of that discussion were presented to the membership as a whole. This type of structure doesn't just work for big clubs - smaller clubs can easily do this by having committees only consisting of 2-3 people. If a member feels passionate about an issue, encourage them to participate in the committee!

4) Think back to school days - If you busted open your mouth whenever you felt like it when you were a kid in class, you may have gotten in trouble with your teacher for talking out of turn. Have some simple respect and ask to speak. If you're leading the meeting, take control and introduce who wants to talk so that you draw everyone's attention to them and avoid some of the side conversations. You'll be amazed how much more you'll get done when you don't have to reiterate a point because someone wasn't listening.

5) Fines - Fines can be a fun way to engage your membership and raise a little cashola for the kids. While most clubs fine their members, not all do (Albuquerque #103 is an example) so if it doesn't fit your membership - don't force it. If your membership would have fun with fines, then think about how you want to approach them. Some clubs fine as they go - so during the meeting, the Sergeant at Arms is fining people. Other clubs will have the Sergeant at Arms fine at the end, jotting down offenses throughout the meeting and charging at the end. I still owe Redding $5 for putting their banner in my pants in a lame attempt to steal the banner and rile up Mr. Jesrani, Esq, but it was worth it!

A good meeting keeps members and prospectives coming back, plus it keeps people engaged and energized to keep doing fantastic work in their communities and clubs. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery on ways to make your meetings engaged and productive?

Yours in Service,

Jason Deshayes, CPA
National President Elect

History & Tradition :: Generation After Generation

2011-11-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

There are a few 2nd and 3rd generation Active 20-30ians who have some amazing stories to tell. When I was visiting the Auburn club last winter, Danny Miller pulled out the scrapbooks from the '70s and shared stories of growing up in the club. Several of the traditions of his dad's club are still going strong today.

National History Chair, Michele Spilman, spent some time recently talking with her grandfather about his memories. She blogged about it on her site this week, including an interview and a quick video.

What stories do you have from the past? What traditions does your club have now that you'd like to see continue as your children become Active 20-30 members?

An Early Lesson in Infectious Generocity

2011-11-11T11:38:00.000-05:00

I read posts like this one below from the Nonprofit Quarterly and feel inspired. Last week, a Facebook friend asked for suggestions on where she and her children could volunteer together. The RoudyBoys, at 8 & 10, were curious about the stuffed animals taking over our house in the name of charity.

It's not too early to show a child what service to others is about and to instill a sense of giving. I know at least a few Active 20-30 members who have brought their kids around to better understand the importance of our work. My questions for you: do any of your clubs actively engage the kids of the community in serving their peers or identifying needs around them? What have you seen come out of such an experience? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Youngster Philanthropy—An Early Lesson in Infectious Generosity 
School became an inspiration to the rest of us by involving the children from Kindergarten through fifth grade in acts of philanthropy. They even started with each class being read “The Lemonade Ripple; An Adventure in Philanthropy,” which is a book about a little girl who set up a lemonade stand to help a friend purchase a new wheelchair. In the book, the whole community ends up helping with the project.

  After the book was read to them the children wrote their own ideas about how to contribute to others on pieces of yellow paper, which they hung up in the school foyer.  One second-grader, Aanya Rathod, came up with the idea to invite some friends over to make homemade cards that could then be sold. She earned $180, which was donated to charity.

A fourth-grader, Jose Wray, had his family donate clothes and toys to the Salvation Army but is now moving along to a more specific but related mission. “Now we are getting socks and creams for homeless people with diabetes, because their faces and feet get rough,” he said.” It’s good for our community to help a lot of people.

”  At the end of the month, representatives from each grade presented a very large check to an organization that offers financial assistance to families of cancer patients, and then third-grader Ryan Darby, whose leukemia was the inspiration for the organization, spoke to the crowd to bring a human face to the work the children had done.

2nd Annual NPE Tour de CA

2011-11-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

National President-Elect, Jason Deshayes, spent several days recently driving through California and visiting with several clubs along the way. He's written a few blog posts about his experience...

Tour de California

Our fearless leader, Trena Roudebush, started a fine tradition of California road trippin' last year and it seemed only appropriate to continue the tradition this year. My goal for this trip was not to hit up a lot of "events" - while fun, there's not an opportunity to engage with the members, pick their brains and develop a relationship.

Fortunately, many of the clubs in the area were having meetings this week, so with a rental car and a lead foot, I tackled as many clubs as I could - 3 club meetings (Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Redding), 5 meet ups (National Treasurer Vanessa Norgeaur, Region 6 Director Gioia Hershey, Sebastapol President Elect Alex Vito, Redwood Empire President Michelle Crosbie and North Bay member Mike Stewart) and a fantastic tour of the home office courtesy of Dottie Johnson.

Lots of great interactions, but here are some of the highlights of the trip:

-The clubs meetings I attended all had their own flavor and each worked to the advantage of that club. Santa Rosa, being as large as they are, had a very directed and efficient agenda that limited the amount of "blah blah" (official term) in the meeting. Redding and San Francisco, being smaller clubs, engaged the membership more in discussion. More on how to run a meeting in a future post!

-All the clubs were looking at ways to keep membership engaged - be they service events, happy hours or committees, I didn't see any slackers at these meetings!

-Great minds think alike - many times I heard something going on that another club just down the street (or across the state) were in the middle of dealing with. Unfortunately, not everyone was in the loop on what others are doing. I would take this as an opportunity to engage more with the clubs in your area. It doesn't have to be anything complicated and formal - maybe just take 15 minutes to chat with the president of another club and see what's going on. Also, take advantage of your national officers! Your regional director is a huge asset - they have their finger on the pulse of your region, so he or she will likely have some answers or suggestions for you based on what is happening in the area. Trena, Mike and I are always at your disposal as a resource.

-The never-ending 501c3 "thing" - We have a number of clubs that are in process of getting their 501c3. The IRS isn't the most...efficient running entity, so getting your approval may take a while. As of November 1st, the IRS was processing nonprofit applications from March 2011. That means, you're looking at AT LEAST a 8 month time frame before you have your own 501c3. Don't dispair - there are options (but you need to check back on this blog for a post on that)

I really appreciated the hospitality and time folks spent with me - it was very much appreciated. I missed a bunch of California clubs, so a 2nd trip is definitely in order. I'll be hitting up the Indiana clubs in January, Colorado in the spring, Phoenix in January/early February and Seattle for their charter in May! Whoever I don't hit up this term, I'll catch you next!

Yours in Service,

Jason Deshayes

National President Elect

Are You Active 20-30?

2011-11-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Below is a great article that ran recently on AZFoothills.com about the Active 20-30 Club of Phoenix. It's a great opportunity for them to showcase their members and their good work. If you There's some great information in here that I thought would interest you, too.

I love the last question and want to open it up to all of you. In the comments, please share one experience that has moved you.

Are you Active 20-30?
For those of you, AZFoothills.com readers who aren’t familiar with Phoenix 20-30, it’s about time! The Active 20-30 Club of Phoenix is Arizona’s most active fundraising men’s clubs. Raising millions of dollars since over seventy years ago, the men of Active 20-30 have dedicated thousands of hours to children’s charities around the valley. The club continues to dedicate its fundraising to one of the fastest growing groups: underprivileged children.

Phoenix #99 began on April 23^rd, 1932 by a group of local businessmen including Senator Barry Goldwater, Dr. Carlos Craig, Earnest Suggs, Bob Goldwater, and Harry Rosenzweig, Sr. The majority of the service groups in the valley such as: Boy’s & Girl’s Club, Thunderbirds, Rotary, etc., have had past 20-30 members on their team.

Today, the Active 20-30 Club of Phoenix #99 provides a roster of the top young, professional men living in the valley. Members from a very close bond and friendships with others in the community by meeting twice a month, discussing and planning fundraisers – such as the annual Noche de Gourmet and the Phoenix Suitcase Party events.

AFM had the privilege to speak with the President of Phoenix 20-30 himself. After living in Washington, D.C. serving on the legislative staff of members of the U.S. Senate and House, Todd Sommers returned to Arizona, assisting a variety of companies, campaigns, and non-profits. He now runs a public affair firm and serves on the Children in Need Foundation Board for Director. Todd living with his wife, Kim, and their children, Nathan and Elizabeth, helps children around the valley and charitable organizations.

Q: When did the club originate?

A: In 1932 there were few businesses. Berry Goldwater Sr. and more businessmen met to make fundraisers for underprivileged children. The members were from ages 20-40 with about 50 people.

Q: What does the club do?

A: We do events to fund-raise money to feed the children and give fun prizes. For example, the Phoenix Suitcase Party is where you buy and enter a ticket into the raffle and the winner leaves with an exclusive weekend in a Sonoma jet.

Q: Who can join the club?

A: It’s open to the community, but we normally choose people out in the community and rely on members to bring in. We steer away from people that just want to grow their business… we want people to be dedicated and to specifically serve children.

Q: How often does the club meet, and what happens at these meetings?

A: Once a month, there’s one mandatory volunteer activity per quarter. Sometimes the members will help children shop for school supplies. The members will even sometimes take their family and children to the events that the underprivileged kids are at. All of them enjoy going to events like the Diamondbacks game or even bowling and eating pizza, where they all interact with others. We mentor once a month for Phoenix Youth at Risk.

Q: What happens to the members when they are no longer in the age of 20-30?

A: When a member turns thirty-nine, they get a parting gift and are sent on their way. The members have established relationships for twenty years or so working with a bunch of organizations. Attendees go on their own and normally attend events and work solely with one organization or specific charity, for example a man just turned 40 and he went to serve on the board for the Special Olympics.

Q: What’s an experience that moved you?

A: You form a valued partnership with the children. It is fundamental; after we took them shopping for school supples, on the bus ride home we had a conversation of why the club would want to spend time with kids. Some of these kids don't understand and have never had a responsible male role model in their lives because of unstable environments. These children don't understand why the members spend time with someone they never met but being able to do that makes the experience worthwhile.

History & Tradition :: Daylight Savings

2011-11-04T09:39:00.000-04:00

For those places that have Daylight Savings time, people there know that it ends this Sunday, November 6^th. Do you know the history of why and how it came about? If you are like me, you could use a refresher. I know that we advance our clocks 1 hour in the spring and reverse them 1 hour in the fall. I also know it helps to keep as much “daylight” for your waking hours. However, I never considered there would be a movement to implement it and how it all came about.
Here’s a fun fact I saw about the Reno 20-30 Club’s involvement:

“Publicity has been accorded them for the work they have been doing to put over the Daylight Savings plan for the summer months in their city.” (The Twenty-Thirtian, March 1927, Vol. 1, No. 6, pg 4)

If anyone in Reno gets to the newspaper archives and looks up what kind of publicity they had, please pass it along. Or any other information on this.

Happy 5th Birthday!

2011-11-02T10:22:00.000-04:00

The Active 20-30 Club of Redding will be celebrating a milestone this weekend. 5 short years ago, their club re-chartered, bringing together the past, present and future of service to children in northern California.

I've come to know some of the members well - it's hard not to when they welcome you into their homes, give you a glass of scotch and offer you games of pool into the wee hours and a (very comfy) couch to sleep on. I've had the opportunity to be both a sounding board on occasion as they've found their footing and a cheerleader (the best part of my job!).

It's been a great honor to watch this club grow up, as it has been to watch many other clubs grow and evolve - even several into their 80's. Each anniversary is a time for celebration and for reflection. Take a moment to look at the things that have been achieved and learned (or screwed up and learned from) since our last club birthday or from your charter. Celebrate the people and events that have gotten you there.

Congratulations to Redding on 5 years of service in the name of Active 20-30 and to each club who is celebrating another year this fall.

So, tell me... what birthday traditions does your club have? I think my home club carried a birthday cake and balloons into a pub for our 5th a few years ago. Maybe we should do that again in April.

It's Too Late For Her

2011-10-31T10:35:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity to spend a day at a southern US public high school last week. I spent some time talking with the superintendant of a nearly 70-facility school system and the principal of an 1,100 student high school. I watched as the administrator in charge of discipline interacted with his students, building a relationship with each one of them, while making sure the rules were followed to the letter (and shirt tails were all tucked in).

I was witness to so many successes that day. Students who wanted to be in class and who took responsibility for making sure they were ready to learn. I got to hear about how the administrators, students and the community come together to create success. It was truly inspiring to see that - among the headlines that our schools are failing and our teachers don't care about more than the test scores - everyone involved in a child's success is invested in the outcome.

It's really what I need at that very moment to be reinvigorated about the part we play as community members in the future of young people. I felt rejuvenated about why I was involved with children's charities. I was ready to get back to work executing our mission.

But then there was one comment from one man, a community member, who hit me hard. As we walked past a group of girls, an offhanded comment was made. Something to the effect of: "It's a waste. Their lives are already over. They're doomed to repeat the cycles of teen pregnancy, poverty and under-education. There's nothing we can do about it."

That took the wind out of my sails... but just for a minute. After everything we'd been hearing and seeing that day, how is it possible to simply write off the future of a group of kids?

Then I realized that my job is not only to serve the kids hands-on and through fundraising, but to change their environments, too. The naysayers are the voices these kids hear the loudest and longest. That one negative statement has the potential to overpower all of the amazing stories of success and hope.

As I sat waiting for my flight, I could only hope that a seed was planted that day to help this man overcome his pessimism; to see that we don't have to write off a child because of where she came from. It's our responsibility as a community to believe in these kids and to give them the tools and confidence to become who they're supposed to be.

With that said, let me ask you this... what do you do or say when you encounter this perspective of hopelessness? Do you approach them as set in their ways and hopeless to change? Do you speak your mind and tell stories of success? Do you push them to think differently and put a name and face on the "they"s out there? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

History & Tradition :: Pop Quiz

2011-10-28T10:23:00.000-04:00

Michele Spillman, National History Chair and member of the Active 20-30 Club of Greater Sacramento, has been digging into the history of our organization. From artifacts and scrapbooks to old copies of the Active Twenty-Thirtian magazine. Michele, show us what you've got...

Here’s a history pop quiz straight from The Twenty-Thirtian Magazine. Any current Active 20-30 member who might be resourceful and have paid attention to other history posts could answer 5 or 6 of these questions that were asked in a 1928 issue.

1. In what city and on what date was the first 20-30 Club organized?
2. What was the name of the central governing body of 20-30 before it became known as The Association of 20-30 Clubs?
3. Where was the first meeting of The Association of 20-30 Clubs held, and on what date?
4. What was the name of the San Jose Club before it applied for affiliation with The Association of 20-30 Clubs?
5. In what form was The Twenty-Thirtian first issued?
6. Who was the first President of The Association of 20-30 Clubs?
7. What name should go in the blanks in the following sentence? “I’m ___, ___________, of Oakland”?
8. What significance lies in the names of the first four 20-30 Clubs?
9. What man first conceived the idea of 20-30, and where is he now located?
10. How many regular meetings must a new club hold before it may apply for a charter?

Go ahead, play the game, test your knowledge and send me what you think are the answers (include the subject line: "Twenty-Thirtian’s 1928 pop quiz", please). I’ll update this post next week with the answers, and if you’ve gotten the 5 or more correct, I’ll send you a gold star. The winner with the most correct answers just might receive a prize.

20-30 Toolkit :: Social Media

2011-10-26T09:59:00.000-04:00

Over 50% of the world's population is under 30 years old.
In 10 years, over 40% of the Fortune 500 will no longer be here.
Social media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the web.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the US.
What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook...
2009 US Department of Education study revealed that on average, online students outperformed those receiving face-to-face instruction.
If Facebook were a country, it would be the world's 3rd largest and 2x the size of the US population.
80% of companies use social media for recruitment; 95% of these are using LinkedIn.

The GREATEST thing about social media is that it's FREE. And, of course, this is a gold mine for non-profits, especially Active 20-30 whose target audience is already there. Here are some tips for you and your club to help ensure you are using social media to the maximum and getting the benefits you need and want out of it.

Use it! Often times clubs create a page and it never gets touched again. Have every member of your board take turns updating it with facts, news and details about your organization and events. Have every member promote it on their own page to help gain more "likes" and visibility . Use this page as a show-and-tell for your members. Did someone get a new job? A promotion? Have a baby? Do something extraordinary in service to the community? Market that here; it says a lot about your club.
Build a Pipeline. Ok, you only have 1 big eent a year. Well, let's build it up. Continue to suggest friends and add people to it, keeping them engaged with facts and updates about the club and your causes. And add add add! Materials, members and marketing - this is your time to build it.
Market your Event. When your event gets close, add the link to the website on your page and get your fans involved. Do ticket giveaways and trivia for people to win. Do shout-outs to new sponsors as they are secured and link their page to yours for more media.
Create an "Event". Add an "event" page for your main event. Provide details of the event, where to buy tickets, include photos from past years, logos, etc. Invite your members and supporters and encourage them to invite friends. Add the event to your region's page and the national Active 20-30 Facebook page. These are landing sites to help YOU, so use them. These same rules apply to Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

History & Tradition :: Conventions

2011-10-22T10:06:00.000-04:00

Michele Spillman, National History Chair and member of the Active 20-30 Club of Greater Sacramento, has been digging into the history of our organization. From artifacts and scrapbooks to old copies of the Active Twenty-Thirtian magazine.

Michele has begun blogging about all the great things she's uncovering and has been kind enough to share those as guest posts here. The plan is to make this a weekly nugget for you all to enjoy. Please feel free to post comments, questions or other areas of our history you think she should explore in the comments.

Michele, thank you so much for your hard work!

National Conventions

The first year the Association of 20-30 Clubs (as the Active 20-30 was then known) started having convention meetings was December 11, 1926 in Sacramento, California. About 15 members from 7 clubs attended. At that meeting, they approved and welcomed the 8th club into the Association, which was Reno, Nevada. The first club formed out of the state of California.

1927 had 3 more convention meetings held for the Association of 20-30 clubs to get together and members could have a merry time and approve more clubs into it's organization. Here's a brief note of those conventions:

April 9-10, 1927 – Second convention meeting held in San Bernardino, California

- Resolution was introduced by San Bernardino which proposed the division of the member clubs into district groups.

- Standard Constitution for member clubs was adopted

August 13-14, 1927 - Third convention meeting held in Reno, Nevada

- Changes made in the Association’s constitution and By-Laws, a brief outline of which follows: New delegates will be elected and will meet on the second Saturday of next December. Thereafter an annual convention will be held between the 15th of August and the 15th of September each year. The elected officers of the Association will be a President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer. Immediately after his election, the President shall divide the territory embraced by the Association into districts and shall appoint a District Governor to supervise club activities in each district, they to serve at the pleasure of the President.

- The Twenty-Thirtian was authorized as the official publication of the Association, with Ed Cain appointed as Editor. It will be published monthly and one copy will be sent to each club for each active member on its rolls.

December 10, 1927 – Fourth convention meeting held in Fresno, California

- By the time of this convention meeting, 18 clubs had been formed and accepted into the organization. And about 100 members attended this convention. Quite a difference from the 15 at the first one.

August 1928 – Fifth convention meeting held in Stockton, California

A Desire. A Dream. A Vision

2011-10-20T09:23:00.000-04:00

We've known for years what amazing people are in Active 20-30 and what great things can be achieved for our communities when we come together as clubs. We don't shout about our good deeds from the rooftops very often (that's just not how we roll). That's what makes it extra special when outside organizations recognize our contributions and acknowledge our members for them.

The Active 20-30 Club of Santa Rosa #50 will be honored next month as a Champion for Children by the Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County alongside other business and community leaders.

Champions for Children offers attendees an inspirational morning. The focus is celebrating and recognizing the champions in our community, who share their inspiration for working on behalf of children through a video presentation.

If you are able to attend and celebrate with these fine men, the free event will be held on November 3 at the Flamingo Hotel and more information can be found on the Champions for Children webpage.

Congratulations to the men of #50 for being recognized and all the work you do on behalf of Active 20-30 locally.

There are so many other stories of impact from our clubs. Please take this opportunity to share yours in the comments. It's not bragging. Call out a member or a club who deserves to be recognized, too!

Looking Past Limits [video]

2011-10-18T10:11:00.000-04:00

I think this is my new favorite TED Talk. At least in the top 3 (there are just so many great ones!) I wish I could sum this up into a single takeaway, but it really resinates in so many different ways. Please take a listen and let it speak to you in the ways that are right for you.

For me, it came down to this one sentence: ‎"The power of believing in the right thing has given me the most extraordinary potential."

$h!+s on Boards

2011-10-14T09:06:00.000-04:00

I know. I know. I know. This is a mostly-G-rated blog and I really am trying to quit swearing, but this is SO worth it. Whether I use the big-girl word or not, we all know what I'm talking about. Shits. Not egos, but the pain-in-the-patootie who could care less what anyone thinks and kind of likes stirring things up.

You've never known one of these SOB's ($hits on boards) before, right? Just heard about them being on other people's boards, of course. But, let's say - hypothetically - you had one, what would you do? How would you handle this SOB who is rocking the boat and disrupting the good thing you have going on?

What would you say if you learned there were people who thought having one SOB on your board would be a good thing, not a bad one? Crazy, huh? Yeah, that's what I thought, too, before reading this. I'm still not sure that I'd seek one out, but I think I would appreciate him more should he be dropped in my lap.

The Financial Times ran an article that made me shift my thinking and may shift yours, as well. They require a (free) subscription to view the article, so I've included a key excerpt here for your convenience:

"Now that I think of it, I can see that the SOB serves many functions. They dash in on the attack, battering-ram style, leaving it up to the chairman to restrain them before serious damage is done. Their attack leaves the way open for the nicer, more constructive, board members to come in after them, attacking more powerfully than they otherwise would have.

The SOB has other uses too. He prevents things from getting too cosy round the table, and is someone harmless for others to gang up against."

I want to ask your thoughts on whether you agree with the benefits of having an SOB-type in your mix. We've seen the impact of having the wrong personalities come together within our clubs, but have we taken the time to embrase the SOB's role and potential contributions or have we just seen them as abrasive and disruptive and gently eased them to the door?

I don't know the answers here, but I would like to - as we identify them (and they are among us) - to channel their ... uhem ... unique traits for good. Thoughts?

The Numbers Are In

2011-10-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

I received this report as part of a correspondence from Catalina Cuadros Vallejo, the appointed Secretary for the Active 20-30 International.

As a national president. it's requested that I submit bi-monthly reports showcasing our growth (in members and in clubs) and some examples of the work we do.

After receiving our first report of the term, Oriel phoned to congratulate all of our members on the impact we're able to make across our country, not just in a few impoverished pockets. Although this conversation tested my nearly-non-existant Spanish (thank you Brentwood Club for the translation assistance), his pleasure and pride was clear.

We may not build hospitals, but the work each of our members and clubs do is just as critical to the children and families we serve. Thank you for helping our association shine among our brothers and sisters Internationally.

I posted the graphic above to showcase how we stand size-wise. Active 20-30 US & Canada represents roughly half of our entire International association. As some national associations have lowered their headcount, we've continued to grow. I share this for two reasons:

1) it should be a point of pride, even as we're discouraged with the rate at which we're growing or our local struggles to attract and retain.

2) and more importantly, our association has an extremely loud voice and tremendous power to change the International association, should we choose to use them. We get 1 vote per member (not per association or club) at the International meetings. In January and June, your club president will be asked to send a member or a proxy letter to the International meetings. When you get this call (email), please heed it. Help us to use our voice and orchestrate change. Having nearly 1200 on our rolls and only votes for 1/4 of that (equalling the next largest national association) doesn't get us taken seriously.

If you want to learn more about the International association, how you can help to serve it and what it means for us to be a part of it? Feel free to reach out to me, your national IRO for the US & Canada (Kathy Jo Leom of Eugene #920) or the International IRO who serves under Oriel and connects all of our member nations (Gino Fortis of Sacramento #1). Active 20-30 US & Canada also proudly boasts a number of men who have served as International President who are also available to you as members looking to serve or learn.

1%

2011-10-06T09:14:00.000-04:00

Below is a video from SalesForce.com and Playworks, an amazing organization that is partnered with the Active 20-30 Club of Albuquerque. On the national level, we've been exploring ways Active 20-30 and Playworks can work together for the explansion of both groups. But I digress...

The video makes a simple statement: 1% (of our time, our money...) isn't much. It goes on to ask what would happen if we all gave 1%. Take a look and think about whether you are giving your 1%, what would happen if you gave an extra 1% or got a friend to give his 1% to the cause of his choice.

I was also inspired by the request made to employers and thought this concept would be a nice one to borrow when approaching our donors and our employers. Many of our companies give us a little extra time to attend lunch meetings or to work a community project. Asking for 1% of a salary to cover your dues or 1% of your working hours to serve may sound much more appealing than $100 or 8 hours, although it is far greater. I wonder... have any of you asked for this and, if so, what response did you receive?

I Couldn't Have Done It Without You!

2011-10-03T14:34:00.001-04:00

Today's blog post from Seth Godin (far below) couldn't have come at a better time. With the ever-changing landscape and structure of Active 20-30, we're forced to lean more and more on our members to pull off our daily work.

Each of our national board members have been tasked with more than before, many of them stepping up to volunteer where they can best serve. Many of our committee chairs are being asked to work harder and faster and take on more and different tasks.

We're still leveraging just a small pool of members and trying to achieve so much. I have to say, though, that I really am blown away by what our seemingly under-funded and under-staffed association achieves because those who have stepped up have truly stepped up.

This isn't a criticism of those who serve whole-heartedly at the local level - we need each of you to keep doing what you're doing in your local club. Without you, we wouldn't exist or impact in the vast ways we do. It really does take impassioned engagement at all levels to make Active 20-30 what it has been, is and will be.

I don't say it enough, but I am truly truly lucky to be surrounded by the amazing men and women that make up Active 20-30. It is each of you, not me, that controls our destiny and is responsible for our successes (I guess that leaves me responsible for our failures. *tongue in cheek*). I said it as I entered my term and will keep saying it: I can't do it without you. Hopefully I can stand in front of you in Reno in June and say: I couldn't have done [insert any number of goals we're working toward] without you!

From Seth:"I couldn't have done it without you." Seeking out the opportunity to say that to your team is at the heart of every successful project. Of course, that means the members of the team have to decide it's worth the risk to earn it. For some, "indispensable" is threatening.

Are you, my fellow Active 20-30ians, willing to take the risk and become indispensable? Email or call me and I'll get you plugged in where you can best serve Active 20-30 US & Canada.

Thanks for Teaching Us

2011-09-27T08:08:00.000-04:00

I'm subscribed to Netted By The Webbys, a daily email that turns me on to some new, cool sites and services on the Internet. Today's site is a project worth sharing and is only open for a couple short weeks - it actually closes as our national mid-term meeting begins. Netted says:

Sure, now we're glad we spent all that time learning fractions in the second grade. Back then, though, the only way we could think to express our questionable gratitude to our teachers was through lackluster potpourri mixes.   

Fortunately, we've found something that lets you speak from the heart instead of from the nose.ThanksForTeachingUs lets you write notes for the teachers who have had the biggest impact on your life. It’s a temporary project that will only be up until October 14th from a fantastic weekly email called TBD, so express your gratitude while you still can. 

ThanksForTeachingUs will post your missive on the website in the hopes that someone, somewhere will see the message that knows your teacher, and can point him or her to your expression of gratitude.

So,who was that one (or group of) teacher who stands out in your mind? What made him or her so amazing? What legacy did he or she leave with you that you continue to pass on?

To all of the teachers in our member ranks, thank you for helping to shape the lives of the kids we all work to serve.

The Meaning of Like

2011-09-22T09:08:00.000-04:00

Social media, especially Facebook, seems to be the way we've chosen to interact with our members, prospects and supporters. We ask people to "like" our clubs' page to stay connected, but what does it mean for someone to like us?

A research report (put away all preconceptions of research reports - this one has pictures!) from ExactTarget dives into the Meaning of Like. Whether you're a social media guru or (*cough* G$) not yet an addict, you should really check it out.

By the way, "The Meaning of Like" is their 10th research report in the Subscribers, Fans & Followers series, so feel free to immerse yourself in their digital marketing wisdom. Visit: ExactTarget.com/sff and download the paper. You'll be promoted for your email address and I can assure you they will not spam you!

As a side note: not only is ExactTarget sharing this amazing information with us, they're continuing to donate the email platform that the national association uses, allowing us to put our money where it can best be used. Thanks, ET!

Screw Plan B

2011-09-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

"Screw your PLAN B. Stop hedging your bets. Win BIG, fail BIG, or else you'll end up AVERAGE. Burn the boats!" -Jullien Gordon

I saw this quote in a Twitter feed this weekend and loved it. What happens that allows us to settle for "safe"? What would happen if we fully committed to going all in? How will you burn the boats and make sure that there's no backing out or backing down; that you are truly all in?

A Response to the Reno Air Race Tragedy

2011-09-17T10:09:00.002-04:00

Below is an email sent this morning to the Presidents Club email list. Please share this with your members and friends as you wish. -t

Tragedies, like the one at the Reno Air Races yesterday, really drive home just how small of a community Active 20-30 is. I'm pleased to say that none of members were injured in the crash, but saddened that many are surely impacted - through the experiences of family and friends who were there, for example.

I can tell you personally how much it meant to get a text message "are you safe?" following the Sugarland stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair last month that killed 7, including my cousin's close friends. It warms my heart that the same happened yesterday with Active 20-30ians reaching out to those in the Reno area to make sure everyone was immediately safe. This is what our small community of members is all about. It's about members like those in Brentwood, NY who chose to act immediately and staff the shelter as the recent hurricane bore down on their neighborhood. Even the fires in AZ, NM and TX have impacted our members and communities in varying ways.

I'm sure the needs of the Reno community will be great over the coming days, weeks and months as everyone deals with this unique experience. I've had people ask what we - members and the association of Active 20-30 - should do for Reno. As the dust settles, we'll look to the Nevada clubs to tell us what we can do for their communities - be it financial support or supplies for a project to help the kids who witnessed the crash or simply prayers and well-wishes.

If you feel compelled to act immediately (as many of us do), head over to your local blood bank and donate if you are able. From the news reports of most crises, blood is one of the first and greatest needs. A few of our clubs hold organized blood drives regularly. This is a great way to remember and honor those impacted by all of the tragic events that seem to never find an end.

Finally, please know that I'm truly honored to be among a group of people who care so much for their fellow members and for strangers in their times of need.

Yours in service,
Trena

Trena Roudebush

National President 2011-12, Active 20-30 US & Canada

Past President, Active 20-30 Club of Indianapolis

Why Do Conferences Cost So Much?

2011-09-16T08:39:00.000-04:00

I spent most of this week at a marketing conference for my day job. In coming posts, I'll share nuggets of wisdom that might help you in your work or club. I came back yesterday a little tired, but very much fired up to take the knowledge and relationships I'd just acquired or enhanced and put it to work. It's the same feeling I have when I return from an Active 20-30 convention or national meeting.

One of the same questions seems to strike at the end of these events, too - why was my registration so much? Scott Burken, a former Microsoft project manager and great thought leader, asked the same question in a blog post yesterday. Although some of the costs are different for us - we don't traditionally pay for speakers to participate, for example - it's still very relevant.

Scott ends with a question that several of us have been tossing around casually for a while:
"The truth is that conferences are hugely costly to run and what seems like a massive profit to the untrained eye quickly fades to nothing. So what does this mean for conference organizers? Should all conferences be a single day long and only feature unpaid and inexperienced speakers? Should they all take place in second tier cities in low cost venues and force attendees to bring a packed lunch? Or should they be scrapped altogether, in favor of paid for content on a tutorial site as the folks behind tutsplus (an ad supported and paid for content tutorial site) would have us believe?"

To read the full post, visit scottberkun.com

I'll leave you with one more question: juggling quality, value and price, what would you like to see from the national conventions going forward? Proposals for the 2013 national convention is about to be solicited, so your answers may have a direct impact on what you experience very shortly.

Be Secretly Incredible

2011-09-13T08:14:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite writers and thinkers is Don Miller, the author of Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. If you haven't read these books, do... and watch the Blue Like Jazz movie when it is released. But I digress...

He made a posting on his blog earlier this summer that has been rattling around in the back of my head ever since: "Be secretly incredible." For me, this gets back to the heart of why we joined a service organization - especially one that can't afford for any of our members to coast.

I'll reiterate the question Don poses at the end of his post (below): how much time do we spend doing vs. talking about what we've done or will do? Do you practice being secretly incredible? What would help you become more so?

Be Secretly Incredible
My friend Bob Goff has a little saying he keeps close to his heart: Be Secretly Incredible. It’s something I think about nearly every day, but something I rarely follow through on. I put ten times the energy into being “publicly good” than I do into being “privately good.” But something in me is starting to change.

Maybe it happens as we get older. Maybe we start to realize how much our early adult years have been spent projecting an image rather than establishing character, and maybe I’m in that stage where looking back on that season makes be queasy. If I were being hard on myself, I’d accuse myself of being a con artist. But that’s too hard. The truth is we all want to be perceived as hard-working, good people because those are the people who get respect. But being a hard-working, good person is, well, hard work. And the true rewards come to those who establish that kind of character for real.

How much time do we spend talking about a cause vs working on behalf of a cause? How much time do we spend talking up our marriages vs loving our spouse? How much time do we spend talking about theology vs doing our theology? These are all questions I’m pondering, questions that might help me become “secretly incredible.

Believe or Discover

2011-09-08T09:09:00.002-04:00

I overheard the statement "we're too often motivated by the desire to believe, rather than the desire to discover."

I'd say the desire to believe is far easier than the desire to discover. It's passive and less risk, for sure. But what do we get out of simply wanting to believe? Does it make us lemmings or cheerleaders? Perhaps. Does it cause us to don blinders and stop seeing the possibilities around us? I'd say that it does.

But believing isn't in and of itself bad. We have to find the motivation to believe in the cause, the course of action and the people leading the charge to get us there. As leaders, though, we have to push further. We have to discover new and better - some of it will affirm what we've been doing, while other discoveries will change the way we see the world.

What do you think about this quote? Is it critical of those who are motivated by their desire to believe? What does it take to push someone to want to discover when they're content simply wanting to believe?

A Piece of Our History

2011-09-02T12:49:00.002-04:00

Dan Chapin had the rare opportunity to sit with a 100-year-old man and talk with him about something they have in common - Active 20-30. Among the stories Jim Vogt passed along, he also gave Dan his 1947 Past Active card.

I invite you all to connect with past actives - both recent and not-so-recent times. Share with us stories you've heard and momentos you've seen that help us understand our history together.

UPDATE: October 12, 2011
The Healdsburg Patch published an article and a video interview with Dan and Jim's day together, their common interests and how the club has chanced with time. You can view these at: http://healdsburg.patch.com/articles/new-meets-old-in-healdsburg-civic-club-presidents

Let's Teach 'Em Something

2011-08-30T13:01:00.001-04:00

It's important that our clubs-in-formation (as well as our established clubs) have an understanding of our history, traditions and initiatives. It helps them connect with our 90 years of history, helps them shape the club to be their own and helps them feel a part of what we are today.

The Seattle club-in-formation, lead by well-rooted 20-30ians Vineet and Lisa Wahi, is working to educate the prospectives on all-things Active 20-30. In support of them, I'd like to ask you to all participate in today's post.

They're looking for ideas on topics to cover each week: Pennies-a-Day, why fines are fun, the difference between a fundraising project and a service project... They could use your input on great topics that will both enlighten and engage their prospectives, giving them a sense of the great organization they'll be joining when the Active 20-30 Club of Seattle charters next spring.

Please post your thoughts and nuggets of wisdom in the comments. Fair warning, I'll borrow the best and include them in this blog in the weeks to come.

Weekend Wisdom :: A Meaningful Life

2011-08-27T12:58:00.001-04:00

There's something about a prophetic purple whale from GapingVoid.com that makes things make sense.

President's Club

2011-08-25T11:16:00.001-04:00

I'm re-posting this from about a year ago as a reminder of some of another resource you - our members - have for connecting and sharing information. Please share this with your members and friends in the club.

President's Club
The resources that are available to members and leaders of Active 20-30 are plentiful, if you choose to take advantage of them. One is the Presidents Club email discussion group. Don't let the name fool you - this group is open to all members of Active 20-30. It was designed to provide a quick and easy way to you to reach out to our community of members with questions, needs, requests for advise or best practices or simply to share information that could help others.

This group can be a lot of things to a lot of people. What it is not is just as important, though. This is not an announcement board for upcoming club events. This is not a forum to bash or trash, although constructive criticism is always welcome. Use your best judgment - I'll leave it at that.

Although the information shared should be treated respectfully, you should never hesitate to share what you learn on Presidents Club with others who might benefit as well.

Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PresidentsClub/ to sign up to be part of the discussion.
From there, email questions, helpful information, etc to presidentsclub [at] yahoogroups [dot] com. Your message will be sent to all members of the group.

The ability to connect and learn from one another is another resource your national association provides; however, it is only as good as how we use it. For those of you who have been part of Presidents Club in the past, what are your thoughts on this forum? What have you taken away? What would you like to see as this evolves?

Now & Later

2011-08-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

Not the candy (although they're good too). Now & Later is the name of a project one of the local Girl Scouts proposed to the Gold Award Committee I serve on. This 17-year-old, inner city school student saw a problem and decided to do something about it - and not just for her siblings, but for an entire community.

She recognized groups like Active 20-30 that work to get much-needed school supplies each August, but also recognized a need that remains unserved. Kids often round the corner into the spring semester and close in on the end of the school year with stubby pencils and empty notebooks.

As the project name suggests, she's going in to Indianapolis Public Schools and teaching elementary school kids how to budget and conserve their school supplies - use some now and save some for later. The concept isn't limited to school supplies and piggy-backs on financial and environmental lessons the kids are already being taught.

By self-imposing limits on their resources, the kids are able to stretch their school supplies further - better caring for their supplies and resisting the urge to throw out a half-used crayon.

The other half of the project is focusses outside the schools. She's engaging the community in a school supply drive and encouraging people to take advantage of the deep discounts retailers will soon be offering. She'll gather these supplies throughout the fall term, package them up and share them with kids in need as they return from winter break.

I chose to showcase this project because it so closely aligns with the work we do and the needs we see in each of our communities. We work hard to provide for kids each fall and can - with little effort - do the same each winter. If you're in need of a project that will both serve kids locally and get your name out, please consider a donation drive for notebooks, pens, pencils and other school necessities.

This is a good reminder that the needs never really end. What other ongoing needs have you seen in your communities?

Dead Fish

2011-08-18T10:31:00.000-04:00

I have a standing weekly call with a close friend to check in and keep each other accountable with our goals. We talk a lot about change - changes we're trying to make in ourselves and changes to the status quo in our local Active 20-30 club, our work and other areas where we invest our time.

After we hung up, I opened my laptop and saw my Facebook feed refresh to display this image. It tied in perfectly with what he and I were talking about.

Riding the current, going through the motions isn't really why we're here. It won't help us flex our fishy muscles or inspire other fish to follow. We're just here... coasting along.

I'm definitely not saying that we always have to swing up stream and that those before us haven't carved a path worth following, by any means. Not everything needs to be changed, reinvented or shaken up. There are certainly parts of the stream that we should relax and just float along, catching our breath. But there are times when we mustn't just swim with the stream.

Maybe a picture is worth a thousand words and I should let this one speak for itself.

20-30 Toolkit :: Back To Basics

2011-08-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

Region 3 Director, Ashley Richards, has started a knowledge-share email group. Periodically, she'll put together tools and resources on a topic of interest to members within her region and across the association.

These nuggets of wisdom will be re-posted here, as well. If you'd like to be included on her email list or have topics you'd like to see her explore, please email Ashley or post in the comments. Below is the second in the series.

Back to Basics
I am so excited for this portion of the Mentor Program called “Back to Basics” it seems simple, but when these basic items are reviewed, and put in place accurately, it will provide that foundation your club needs to be successful! From my experience, every time new leadership comes into office within a club, they always want to “change things” or add their own flavor to the club..But why not figure out what is working, what is not and really what your club members want and make your changes from there? This email will help get you prepared for this and really analyze what is important to your particular club! Let’s get started..

The first thing I recommend every club do at least annually … is a member survey! If you go to surveymonkey.com, you can create a free survey that you can send out to your members to capture any information you want. What information would you want to review and analyze? The Back to Basics details of course! Below are some suggested items to review annually with your club, take it or leave it or modify it to fit your club needs but be sure that you are satisfying your #1 asset- your members! :)

Meeting Date: As your membership begins to grow and change (as new members join and some members leave) you must re-evaluate the date and time of your meetings and find out what is best for your club. I highly recommend you sit down with your board, and come up with 3 or 4 different meeting times (whether it is once a month, twice a month, etc.) and then present it to your club. When going around work schedules and personal schedules, it is important to move the date of the meeting to the majority of the club members, to ensure they will be engaged and ready to go for your meeting.

Meeting Location: This is similar effect as the date- is the meeting location central for everyone? You may want to take your members addresses, and plug them into Google maps- it will map out where all of your club members live- and you can use this data to find the correct location that is more central for everyone. Less drive time can help ensure members are coming to the meetings, as maybe that is holding them back in the past.

Social vs. Hands on?: This always seems to be the toss up when it comes to member demands! Some people want more social events, the opportunity to mix, mingle, meet others and maybe network, and others want more hands on with charities, to get out there and do more for kids. Where do you draw the line?? Maybe this is or is not a challenge in your club, but it is always good to even the playing fields on both fronts to ensure everyone is getting what they need and want out of the club. Add this to your survey to receive suggestions, feedback on previous events, and get some creative ideas to satisfy your members.

Member Demographics: Once again, this is pretty basic information, but you can use these findings virtually anywhere. It is important to understand the average age group in your membership, average income, and a poll of different career paths, you can use these numbers to attract other members within these brackets (as they tend to want to be with similar individuals) or use it to fundraise as often times sponsors would like to see club demographics. No matter how you use it, it is nice to monitor this yearly as well when marketing your club.

Member Dues: This is a tough one to talk about, so often time’s members feel comfortable discussing them in anonymous online polls versus anywhere, but the financial end of 20-30 is always something you will want to discuss. You will want to review your budget, and openly discuss this with your membership- then allow some time for feedback. What else would they like out of the budget as a member? For example, it was voted on a few years back that we “sponsor” a member to go to National Convention- this was a great idea to add to the budget and it as all because of the survey we sent out, and was a member suggestion.

Serving At Home & Arbroath

2011-08-13T07:54:00.003-04:00

The Eugene Active 20-30 Club especially and the US Association in general have had a bond with the Arbroath Scotland Roundtablers for years. The Tablers have stayed in members homes; we've visited them; we've shared ideas long after the beer has stopped flowing; we've even exchanged items for use in auctions and raffles in the other country,

So it's was no surprise to hear that Vineet and Lisa Wahi would include a visit with these men while honeymooning in Europe. It was, however, quite the treat to see the following newspaper article in my email inbox this morning.

I am blown away by the generosity of our members - to not only serve the children standing before them at home, but to come together with our brother organization to help two children seemingly half-way around the world. You've gotta read this!

Tablers' Donation to Twins

Members of Arbroath Round Table were accompanied by Vineet and Lisa Wahi, of Eugene, Oregon, USA, when they handed over a £120 cheque to Averil Fleming and Frazer Hirsch, parents of twins Ayley and Chloe.

The youngsters require ground-breaking surgery only available in the United States to enable them to walk.

The donation will be added to the total raised to cover the cost of the trip to the USA early next year for the specialist operations and follow up aftercare in Carnoustie.

Vineet and Lisa are spending a week with the Arbroath Tablers as part of their honeymoon. The Active 20-30 Club of Eugene 920 kindly gave Arbroath Round Table a £60 donation to celebrate their current 60th Charter Year. They asked that the donation be given to a local charity of their choice. The Tablers matched the £60 given and decided to give to Ashley and Chloe in view of the operation being done in USA.

NOTES:  In the picture at the hand-over are, from left - Ian Lorimer, Vineet Wahi, Lisa Wahi, Averil and Ayley, Malcolm Scott, Frazer and Chloe, and Brian Cargill.  

Brian Cargill is a longtime friend of the Active 20-30 Club US & Canada as well as a close friend to several of our members. His name has been legend as long as I've been in the organization and his wonderful work continues.  

Vineet and Lisa Wahi are currently co-chairs for the national charter committee and are in the process of growing Active 20-30 by chartering a new club in Seattle, Washington.

Let's Go Shopping

2011-08-10T13:49:00.000-04:00

Many of our clubs participated in the National Project - the Active 20-30 Children's Shopping Spree - over the last weekend and more will be doing so in the coming days. Everyone, regardless how many kids you were able to take, deserves a huge thank you and tons of praise for helping to make a difference on the first day of school.

I'd like to showcase one example of not only a club coming together to serve kids, but an entire community. Investing about $40,000 in new clothes and supplies, along with over 500 man hours, the Active 20-30 Clubs of Redwood Empire, Santa Rosa and Healdsburg touched almost 200 kids in a single morning.

Check out this article from the Press Democrat. In error, the reporter left out the Santa Rosa and Healdsburg clubs, so here's an extra shout out - kudos, guys!

Covington Stores and Active 20-30 Hosts Back-to-School Shopping Spree along with this quote from one shopper... “It was really cool,” soon-to-be-seventh-grader Joseph Breeder, of Petaluma, said after cruising the mall with his 9-year-old brother, Patrick - the two them acquiring jeans, sweatshirts, shoes, caps and other items. “I think the people were very, very generous to give us this opportunity.”

And please don't forget to share your numbers!

Find What You Love

2011-08-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

'Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life”
Below is a commencement speech Apple and Pixar CEO, Steve Jobs, gave to the 2005 graduating class at Standford. In it, he shares 3 stories of his growth and struggles - including a very public firing that could have (and maybe should have) left him crawling away with his tail tucked.

Take a listen. In the comments, let me know which part touched you.

I Forgot

2011-08-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

Active 20-30 is a big part of my life. Anyone who follows me on Facebook or Twitter likely gets a sense of that. Poor RoudyBob can attest to the calls, emails, projects and to-dos that center around the club. I definitely don't take on any of this work alone - and have lots and lots of people working hard beside me (I'd say much harder than me!). So, perhaps, I'm not the only one who forgot.

Active 20-30 is about the kids in our communities. The ones who weren't as fortunate to grow up with the opportunities many of us did (or who could benefit from knowing a successful adult grew up just like them). Ok, I know this. But I think my focus got narrowed somewhere along the way. Somehow I became the back office gal. Juggling high-level planning and in-the-weeds execution... on paper, it now feels like. Detached a bit, maybe.

This past weekend, I was invited to help Starfish Initiative at their Back To School Bash. An expo for young kids getting ready to go back to school. The convention hall was packed with booths giving away backpacks and supplies, while exhibiting resources for parents, kids and families - from Girl Scouts to after school enrichment programs to fencing instruction and even the Indianapolis Symphony's (instrument) petting zoo.

One of my jobs was to escort Rowdie, the mascot for the Indianapolis Indian's baseball team, around the show floor. OMG!!! You should have seen the kids light up! They asked questions, hugged on the giant red bear with a baseball for a nose (long story), hit a make-believe baseball out of the park; absolutely thrilled that they could meet someone famous (hey, they're kids!)

I realized in the middle of hundreds of kids what I had forgotten: Active 20-30 is about exactly that moment. It's about seeing a kid light up because of a new experience. One that most of us take for granted. It's about watching a child learn that there's more to the world than their city block. I forgot the amazing feeling of a 3 year old taking my hand and saying "I show", then leading me off to something newly discovered.

I needed that reminder. I just never knew it would come from a tiny little person and an oversized red bear.

How have you made sure you don't forget why you're here? If you did forget, what caused you to remember?

20-30 Toolkit :: Ambassador Program

2011-08-01T14:33:00.000-04:00

You approach locally owned businesses to be an "Ambassador" of 20-30; we focused on woman owned businesses because we are a women’s only club, so pick what works best for you! Men, Women, both, etc. but certainly focus on local.
The main concept is to exchange information and display it on each other's website. This helps promote each other but also looks FABULOUS to the company for supporting a local charitable organization (that is your pitch :))
You also use these Ambassadors to help promote events, promote membership opportunities and anything else you feel is valuable to your club, we also gave each Ambassador 2 tickets to any main event, and they typically brought others and bought silent auction items.

The Benefits:

Free PR
Reaching out to people you may not have the ability to
Increase awareness with local businesses- who are your sponsors and members YOU want!
Opens the door to new people, creating a FREE relationship which could lead to members or donations later as well from them!
Different levels in the program helps understand what level of interest an owner has in the club, and the benefits your club will get.

**This is a risk free opportunity and really encourages any club to take advantage of taking this program, modifying it, and promoting it!**

How to Get Started:

Modify the attached documents to your clubs details
Talk to who runs your website to see how they can add a "tab" for Ambassadors
Google search locally owned businesses in the area
Send each a letter, drop them off, or email them
Call and Follow-up
If agreed to; exchange logos, blurbs about each, and ensure their information gets on your website, and yours on there’s
Stay in touch, drop off fliers and information about events, and use them!

Let me know if this is something you see your club utilizing, and if so set some expectations and some timeframes for your club. We focus on getting 3 new Ambassadors a year, what are your clubs goals??

Please let me know your goals, share any ideas or questions you have, and lets focus on this element for your club for the next few weeks. Use your PR committee to run with this and add it to their agenda.

What can your club do with this FREE tool?

To Quote :: Unrealistic Goals

2011-07-29T07:56:00.002-04:00

"Progress and innovation happen when you set unrealistic goals." -Simon Sinek

This begs the question: how do we set our goals. Do we declare goals that we're pretty darn sure we can achieve? Or are we willing to put forth a really lofty, adventurous, unrealistic goal and stretch ourselves to reach it?

I'll admit, I've been taught to do the first. There are consequences to not hitting a goal, right? What if we took those away and asked really challenged ourselves with one that's slightly (or greatly) out of what we think we can hit?

If you could set one unrealistic goal for yourself or for your club, what would it be?

Benefits of Beer

2011-07-24T09:06:00.003-04:00

Those of you who went to the spring midterm meeting in Bakersfield this past April had the pleasure of seeing the Bakersfield #27 men in action at their annual Festival of Beers. The hard work paid off with a recent donation of almost $40,000 in donations to children's charities in the are.

Kudos to everyone involved and for the community rallying around this event - whether the attendees came out to enjoy one of many cold, refreshing beers or to help support the kids, this is an event the city of Bakersfield and the Active 20-30 community should be proud of!

From ExploreBakersfield.com:
Active 20-30 Club gives $38,450 to nonprofits

The Bakersfield Chapter of the Active 20-30 club gave out checks worth $38,450 Thursday night from money it raised as part of the annual Festival of Beers.

The festival, in its 20th year, brings 165 different beers to Bakersfield for residents to try. The April 30 event raised about $100,000, event chairman Jason Browder said. The balance, after costs and the $38,450 are taken into account, amounted to $15,000, and will go to a reserve that facilitates charity requests throughout the year, Browder said.

The Roaring 20's & 30's

2011-07-20T13:40:00.001-04:00

If you're like me, you're still a little sleep deprived but really energized from the Active 20-30 Convention in Albuquerque last week. There will be several blog posts stemming from the breakout sessions and conversation to come.

It's not too early, though, to start thinking about the 2012 Convention in Reno, NV June 21-24th. If you were at the AGM this year (or the midterm in Bakersfield in April), you saw the video below. Every time I see it, I get more and more excited about what Reno #8 has in store for us. And the price! Who could say no to $79 hotels and $190 registration!?!?

Take a look at the video below, share it with your club mates and register today.

If you register by the end of July, I'll throw in something special... I don't know what yet - maybe a fine-free AGM or a goodie from my home state or a little extra gambling money from my personal piggy bank. You game?

Don't Wait

2011-07-17T12:28:00.002-04:00

During last night's national officer installation, I tried to underscore that we can't wait: can't wait for the right time, for the fear to subside or for us to feel like we have all the answers. I challenged our members to "jump in with both feet and a full heart". It's been a theme echoed throughout many of the conversations at last week's national convention, too.

A recent blog by Seth Godin falls right in line with that message, so - as I recover from a wonderful week with my national and international friends, I wanted to share this with you...

Waiting for the feat to subside
There are two problems with this strategy:
A. By the time the fear subsides, it will be too late. By the time you're not afraid of what you were planning to start/say/do, someone else will have already done it, it will already be said or it will be irrelevant. The reason you're afraid is that there's leverage here, something might happen. Which is exactly the signal you're looking for.

B. The fear certainly helps you do it better. The fear-less one might sleep better, but sleeping well doesn't always lead to your best work. The fear can be your compass, it can set you on the right path and actually improve the quality of what you do.

Listen to your fear but don't obey it.

Tatum's Bags of Fun

2011-07-08T08:24:00.003-04:00

Service to children is one of the key pillars of Active 20-30. We all realize that that service doesn't begin when you are eligible for membership and doesn't end when you reach Past Active status.

It's personally important to me to see not only our members serving the children and communities around us, but to watch the ripple effect of the work we do. Below is a story of Tatum Parker, and Indianapolis 10-year-old, who was recognized by the Lt. Governor earlier this week for exemplifying the very things Active 20-30 strives to be.
A two-time cancer survivor, she was a recipient of someone's care and generosity when she was given games and distractions during her hospital stays. Seeing the benefit first hand, she took it upon herself to start a foundation and keep the giving going. Check out her story below.

If we ever think that our hands-on events are simply about the hour we spent playing on a playground or coloring a page from a book, we're selling ourselves short. If we think that it really doesn't matter whether we stay in bed and skip a work project on a Saturday morning, we're kidding ourselves. We will never truly know what one project or one moment will mean as that little person goes forward into the world. He or she may not touch the next person as quickly as Tatum did, or in such a direct way, but every encounter - every gesture - has the ability to shape someone and change the lives for hundreds.

How's that for a sense of responsibility? ;)

Lt. Governor Skillman Presents Tatum Parker a Hoosier Rising Star Award

INDIANAPOLIS – Lt. Governor Becky Skillman presented two-time cancer survivor Tatum Parker, of Indianapolis, a Hoosier Rising Star Award at Riley Hospital for Children today. Tatum was selected to receive the award for her efforts in providing backpacks full of activities to nearly every child in Indiana diagnosed with cancer.

“I am amazed not only by what Tatum has overcome, but by what she has achieved,” Lt. Governor Becky Skillman said. “Tatum provides hundreds of Hoosier children with the gift of cheer through her backpack effort. Knowing that your child is a recipient of such a beautiful gift, must provide some comfort to parents.”

Tatum, who has survived cancer twice including a rare bone cancer, started a non-profit organization nearly three years ago. Through her non-profit, Tatum's Bags of Fun, she has distributed nearly 800 bags each filled with approximately $325 worth of games, toys and activities to children in Indiana with cancer. Riley Hospital treats 80 percent of all Indiana children diagnosed with cancer. Each year, approximately 250 to 300 children in Indiana are diagnosed.

Tatum, 10, is a spokesperson for Riley Children’s Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She holds fundraisers, speaks at various organization events and provides assistance at children support groups. A fifth grade student at Spring Mill Elementary School in Washington Township, Tatum was nominated by the school’s principal.

Lt. Governor Skillman created the Hoosier Rising Star Award in 2007 to recognize Indiana youth making a difference in their community. Any student enrolled in grades K-12 during the 2010-2011 school year was eligible to be nominated by a member of their community for the Hoosier Rising Star Award.

Kaylin Fanta, of St. John, was also selected as a 2011 Hoosier Rising Star winner and was recognized on May 27. The Lt. Governor named eight Hoosier Rising Star Award runners-up. The Lt. Governor presented Tatum a trophy, donated by Tic Toc Trophy Shop in Akron, Ind., to commemorate her achievements.

40 Under 40

2011-07-06T12:44:00.000-04:00

This post is 2-fold. First, I'd like to congratulate all of our members who have been named "40 Under 40". This year and in years past, a number of our members have received that distinction in their local communities. It's definitely an honor and should certainly be a point of pride for us all - this means without dispute that we have some of the most talented young leaders among our ranks.

Congratulations to the most recent to be named: Albuquerque members, Jason Deshayes, Billy Gupton and Zack Wright.

Second, I'd like to brag a bit about what the Albuquerque club did from there. Leveraging a bit of the national promotions budget, the men took our an ad in a local publication that targets the type of members and supporters they desire. They didn't just promote themselves, though. They used this as an opportunity to show their size and strength by including the women's Q Club and the national brand of Active 20-30.

We've historically not been good about tooting our own horns. "It sounds like bragging and we're just doing what we do" is a sentiment I've heard more than once. It's true - I feel the same way. But we also joke about being the best kept secret. Until we start patting our members and clubs on the back in a public forum, we'll remain that way.

Congratulations again to these three men and to all of our members who have received 40 Under 40 recognition (and many other points of recognition) during their time with Active 20-30.

Please share in the comments ways that you club has used a moment of celebration to showcase the quality of members and monumental achievements locally. What results have you seen from your efforts?

Milestones & Memories

2011-07-04T10:49:00.002-04:00

I started writing this post as an apology for falling off pace with blogging for Active 20-30. I could easily blame the holiday weekend, my workload, summer schedules with the RoudyBoys or the necessary preparations for the national convention and installation as your national president. But assigning blame isn't going to get me to step up my game.

Instead, I took a minute to think about why I started blogging for Active 20-30 and why I would want to continue, given everything else I've taken on (in the club and in other areas of my life).

I've been blogging on here for almost three years - this is the 440th post, to be exact. I started when I assumed the role of National Director for Region 1 as a way to engage and inspire my region. It served a personal goal, too. I wanted to write and cataloguing experiences and best practices within Active 20-30 seemed like a good enough topic.
This space expanded to be a platform and a voice for the national association, thanks for feedback and ideas from members coast-to-coast. Although guest posts are still rare (but very much desired), it's definitely a team effort. Like everything in Active 20-30, it has evolved as our needs have.

I'm surprised everyday that people actually read what I have written... and that some have even learned a thing or two. Every now and then I look back at writings I've posted on here and can see where my priorities and passions have been over time and how they've evolved as I've seen and experienced more within the club.

But, ultimately, this blog isn't about me or my view of the club. It's about you and is here to be a resource and a voice for you. I'd like to reaffirm my commitment to continue posting regularly. This coming term, count on reports from each of your national directors. Look for spotlights of projects well done and club "wins". And plan to see many of the same old topics of leadership, personal growth and the needs of the kids around us.

This is your blog, after all, so let me invite you to write a post or submit a topic. What would you like to see more or less of as this space continues to evolve? More behind-the-scenes of your national board? More stories of impact? Just name it...

A Penny A Day

2011-06-29T08:31:00.000-04:00

Active 20-30 Clubs have built a lot of traditions over the years - some unique to each club and some that span the organization. Pennies-A-Day is one of the traditions celebrated by most, if not all, of our clubs. As we near the national convention, the time when we combine all of our spare change with those collected by other clubs, I wanted to remind everyone what this program is all about.

The idea is simple: at each meeting, members contribute spare change to the fund. Each club brings their collection (thankfully in the form of a check) to the national convention where it is amassed and donated to the host club's charity or project of choice. Those pennies, nickels and dimes that were collected here and there over the year add up to thousands of dollars - in the $15-20,000 range many years.

It's not about the total cash collection at the end of the day. It's about the greater message that a little bit, even something meaningless to each of us, can add up to a huge impact when we pool our resources and talents. Giving an hour of our time here and there doesn't feel like much, but seeing that a local club donated thousands of hours during a year is really powerful.

Have you seen a small effort or donation compound into something amazing? Please share in the comments how a little money or a little time or a little knowledge, combined with that from others, has made a real difference in the world.

To Quote :: Fight

2011-06-24T08:25:00.000-04:00

"Fight against something and you focus on the thing you hate. Fight for something and you focus on the thing you love." - Simon Sinek

This couldn't be more true. Stop and think - what are you fighting? What's driving it - love of something or hate for it? Why? Will the fight, as you're fighting it, really change anything? It might. It might not, but that's for you to answer.

If you turned it around and fought for something, rather than against something else, what might the results be? Not only the result on the cause, but what might the impact be on yourself and the others you want in the fight with you?

My dad repeated the mantra: pick your battles*. Do we? How do we know which fight to fight?

*A little off topic, but too funny not to share... here's a lesson in picking battles from TheBloggess you might have seen going around. (caution: grown-up language); Thanks, RoudyBob, for the link.

The Active 20-30 Song From Edmonton

2011-06-22T08:42:00.003-04:00

Michele Spilman from the Greater Sacramento club is a multi-generational member. She grew up in the Sacramento men's club where her father was a member and her mother was a 20-30ette. The history of Active 20-30 has been important to Michele, leading her to serve this coming term as national history committee chair. (Thank you, OneL!!)

Michele recently came across a recording of the ~~Sac #1~~ some 1984 Edmonton Convention attendees (possibly the host club) singing the Active 20-30 Song. Yeah, I didn't know such thing existed, either. You've got to check it out! Take a listen and, as you do, give Michele's post a read.

Oh, and if you have a piece of Active 20-30 history, please share it with us! From stories to scrapbooks. Michele, take it away...

An Active 20-30 Song

The other day (actually a few months ago), the national historian for Active 20-30 asked me if I knew of any video footage on Active 20-30 club events. I told him all I had seen so far were some flyers, newsletters, and photos. I didn't think we had any videos at home. Just a few days (maybe a month) after that conversation, my mom made a comment on wanting to catalog the home movies before transferring them to DVD. I showed her where a bunch of the VHS tapes were being stored and while looking, noticed a few had Active 20-30 marked on them.

I instantly grabbed them and ran into the bedroom where there was a VHS player and stuck in the tape to watch. The first segment I saw was the Active 20-30 #1 club's Special Kids Picnic Day (had video and a voice over about the event). I even saw a short appearance of yours truly in there (and my sister, I'd be in trouble if I didn't add mention of her). I also saw some footage on some of their Spring Parties, skits, one campaign party, and the River City Western Round Up they used to do. Saw small glimpses of my mom and dad working events. There was a couple of the choreographed fashion shows at the Active 20-30ettes ladies Anniversary Brunch. Also fun seeing one of the brunches having me (and my sis).

Then I came across a video that was a photo slideshow of the 1984 National Convention in Edmonton, Canada. What excited me about this was the song that was the music for the photos. It is a neat song and I recorded it and listened to it many times in order to write down the lyrics and share with everyone. I believe I have the correct lyrics, but if you hear something different, please let me know so I can correct it. And if someone comes across this blog entry and knows more about this song or Active 20-30 history, I would also LOVE to hear any stories you'd like to share (please send me an email). It would be nice to re-record this song, but you don't want to hear me trying to sing it.

(I'm calling this) The Active 20-30 Song from Edmonton

Way back when in 1922

there were two clubs

who saw so much to do

youth to be served, must serve and this they knew

from these two clubs our story grew

There came a time, in 1961, that found us all

how much we could become, if our two clubs could serve the world as one

we’ve come so far yet just begun

Around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

The Active 20-30 club, just watch our story grow

Yes around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

For fellowship and leadership, just watch our story grow

We share a bond

Working side by side in which to meet all challenges with pride

And the future is in children everywhere

To guide them, everyone must care

Around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

The Active 20-30 club, just watch our story grow

Well around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

For fellowship and leadership, just watch our story grow

Take a man who never stands so tall as when he kneels to help a child, is small

Young and strong, we serve the world as one

We’ve come so far yet just begun

Around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

The Active 20-30 club, just watch our story grow

Well around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

For fellowship and leadership, just watch our story grow

Yes, all around the world and across the seas, we joined hands and hearts and histories

The Active 20-30 club, just watch our story grow

Life & Leadership Workshop #3 :: Goals [Recording]

2011-06-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

Last week, Active 20-30 and Life Coach, Mike Tinder hosted the second in a six-part series of life and leadership workshops. The session focused built on the first - operating from our greatness - and offered us daily practices we could leverage.

I want to say thank you to everyone who participated on the call and to those who made time to attend. If you weren't able to make the call, you can listen to the audio recording. Please feel free to share this with your club members and friends. I must ask, however, that you be respectful of what you hear on the call. This is an exceptional opportunity to learn and grow and everyone on the call did so knowing it was a safe space.

Please post in the comments if there was a lesson or tool that struck you or if you learned something about yourself by listening.

Also, the 2nd Tuesday seems to be a busy one for many clubs - the future calls have been scheduled for the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Speaking of future calls, here are the topics with dates (dates subject to change based on your feedback).

Dates and topics for the workshops:
April 12 :: Operating from your greatness, the essence of who you really are. [Listen]
May 18 :: Daily best practices for leadership and relationships. [Listen]
June 15 :: Powerful goal setting and project design. [Listen]
July 20 :: Generating Action – who can you be to motivate & inspire action from others.
August 17 :: Breakdowns – what to do when you fall off the commitment wagon.
Sept 21 :: Completion – putting the past behind you and letting go.

Call-in Information:
218.936.4700
Access Code: 8362082

For more information on Mike Tinder, please visit his website at: TeamTinder.com

Don't Care. Care.

2011-06-15T10:02:00.002-04:00

Click to take a closer look.

RoudyBob and I were biking through downtown Indianapolis this past weekend when I saw this sign. If the photo isn't clear, click on it for a better rendering.

It got me to thinking about how easy it is for us, like the sign, to flip from "care" to "don't care". One push of a button or flip of a switch when we feel unappreciated or underutilized. When we get bogged down in the daily grind and lose focus of why we're doing what we're doing. When we get distracted and lose the spark that moved us in the other direction.

Wham. I simply don't care.

It's just as easy to go from "don't care" to "care". Someone pushes our button, so to speak, by telling us a story of the kid at the neighborhood center who was changed because of a volunteer's time. We spend a few minutes playing toss with a child, listening to his story. We see the impact that we have just by supporting a new Active 20-30 member and showing her the way.

We all have busy lives and are pulled in a dozen different directions, it seems. With this craziness, it's easy to flip back to "don't care" without noticing. We see it manifest in complacency, missed or barely-met deadlines, half-hearted enthusiasm and in so many other ways.

What is it that causes you to see that you've flipped to "don't care"? Is it as obvious as the lit street sign? Probably not, but it's noticeable to you and those around you. When you find the sign flipped the wrong way, what do you do to flip it back?

To Quote :: Evolutionaries

2011-06-13T08:36:00.000-04:00

"Revolution seeks to upset or replace. Evolution seeks to advance. Revolutionaries are polarizing. Evolutionaries are broadly admired." -Simon Sinek

With the national elections coming up in a few short weeks, I found this quote to be timely this morning. I personally believe that we should all be evolutionaries. Over the past few terms, under the leadership of Evan Hershey and Mike Rockenstein (and before these men reaching back to Frank Cockrell and others), we've begun to lay a strong foundation for the future of Active 20-30 in the United States.

I hope to be able to evolve the organization as I step into some very big shoes and hope that my successors will do the same in each of the coming terms.

Active 20-30 doesn't need a revolution and we certainly don't need a revolutionary mindset. Sure, there are things each of us would like to see change - locally, regionally and nationally. We owe it to our mission and our members to do so thoughtfully. Not behind closed doors. Not in a shady or back-room manner. Not with the upset of a revolution.

Being a small organization, each of our members is given great power to evolve and grow Active 20-30. We know each other's names and passions. We know how to inspire change and growth. Because of our size, we also have the ability to revolt, excite and shake things up to the point of disrepair.

There can be a fine line between revolution and evolution. We owe it to our brothers and sisters in service - and especially to the kids and communities we serve - to progress with care and consideration. What steps will you take to ensure you are an evolutionary, not a revolutionary?

The Power & Pitfalls of Social Media

2011-06-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

a.k.a: No Active 20-30 Fun.

Recent news headlines of a certain legislator should serve as a reminder of the power and pitfalls of social media. Even though most of us will never be campaigning for public office or in a position to be scrutinized by millions, the same lesson is there to be learned.

There is a sense of privacy and community on the web - we have a group of Facebook friends who we choose to share our thoughts and experiences. We see who is following us on Twitter. Emails and texts are personal conversations. This blog has a specific audience and focus - why would a non-member care what's posted here, right? (plus, no one actually reads this thing!)

There's a false sense of security we should all be reminded of. Our online communities aren't always as closed as we think. It's also easier than ever to take a Quotable Quote or a snapshot out of context.

It's tempting - for example - to post pictures on Facebook from your club's pub crawl. Who wouldn't want to post one of your incoming president with shots lined up in front of him, then another of him [insert image of blackmail-able event here]. You throw it into an album or caption it with "Active 20-30..." so we can remember what was going on.

What happens when the volunteer coordinator from your club's favorite charity partner stumbles across it? Worse - a prospective who is looking to serve kids and grow as a person? Even worse, a donor getting ready to write a check?

I'm not suggesting that you hide the wild-ish side of you or the club - building friendships is a key part of who we are and we do it in social settings as well as while we volunteer. Content on the web isn't 'for-your-eyes-only' anymore; we have to assume that whatever we post will be seen.

Any social media horror stories or lessons-learned you'd care to share? If so, feel free to post in the comments. Don't worry, no one is looking.

To Quote :: The Galaxy Needs Jedi

2011-06-08T08:40:00.001-04:00

"I'm not a Jedi because I like the hum of the lightsaber in my hand... and I'm not a Jedi because I like being a Jedi. I'm a Jedi because the Galaxy needs Jedi." - Torr Snapit

Yes, this week on the blog is getting a bit absurd - first a leadership lesson from an animated pig, now a quote from a cartoon character. Think about it for a second and it seems a little less absurd, though. Replace Jedi with board member, committee chair or volunteer. Replace lightsaber with gavel (or a stollen banner) or the tools of a service project - crayons or hammers.

We're members of Active 20-30 because our community needs 20-30ians. The kids around us need us to do what we're doing in order to help them to be better kids, and ultimately better men and women.

I'll go one step further... I am not a leader in Active 20-30 because I like the glow of the room from the podium. I am not an Active 20-30ian because I like simply saying that I am and putting on the lapel pin; nor am I in a national position because of it. I am an Active 20-30ian because too many kids need Active 20-30ians. I am a officer because our association needs leaders.

Pig of Happiness

2011-06-06T14:49:00.002-04:00

I got an email late last week from a fellow Active 20-30 member with a link to a YouTube video (below). "You should use this on the blog. I don't know what I'd write, but take a stab, won't you" was the gist of his note. Oh, the challenge.
Ok, so The Pig of Happiness...

There are several takeaways from this, but I'd like to focus on one in particular: attitude is contagious. It is also deliberate. The Pig of Happiness (POH, to his friends) decided to be happy. To not go along with the mumbly grumbly pigs. To support, rather than make fun of, the pig with ... well ... the big bacon.

How often are we put in POH's shoes as we progress through Active 20-30 and even our daily lives? I've seen members and whole clubs who remind me of the mumbly, grumbly pigs; those who choose to see themselves as a victim or complain about what isn't - whether it's not winning an election or not getting their way to simply not wanting to see what's possible. That attitude is easily passed in our clubs as it is in their barn yard.

I've seen far more POH members. The person who chooses not to be a mumbly, grumbly pig even when surrounded by them. The person who takes responsibility for being happy or driven, all on their own. The person who is willing to lead by example, knowing that it can change everything.

POH never declared that he was the leader of the pigs, let alone the sheep or the whole barn yard. Nor did he proclaim that his way was the right way. But he became one. And others caught his attitude. And it did change everything.

Whether we're a mumbly grumbly or POH, we have the ability to influence the people around us and - ultimately - the legacy we create in our clubs and beyond. The decision is each of ours - what kind of pig do you choose to be?

On the Move

2011-06-01T07:25:00.000-04:00

No, that's not PhotoShopped. It really is a city bus in Eugene, Oregon sporting the Active 20-30 logo, website and call to action. Thanks to one loyal sponsor, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, and a member making an ask, the entire city (or at least the folks along this route) are reminded of Active 20-30 every day.

Sure, not every club has someone who can get our logo on a giant moving billboard. We do, however, each know someone who can help us spread the word about what we do and the opportunities we provide young professionals.

What creative PR has your club done? What have you seen from other clubs that you'd love to tell others about or try yourself?

Welcome to the WOCO World

2011-05-26T08:40:00.003-04:00

As members of Active 20-30, each of you are a part of WOCO. Petros, who many of you met in Las Vegas at the 2008 WOCO Convention and perhaps other times since, has recently been installed as Chairman of the WOCO Foundation.

Below is an open letter from Petros to each of you, the stakeholders in WOCO.
Dear Tablers, Active Twenty‐Thirtians, and members of Ladies Circle and Apex:

Let me introduce myself. My name is Petros Stylianides and I come from Round Table Cyprus. I have been a member of Round Table since the year 2000 and have served as my club’s RT5 Chairman and IRO as well as the National President for Round Table Cyprus. I have served the WOCO Foundation on the board for 2 years and now I am the current WOCO Foundation Chairman. My passion and dedication to helping underprivileged children has gotten me to this point.

The World Council of Service Clubs Foundation is the world platform foundation for young charity organizations, a joint international commitment to a socially better future. The WOCO Foundation is comprised of many national service clubs (Shareholders come from associations including Round Table, Active 20‐30 International, Ladies Circle and Apex). A network of more than 30.000 people organizes and supports many hands‐on projects mainly in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. The projects are targeted to enable 1 million children and their families to live a better life and are mainly in the healthcare and education sectors.

With project experience that goes back as far as 1922, we can act globally and work locally!
The WOCO Foundation is registered as a non‐profit corporation, incorporated in California, USA, and was provided 501(c)(3) Status under the United States Internal Revenue Code on January 17, 2006.

As you well know, the member organizations of WOCO have no big overhead, administrative bodies, or expensive committees. Any accruing costs are covered exclusively by our members, thereby making sure that 100% of the money raised for charity goes to those who need it
Most projects are free of any overhead costs. Additionally, many hours of hands‐on work and services are invested into the projects. We work professionally and on an honorary basis. Our members provide 50% of the funds for their projects. In turn, the WOCO Foundation supports the projects through matching grants.

WOCO Foundation is currently asking our shareholders to provide us with possible projects to fund. These projects can be presented to big companies for funding. The projects can also be used as a “basket” of projects where our shareholders can look to fund either a part of the project or the whole project in the same way our project to help children in Haiti was funded through donations from Round Table and Active 20‐30 Clubs.

You can join the cause in several ways: either the support of a single project or through more general help towards the wide range of WOCO Foundation projects. Your contribution could be hands‐on, a donation of materials and equipment or a donation of funds. And don’t forget that “if we all get dirty we all stay clean.”

This year our AGM will be together with the RTI world meeting on the 23‐25 August 2011 in Bremerhaven, Germany and i invite you all to attend and suport our foundation! Please visit www.rti2011.com to register.

This is OUR Foundation and I ask you to join and help. The WOCO Board and I are looking forward to serving you well.

Yours in Tabling and service,
Petros Stylianides, WOCO Foundation Chairman

Life & Leadership Workshop #2 :: Daily Practices [Recording]

2011-05-24T07:33:00.003-04:00

Dates and topics for the workshops:
April 12 :: Operating from your greatness, the essence of who you really are. [Listen]
May 18 :: Daily best practices for leadership and relationships. [Listen]
June 15 :: Powerful goal setting and project design.
July 20 :: Generating Action – who can you be to motivate & inspire action from others.
August 17 :: Breakdowns – what to do when you fall off the commitment wagon.
Sept 21 :: Completion – putting the past behind you and letting go.

Call-in Information:
218.936.4700
Access Code: 8362082

For more information on Mike Tinder, please visit his website at: TeamTinder.com

The Cotati Art Project

2011-05-23T09:37:00.001-04:00

The North Bay Active 20-30 Club recently made a significant donation to the Cotati Art Project. In and of itself, that's noteworthy and deserving of celebration. These men saw a need and stepped up to fill it. Check out the video below - a few words from John Logan Coots, President of the North Bay club.

The words John says are touching and right on - when we lose a child too soon, we all lose. We lose the potential energy the child has. The potential to change the world.

This is only one of the many ways Active 20-30 clubs and members across the country are working to honor the children in our communities and to help be a catalyst for change in the world.

View the video.

What Does It Mean To Lead?

2011-05-20T11:33:00.000-04:00

"If we imagine a better, more stable world, it is our collective responsibility to find those who inspire us and to inspire those around us." - Simon Sinek

This was one of the themes on the Life & Leadership Workshop this week. The question was posed: "What does it mean to lead?" The answers were varied, but all came back to a consistent theme of inspiring and allowing yourself to be inspired. Through action. Through idea. Through nurturing of yourself and others.

That was followed with another question: "What does leading mean to you? In other words, what do you get out of it?" This is a harder question to answer, but one that deserves thought and reflection.

I'll ask it here: What does it mean to lead for you? And what is the impact of being a leader have on you?

A Responsibility or A Priviledge

2011-05-18T13:38:00.006-04:00

If you haven't heard of Kids Are Heroes, you should check them out. It's made up of future Active 20-30 members and the people - like many of you - who help shape them into the servant leaders of tomorrow (well, most aren't waiting for tomorrow).

A recent post on their blog was inspired by Ashley Hyder's Tweet: “Volunteering is not a choice. It’s a responsibility.” Gabe, the author of the post disagreed and said: "Volunteering is not a choice. It's a privilege." He argues that if they feel it's an obligation and that they must, then they find it to be a burdon rather than a joy. Volunteers must get something out of the experience - every single time.

So, my question for you today is this: Do you give of your time and talents because it's your responsibility or your privilege? What do you get out of volunteering as part of Active 20-30 or perhaps other organizations?

...That's What Makes Them Great

2011-05-16T08:01:00.004-04:00

Simon Sinek, one of my favorite writers and thinkers, wrote a very poignant post a while back. I had intended to quote only one line from it and let it feed into a post to inspire candidates for the upcoming Active 20-30 national elections and committee selections. When I re-read his post, though, I found myself wanting to share it all with you.

It's brief, but to the point. In so many conversations over the past year, I've heard the same thing said - often said quietly and between the lines. I've heard people compare themselves to leaders like Evan Hershey and Frank Cockrell and worry that they don't measure up. They point out an imperfection or an uncertainty. They acknowledge that there is much they haven't experienced, learned or practiced.

To that, I say - be authentic. Be yourself. The you that you are is unique and brings a new perspective and opportunity to Active 20-30 and to the position you're considering. We're all here to learn and try. To build on what's been done before and to shape where we're going. Your role and potential impact is uncharted in large part.

Take a listen to Simon and post your thoughts in the comments:
There is great beauty in that which is imperfect.
"The grain in a piece of wood. A bristle of a paintbrush left stranded in a painting. The uneven glaze of a Japanese ceramic cup.

Perfection comes out of molds or off assembly lines. Things made by nature or by hand are imperfect. It is their flaws that make these objects unlike any other of their kind. It is their imperfections that make these things unique and beautiful.
The same is true for people.

It is the blend of anxiety, fear, pain, insecurity and naïveté that makes each person special. Ironically, we try to suppress these feelings, cover them up and compensate in an attempt to appear perfect to the outside world. We put ourselves into quite unnatural positions in hope that others don’t perceive us as we truly are: imperfect.

Authenticity is about imperfection. And authenticity is a very human quality. To be authentic is to be at peace with your imperfections. The great leaders are not the strongest, they are the ones who are honest about their weaknesses. The great leaders are not the smartest; they are the ones who admit how much they don't know. The great leaders can't do everything; they are the ones who look to others to help them. Great leaders don't see themselves as great; they see themselves as human.

Great leaders don't try to be perfect, they try to be themselves. And that's what makes them great."

Which Wolf Will Win?

2011-05-11T08:51:00.014-04:00

Part of me says "Face it, man, you just can't do this." But the rest of me is saying "Screw that - let's make it happen."

Which one is right? It depends. It's like the old story about the tribal chief telling the children of the tribe that each of us has two wolves in our hearts, always fighting against each other to control us: one good and one evil.

The children ask, "Which wolf will win?" The chief replies, "Whichever one you feed the most."

This is another piece I wish I knew the origins of. It fits so perfectly into the world of Active 20-30 in so many ways. For the children we serve - so many of these kids have to choose which wolf to feed each day; whether to give in to the violence or circumstances around them or to rise above, study and get out of their situation. For our members - we can get weighed down in the challenges that face us or we can choose to say 'screw it', refocus on why we're here and kick some serious @&&.

Which wolf do you feed? What steps do you take to ensure you're feeding the right one?

We Need You

2011-05-09T09:40:00.002-04:00

As we've said before, the real work of Active 20-30 isn't just done by the 9 men and women on your national board, nor those who make up your local club board. It's all of us, stepping into roles in which we can learn, try and contribute our unique skills.

The coming term is an going to be an exciting one - we have articulated more solid goals than ever before. Committees and work groups will no longer be islands, but work together in a coordinated fashion to be more efficient and much more effective.

But, we need you. You. Not the guy next to you at your lunch meeting - well, we need him, too. But we need you.

This is your invitation (the engraver is running behind schedule, so please accept this electronic version) to take part in making great and small things happen for your national club. I guarantee there's something in it for you, too.

Below is a list of the national committees and work groups. If you have questions about the work or expectations of the committee, please talk with me. If you're interested, shoot me a note, leave me a Facebook message or give me a call at 317.418.4786.

Awards Committee :: Help set the standards of excellence by which our clubs, members and officers are recognized. Increase participation in the awards program at the club level and share best practices and successes of our clubs.
Grants :: Research and pursue grant opportunities that will benefit the Foundation, association and member clubs.
History :: We're entering into our 90th year as a service club. Help us capture and share our past with our members.
Membership Growth & Retention :: Help member clubs do two of the most critical activities - recruit new members and retain the quality ones we have.
National Project :: Help clubs establish and enhance their Children's Shopping Spree project while working to secure national corporate partners and increasing community exposure.
New Charters :: Work directly with clubs-in-formation to bring them into the Active 20-30 family. Keep them excited and ensure that they're meeting their obligations.
Past Active Liaison :: Help us keep our past active members engaged in the activities of their local club and the national association. They're a great resource for historical wisdom, life experience and connections.
Public Relations / Internal & External Communications :: Help our clubs get their names out in their communities and help us keep our members informed. This committee will take over management of the announcements so our national office can focus on where they can get us the most bang for our buck.
Sponsorship / Member Benefits :: Discover or create additional services our members can take advantage of.
Technology :: From our new website and tool kit to our social media presence, work with PR and the national officers to leverage the technology we have at our disposal.

Ideally, I'd like at least one person from each region on each committee - where do you see yourself?

You May Be In A Tough Place Right Now...

2011-05-06T14:23:00.003-04:00

We all need that good friend, who is brutally honest and will give us a needed kick in the pants now and then, right? I wish I knew who to attribute this quote to so I could say thanks for the kick. How many times have you wanted to say this to someone close to you? How many times have you needed to hear it yourself?

“You need to handle failure and obscurity better. You may be in a tough place right now where you feel lonely or like a loser. No worries, we’ve all been there. But it’s time for you to realize how common these things are, and that they’re experienced by even the most successful and happiest people in the world. Those people get past them, and you will too.”

What's Active 20-30?

2011-05-04T08:32:00.001-04:00

A lot of great things were presented at the National MidTerm meeting this past weekend. One of them is below - a fantastic video created by the Active 20-30 Club of Reno. It takes just a minute to show off what we're all about - the friendships, the service, the leadership opportunities...

If your club would like to use the video in promotion of your club or recruiting members, feel free. If you'd like copy of the video file, contact Matt Denio. Kudos to everyone who worked on this!

On Being Wrong

2011-04-29T08:17:00.001-04:00

Chinese Symbol for...

There are a lot of events happening around Active 20-30 this weekend. An officer installation in Eugene; a kickball tournament in Albuquerque; another annual Viva Las Vegas bash with our VOS ladies; a national mid-term meeting hosted by Golden Empire; a beer fest in Bakersfield; a breakfast for families of patients at a children's hospital in Indianapolis, just to name a few.

It's also a perfect time to highlight an easy-to-consume video about something that scares the bajeebers out of most of us (me, included) - being wrong. I love the question Kathryn poses in her talk: what's it feel like to be wrong? Not when we realize we were wrong, but in the very moment that we are?

From Ted.com: Most of us will do anything to avoid being wrong. But what if we're wrong about that? "Wrongologist" Kathryn Schulz makes a compelling case for not just admitting, but embracing our fallibility.

I Overheard Him Say...

2011-04-25T08:49:00.004-04:00

I was at the gym this weekend and couldn't help overhear half of a phone conversation. I'm not sure whether he was talking about an employee, a child or someone else in his life, but he asked a question many of us have asked before and will likely ask again.

"Why does someone who had such enthusiasm and passion for this, now seem so apathetic?"

The "this" could be anything - a job, a talent, a cause... Haven't we all seen this happen within our selves or with our friends, coworkers or fellow Active 20-30 members and asked the same question?

I don't have the answer. I would, however, love to hear your thoughts. In the comments, discuss.

So Come and Create It

2011-04-21T07:42:00.000-04:00

I work for a company that helps companies tell their stories through online video, so every now and then I get to go back and look at some of the pieces we've produced over the years. Today, I watched one we did for a Rotary club and found a message that resonates for Active 20-30.

Take a minute to watch at: http://rotary.watchourvideos.com/story/12/?as

When approached to join Rotary, David - the gentleman profiled in this video- responded that he didn't see himself there. Not from a race perspective or an age perspective. He didn't see the club doing the things that mattered philanthropically to him.

How often do we hear something similar when we're recruiting for Active 20-30? "I just don't see myself in your existing membership." What do we do when we run up against this objection? In this particular man's story, the member challenged him and said "it is going to be your responsibility to bring more of what you think is lacking."

They then plugged him in in areas that were close to his passion and empowered him to create possibilities and to drive the club forward in the direction that would make it meaningful in his life.

This is a story that all of our clubs and members need to hear. It's a model that we can and should use for ourselves. Rather than ask the talented young adults in our communities to fit only into our mold, let's look at how we can empower them to truly shape what we will become.

How have you or your club said what the Rotarian said: ""it is going to be your responsibility to bring more of what you think is lacking"? What have you seen as a result?

Thanks, Cantaloupe.tv, for the use of this video!

Life & Leadership Workshop #1 :: Essence [Recording]

2011-04-19T08:28:00.002-04:00

A week ago, Active 20-30 and Life Coach, Mike Tinder hosted the first in a six-part series of life and leadership workshops. The session focused on operating from our greatness - the essence of who we are. We talked about fears and the defense mechanisms we use to protect ourselves.

I want to say thank you (that doesn't seem like nearly enough) to Vanessa and Shelby for participating on the call and for their willingness to share openly and honestly. If you weren't able to make the call, you can listen to the audio recording. Please feel free to share this with your club members and friends. I must ask, however, that you be respectful of what you hear on the call. This is an exceptional opportunity to learn and grow and everyone on the call did so knowing it was a safe space.

Please post in the comments if there was a lesson or tool that struck you or if you learned something about yourself by listening.

Also, the 2nd Tuesday seems to be a busy one for many clubs - what night would work better, should we reschedule some of the future calls?

Speaking of future calls, here are the topics with dates (dates subject to change based on your feedback).

Dates and topics for the workshops:
April 12 :: Operating from your greatness, the essence of who you really are.
May 18 :: Daily best practices for leadership and relationships.
June 14 :: Powerful goal setting and project design.
July 12 :: Generating Action – who can you be to motivate & inspire action from others.
August 9 :: Breakdowns – what to do when you fall off the commitment wagon.
Sept 13 :: Completion – putting the past behind you and letting go.

Call-in Information:
218.936.4700
Access Code: 8362082

For more information on Mike Tinder, please visit his website at: TeamTinder.com

Childhood Moments

2011-04-18T08:24:00.000-04:00

SoulPancake.com is a quirky little website that asks though-provoking questions and challenges you on personal growth. I got an email from them Friday asking readers to: "List 3 moments in your childhood that were pivotal."

In Active 20-30, we're all very aware of the childhood experience and how we are each shaped by that. We're shaped by the things we're able to try and by the people we're exposed to - for good or ill.

Each of our members are such unique, wonderful people. I'm curious... as you reflect back over the past 20, 30 or 40 years, what do you feel are some of the pivotal moments in your childhood that helped you become the person you are today, caring about the things you do and serving in the way you do?

I really do want to hear what you think. I'll reward the first person who posts at least one pivotal moment in the comments of this post with a copy of the SoulPancake book. Who's in?

Getting Dirty

2011-04-15T08:34:00.001-04:00

I can honestly say I've never found inspiration for the Active 20-30 blog in a Dilbert comic before, but there's a first for everything, right?

I spent the first hours of my morning at a fundraising and celebration breakfast for Starfish Initiative, a local organization that mentors kids through high school and into college (with 100% admission into college - kudos!). Each of the organization staff who spoke talked about their intimate connection with the scholars and the programs; many being mentors themselves.

As I often do, I contrasted what I was hearing to what I've experienced as part of Active 20-30; I felt grateful that we and Starfish are unlike a lot of organizations that serve our communities. The membership and leadership are together doing the work of the organization's mission.

Unintentionally, a fair amount of organizations (social service, philanthropic and for-profit commercial enterprises) separate their leadership from the workers "on the ground". The people making decisions do so from the safety of an office and far from the trenches and the people ultimately impacted by them.

We are so lucky, in my opinion, to have the leadership structure that we've created for ourselves. The decisions that are made that shape our future, direct our funds and resources and dictate how we serve our members are made by our members. They're based on real experiences and on real conversations directly with our members, donors and partner organizations.

The decisions your national board - and I'll hazard to say local boards, too - makes aren't done in a bubble. We're dependent on each of our national committee chairs, our club presidents and every single member for insight, thoughts and opinions. Each of you has a direct connection* to the decisions and vision of Active 20-30. We work incredibly hard to remove layers in the organizational structure, not create them in as Pointy Haired Boss' boss is doing.

When our leadership calls out for input or are sitting across a pint listening to you, this is why. In order to effectively lead and guide Active 20-30, we must be in the weeds; we can never risk loosing the knowledge and the insight and the connections that have served us well as a national organization. How can anyone lead without knowing what's really going on in an organization or in the marketplace?

* National Directors are listed on the national website and their contact information is available once you log in. If you need their contact information or an introduction, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Ideas Worth Spreading

2011-04-13T21:13:00.000-04:00

That's the theme that drives the TED Conferences forward. People from every imaginable facet of life share their ideas, their perspectives and their experiences while inspiring hundreds in the audience and millions online across the world.

I've used a few TED Talks in posts on this blog and consume them frequently - to learn about a topic I never knew existed or for a burst of inspiration and motivation. I mean, these are the best and brightest; the best in their fields, right?

I came across this video today - a bit of a behind the scenes - and was both inspired and bolstered. These people I put on a pedestal because of a simple designation of TED presenter are real people like you and me. The older I get, the more I realize that each of us have more in common than not. No matter what we've achieved or long to achieve, we all have doubts and fears. We all have hopes and goals. We all measure ourselves to those around us.

Watching this video gives us a look at two of the men I admire for the simple fact that they had the confidence to follow in the footsteps of so many amazing people and had the confidence to believe they could measure up in their own right. Take a look and see if it plants a seed of inspiration in some aspect of your life.

If you were to get up on stage in front of a packed audience with an opportunity to talk about something close to your heart, what would your TED Talk be about? What is your idea worth spreading?

Marketing & Fundraising Zone

2011-04-11T11:43:00.000-04:00

I'm often inspired by what I see others doing and trying. Be it another Active 20-30 club or a group of individuals inspired to do something close to their hearts.

The NonProfit Marketing Zone is site that I recently came across and think will be a great source of inspiration going forward... and it's too good to keep to myself. They collect and organize non-profit related wisdom from across the web. They have topics ranging from fundraising to social media to governance.

When you have a minute or find yourself in a mental rut, wonder over and take a look. Maybe it'll spark an idea or help you overcome a challenge. Check it out and share your thoughts on how resources like this can be used by our fellow club members to advance the work we do.

To Quote :: Know Where You're Going

2011-04-08T08:56:00.002-04:00

"Vision always comes before mission. You have to know where you're going before you can figure out how to get there." - Simon Sinek

This goes hand-in-hand with Wednesday's post, but I'd like to put an interesting challenge out to each of you. If you were creating something today that was designed to develop young leaders, create a community among it's members (local or national) and ultimately make a difference in the lives of children, what would it look like?

Would it be a loose network of cells across the country? Would it have a strong, commanding national "corporate" center? Would it have a single cause from day 1 forward or would it be fluid with the changing needs of the kids and members? Would there be a hard-stop when a member reaches the end of their time or would there be a continuation of service, perhaps in a changed role? Would the membership be intimate in numbers or seemingly massive?

If you created a service organization today with a mission statement similar to Active 20-30's, what would it look like?

When the Music Changes

2011-04-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

An African proverb says, "When the music changes, so must the dance." I wonder if Active 20-30 has changed the dance as the music has changed or if we continue doing the same things that served us well years and years ago.

Under the leadership of National President Mike Rockenstein, a strategic plan is beginning to take shape. We're being forced to ask ourselves what the current tune is and find the steps to dance the new dance. In that, we must discover who today's members are and what do they expect out of the organization and conversely, what we as an evolving organization need from our members.

Our goals and the plan that's put in place to help reach them can't be created in a bubble, though. We need the help of all of our members to identify the new melody to which we must dance. That is, if it has changed (and I believe it has). Our members are turning over at a faster rate than even 10 years ago, for example. Is this because there are more opportunities out there that catch their eye? Is it that we're falling out of step as the music changes?

Let's create a conversation around this and figure out together what this new music sounds like. What tune do you hear? How do we best share it with all of our members and get them to dance the new dance? What dissonance do you hear with today's music and how do we bring it back into harmony? There are no wrong answers - let's write this together.

Life & Leadership Workshops [LIVE]

2011-04-04T07:53:00.001-04:00

Active 20 30 has partnered with Michael Tinder of Tinder Leadership and Coaching (“TLC”) to create 6 new customized tele-workshops focused on introducing the best practices of leaders in life, relationship and business.

These sessions arm you with tools and information that can be used as a leader within Active 20-30 and in your everyday work and relationships.
The calls will be approximately 60 -75 minutes in length and will be held on the second Tuesday of each month starting next week on April 12, 2011. All calls will be held at 6pm PST. Please RSVP for the April 12 call at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157095027683595 or by email.

Calls will be recorded and made available to all of our membership for review.

Dates and topics for the workshops:
April 12 :: Operating from your greatness, the essence of who you really are.
May 10 :: Daily best practices for leadership and relationships.
June 14 :: Powerful goal setting and project design.
July 12 :: Generating Action – who can you be to motivate & inspire action from others.
August 9 :: Breakdowns – what to do when you fall off the commitment wagon.
Sept 13 :: Completion – putting the past behind you and letting go.

Call-in Information:
218.936.4700
Access Code: 8362082
You will be promoted to announce yourself when you arrive. Because of the number of people attending, please refrain.

Misc important details:
Participation – we're looking for 5 live participants on each call for Mike to interact with, coach and answer questions. Please email Trena if you're willing to participate.
Integration – in between workshops, there will be Facebook discussions and blog posts to follow up on the material discussed in the workshops.
Pre-call material - there will be pre-workshop material and handouts distributed to those who have RSVPed in an effort to help you get the most out of the workshop.

Michael is an affiliate of Accomplishment Coaching and operates his own private coaching practice where he works with individuals, groups and organizations as a powerful partner committed to achieving unrealized dreams and breakthrough goals for life, business and relationships.

If you participated in the January call, please feel free to comment below on your experiences. We all learned a lot and have made some modifications to help create an even better experience for everyone attending.