ALGreaterPlacer-Nuggets

Written and compiled by Julie Sage

A Mentor is defined as someone who guides another to greater success.                                                                                               (YourDictionary Copyright © 2017)

From our school years through our adult lives, we have all benefited from an experienced person who provided personal, educational, or professional guidance. A parent, teacher, coach, co-worker and within our nonprofit organization, a MENTOR!

Assistance League of Greater Placer began implementing a Mentoring program in October 2015, with 2 volunteers as team leaders.  We are a 100% volunteer organization and strive to attract and maintain an active and vibrant membership. Our members give their time, skills, and moral support to 13 philanthropic programs throughout our greater Placer County communities. This Mentor program provides communication, support, and training to NEW members joining our Assistance League chapter and focuses on making the best use of their interests and talents.  

Mentor Chairman, Judy explains, “The team’s responsibility is to match each inexperienced new member with an active chapter member and to coordinate the match of ladies who have a recommending member. (Some of the New Members have been recruited by current members who become their Mentor).

The Mentors first interaction with their assigned new recruit is when they join the New Member Training presentation:

PASSPORT FOR NEW MEMBERS-A Guide to Navigating the Chapter.

Basically, the Passport is a guide for what needs to be accomplished.  It’s like a sequential check-off of expectations.  It’s also a very good talking instrument between mentor and mentee.

At our regular monthly Assistance League meetings, the new members and their mentors sit together at reserved tables.  This is a good time for touching bases as well as hearing and seeing up close and personal how our meetings go.”

Pictured: Sandy-Mentor, Mary-New Member, Pam and Judy-Mentoring Program Chairs

And surprisingly old friendships are renewed and new ones formed!

“My new member, Donna, and I met when we were in high school in Oxnard, California.  We became friends when we double-dated two guys who were best friends.  For several years, Donna lived in Santa Barbara and then moved to Prescott Valley, Arizona. Recently Donna moved back to California and now we both live in Meadow Vista!  She recently joined Assistance League after I told her what great things this organization does in the community.  She has been assisting behind the scenes with our Bingo fundraiser.  Last week we worked at our Operation School Bell® program shopping experience.  She thoroughly enjoyed meeting the kids and parents at the event and would love to do it again.”…..from Mentor Linda

“You never know what treasures you will find at a yard sale.  Last fall I happened upon a yard sale being held by a mother and her daughter.  While there the three of us started chatting and one thing led to another which led to me introducing both of them to our organization, Assistance League of Greater Placer. The mother, Audrey, had been looking for some way for her to help those in need but had not been successful in finding the right avenue.  The more I told them about our organization and thrift shop, the more excited Audrey got. In February she officially became a member and has been happily working at the Thrift Shop to reduce the ever growing ironing backlog!   Who knew I would go to a yard sale looking for a coffee pot and also find a new Assistance League member who LOVES to iron?!”…from Mentor Sandy

“There was always gentleness about Mary that I appreciated when we worked together for the County of Placer.  Fast forward 20 years of raising children, retiring from our professions, and going in different paths when we met up at a golf tournament last summer.  We seemed to pick up where we had left off and couldn’t stop chatting about our kids, grandkids, and what we are doing today.  As Assistance League is a large part of my life today, I shared my enthusiasm and soon Mary was curious to experience the same joy of giving back to the community.  Her vitality and interest in embracing the programs have made being her Mentor incredibly easy and rewarding.  We both may never be great golfers but we share a desire in making a difference with our involvement helping others.”…from Mentor Linda

Assistance League of Greater Placer’s President-Elect Marcia shares her Mentoring experience: “Being a MENTOR is like being a guiding light.  It is a joyful discovery when you see that you have passed on the light to a new member, who finds what she is passionate about among our various programs and activities. She enthusiastically joins a team to work in the Thrift Shop and she volunteers to help with more than one fundraiser. Feeling confident about her own Assistance League    experience, she raises her hand to become a Mentor, a new guiding light, for a new member.”

            Pictured: Loretta, Karen, Marcia, Marnie