We have some news to share: our team will soon be a little smaller.
Sean Kelly resigned his position at Reach Partners. His last day with us is October 5. Sean joined our team more than a year ago. During that time, he has been a passionate advocate for our work. He connected us to new partners in the community and kept our technical skills sharp. He also constantly filled an office candy jar full of good chocolate. Never underestimate the pick-me-up power of a good piece of chocolate. In all seriousness, we are grateful for the gifts Sean has brought to our team. He shares our values and supported our mission endlessly. We are sad to see him go. Sean is taking his many talents (and chocolate!) to Click Content Studios, a part of Forum Communications Company. There he will oversee a team of videographers and coordinate the creation of video projects. We wish Sean the best as he steps into this role. We know he will do well. Thanks, Sean, for the good memories and the good work. We look forward to connecting for coffee soon!
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There are times when gratitude overwhelms you, when it covers you like a warm, fuzzy blanket.
Last week was one of those times. On Friday, we attended the ChamberChoice Awards for the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber of Commerce. The program recognizes businesses, organizations, and entrepreneurs that make significant contributions to our community. We were one of the candidates for Small Business of the Year. We didn’t win. And yet, we had been encouraged. Somebody (thank you, anonymous angel!) nominated us to become a candidate. A team of enthusiastic clients/vendors/friends encouraged us to fill out the application. They wrote reference letters and helped us navigate the application questions. There’s something both humbling and gratifying about summarizing your work into a few short pages. Applying for the ChamberChoice Award gave us an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going. So, no, we didn’t win. But we are grateful for the process and for those who served as cheerleaders along the way. We felt valued. Congrats to the organizations and individuals that won in their respective categories: Emergency Food Pantry, Great Plains Food Bank, Prairie Winds Veterinary Center, Eide Bailly, Office Sign Company, Tyrone Leslie, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley. Well-deserved! It was fun to celebrate your success. And for everyone else: take a moment to nominate a favorite business or nonprofit next year. It may be the nudge they need to become a candidate. It’s one more way to encourage and support the wonderful business community we have in Fargo-Moorhead. —Anita, Rachel, and Sean In case you hadn’t noticed, we LOVE the color purple.
Since we began, our Reach Partners identity has been represented by shades of the color. We think purple perfectly represents our values of gratitude, integrity, beauty, possibility, and empathy. Plus, it makes a powerful, but accessible statement. It’s no secret that gratitude is part of our DNA at Reach Partners. That said, the holidays bring new emphasis to something I feel strongly about even when it’s not the season of gifts: the thank you note.
The most important thing about a thank you note is that you send one. Did somebody go out of their way to help you? Send a thank you note. Was somebody a pleasure to work with? Send a thank you note. Did somebody bake you special treats? Send a thank you note. Nobody can argue with the ease of sending a thank you note by email. And we believe there is value in quick shout-outs of gratitude via Twitter and Facebook. Yet when it comes to saying thanks, email can’t replace the personal touch or lasting impression left by a handwritten note. It takes time to address an envelope, find a stamp, and deliver it to the mailbox. I believe that effort is noticed and appreciated by the recipient. Here are some additional tips for writing a meaningful thank you note:
Anita
For us, Thanksgiving is more than a once-a-year celebration. It’s something we practice every single day.
Gratitude is an integral part of who we are at Reach Partners. Collectively and individually, we are thankful for the work we do, the clients we partner with, and the communities we serve. The past year has been packed with new opportunities and new relationships. It’s been filled with occasions to deepen the partnerships we’ve already made. In the process, we have been blessed and have had a lot of fun along the way. Here is a sampling of the things we are grateful for in 2017!
What are you grateful for?
It's always fun to be part of something big, which is why we were so grateful to put our project management skills to work on some grand opening events for the new Sanford Medical Center Fargo earlier this month. (Congrats to Sanford Health on this amazing milestone!)
We assisted the Sanford marketing team with some of the activities that took place during the three-day celebration. Of course, considerable planning and coordination happened beforehand, but here's a glimpse of what the actual week looked like from our perspective.
It’s hard to believe that the time has come when I am approaching the end of my internship with Reach Partners and the end of my college career. I am very thankful for my time at Reach Partners in many ways. I have learned an abundance of new knowledge from Anita and Rachel, and this experience is one I will always have and be able to look back on as I start my career.
There were many lessons taught and learned during my time at Reach Partners that helped me learn not only about project management, but also about myself and what I want to do with my chosen career path. I learned the ins and outs of project management and got to witness first-hand the behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning and executing an event. Interning at Reach Partners has also taught me lessons that have helped me along in my job search. Because of skills learned during my internship, I am able to elaborate on this new set of skills on my resume and in interviews for full-time positions. During my time at Reach Partners, I sat in on committee planning meetings, drafted communication plans, and helped out during events that Reach Partners executed. It was a great experience for me to be able to see the different stages of the event planning process from committee discussions to the wrap-up. All of my experiences at Reach Partners have been very rewarding for me. The skills I have learned and developed during my months at Reach Partners will help me in my future career, whether it is planning staff events, creating communication plans, or even sitting in and coordinating meetings. This new set of skills will help me to feel confident in my abilities after graduation and as I start out in my career. —Olivia, Event Strategy Intern Hearts. Flowers. Candy. Romantic dinners over candlelight. These are the symbols we typically associate with Valentine’s Day.
But building and maintaining relationships requires more than a card and a bouquet of flowers. Relationships thrive when everyone involved feels important and valued. When somebody takes the time to express appreciation, our spirits are boosted. Showing appreciation may come second-nature as we reach out to our romantic interests, our friends and family members. But we should extend this sentiment to those people we love to work with – our clients and customers. With a bit of consideration and thoughtfulness, anyone can create good will and a bond that goes well beyond a project or a paycheck. And the beauty of heart-felt appreciation? It can be shown on any day of the year. We love Christmas.
The lights. The celebrations. The holiday wishes from partners and friends that arrive in our mailbox daily. Everything feels a little happier this time of year. For us, it’s also a time to pause and reflect on the joy we experience year round. We are blessed and grateful, and delight in brainstorming ways we can share that joy with others. In recognition of this, last year we decided at add a holiday tradition at Reach Partners. I have to choose one word for the Women's Health Conference and Preview events, and it’s gratitude. Overwhelmingly women responded with positive affirmation, grateful they took the time to focus on their health and well-being. The exhibitors were grateful to share their passion, product and services.
Each of the speakers truly wanted to spend the day with the attendees. One in particular was emotional as the day came to a close. She is so passionate about her work and expressed her gratitude to share her knowledge, skill and love with others. Gratitude from partners to support a health and wellness conference for women to empower change. And lastly, the committee expressed gratitude for having a part in creating an amazing day. Anita |
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