1ST wEEK OF tRAINING September 20-25

OKAY, so I am quite behind on posting but here goes.

September 20 Monday
9am Ice Breaker-Awesomeness ensues.  In reality, we did an around the room type introduction and covered what the week would be like for us.
10am Orientation Video?   Did I miss this movie?  In all seriousness, I do not remember watching this film, but I am sure it was motivational.
11am  HR Paperwork  This is where I do remember having a "lovely" time.  Paperwork, as I am betting you can imagine, is quite important.  It's how we get money and how TGC/AmeriCorps keeps track of our progress, so as much as it is not so fun, it is a required component.
Noon  Working lunch was useful.
1pm-4pm  TRAININGS GALORE  We had some some useful trainings talking about conflict resolution, member development, volunteer recruitment, and most importantly (how these are all tied together) interaction/communication.  Debbie Drick gave the performance about the topics above.  She had a great deal of info to give in a small amount of time, and we all learned quite a bit about our personalities.  Maybe she'll be back for a 3rd yr...

SAD NOTE:  I went to the Kernan Funeral Home for the showing of Trevor Cash at 5 or so.  He was a great kid and served as a great junior camp counselor this summer at the Walter White Community Resource Center. 
I knew him due to my summer term this past summer, though this is my first and only full term.

September 21 Tuesday
10am  We met in the parking lot and had some great ICE BREAKER experiences. 
More Paperwork...awesomeness continued.  Again, it is a necessary part, and it's also how we get our AmeriCorps gear.
At lunch time, I had the very interesting experience of telling my AmeriCorps Supervisor I would like the open position in Research.  Due to this, I subsequently met with my current supervisor and had my interview ending with the knowledge I wanted this position.
Lunch was had with current members and past members.
1pm-3pm  We had Program Goals, OnCorps, Service Project Planning, and Policy/Procedure trainings.  Frankly, after going through them once, one tends to know what this section was like.  Now you need to remember, these are still important to know, as they pretty much run what we do.  But like paperwork, it's kind of boring.

September 22 Wednesday
I didn't have to go to training today.  SA-WEET!
This is due to Joe Spain determining the lack of need for the returners to engage in trainings we have previously gone through.
If I had been there, I would have heard talk about National Service, Diversity Training, Volunteer Services, and even how to document your service term.  These topics again are important and tend to come up or are handy.
Take for instance, the "HOW TO DOCUMENT YOUR TERM OF SERVICE."  Fun fact: Get a binder and put stuff in it.  This stuff is important.
The diversity piece would have been my favorite part though, and hopefully Lisa Horvath did the potato presentation.


September 23 Thursday
We're back to training.  This time it is all about CPR for adults and kids, along with FIRST AID.  FUN FACT: The instructor will call my AmeriCorps Supervisor a name we aren't supposed to call him, but I cannot resist.  It's as if she is baiting me all day to call him Joey, so I do.  In any case, you can find her (Rebecca Reed) on Fbook, and I would recommend her as an instructor.  She pretty much gave us an intensive crash course in 1st Aid and CPR.  Worth it, and she gives a discount to those for their first re-up.
At 2 we were supposed to have had more INCLUSION & Diversity Training, but I had a doctor's appointment, so I was not present.
Hope it was good, though Joe left early too for a meeting, so I guess it was important.

September 24 Friday
1st AmeriCorps Event with the newest hires
It was a team meeting of our AmeriCorps group DOWNRIVER CARES.  (You can find us on FACEBOOK.)  After this team meeting and tour of Aquinas, we did a sweet ICEBREAKER/GROUP ACTIVITY.  Ok, it's called the blanket drop in which you have 2 teams of members pair off and when the blanket/tarp drops the first to yell the other's name, wins.  As we have such a newly large group, we did a circle of names, fun fact, and placement prior to the blanket drop.
Following this, we went to the All Agency Meeting for TGC.  Basically, it was a "State of the Company" address.  It was a great deal of information, but there were some new insights that were of interest.  Also, we got candy and there were raffles.
JOE WON A BIKE!
After the TGC all staff meeting, there was a cookout at CFE.  Good food and some of us even moved some tables around to assist with proper food flow.

September 25 Saturday
Okay, so I went to IN for a wedding, so again I was not present, but 2 events went on.  The NAMI walk, which we had a team and volunteers involved in the day.
We also had a 2nd Community Cookout at the Walter White Community Resource Center.  There were good foods created and the garden was harvested some more.  THIS EQUALS GOOD TIMES!!