Amanda Here! For this month, I’d like to dedicate this article to training. I’ve had the pleasure of working with six fantastic Area Venturing Presidents this term. Erik Saderholm, the current Area 6 Venturing President did a phenomenal job putting on the Area 6 VOA Training in 2016: Connect. Here’s what Erik had to say about it:
“This past October, The Area 6 Venturing Officer’s Association hosted the inaugural edition of its new training event, Connect, at Camp Bashore in the Pennsylvania Dutch Council. Connect is a new kind of training, focused on teaching the skills of marketing, branding and networking along with how to apply those skills out in the real world, rather than just within Scouting.”
Besides shaping a new focus for training within Venturing, Connect also featured numerous guest speakers from across the country, including current National Venturing President, Edward Abraham, current NER Venturing President, Amanda Hobgood and current Central Region Venturing President, Brian Parro. Guests from other NER Areas also attended, including Josh Sepcoski and Chris Wells from the Area 5 VOA, Evan Graney from the Area 3 VOA, and even the 2015 Order of the Arrow National Vice Chief (and former Northeast Region Venturing Vice President) Donnie Stephens!
Connect was a stunning success for not only the Area 6 VOA but for all of the guest trainers involved. With Connect, the Area 6 VOA was able to create and deliver a truly new training event to Venturers throughout the Northeast Region.”
I know I had a blast at Connect 2015, and look forward to what next years’ event will bring!. If you have any questions for Erik, please contact him through his Area Venturing Advisor, Earl Baker, at bakerew@verizon.net.
Stay Tuned for next month’s article, focused on VOA relationships with the Order of the Arrow, Sea Scouts, Explorers and the Community!