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Episode Summary:

In this episode of Chamber Amplified from the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, host Doug Jenkins digs into the heart of community building with Stacy Shaw of Children's Mentoring Connection (CMC). As they celebrate an impressive 50-year legacy, Stacy offers a deep-dive into the organization's evolution, the significance of mentorship, and the strategies employed to navigate fundraising during challenging times.

The conversation centers around the essential need for mentorship in the Hancock County area, detailing how mentors of all ages can have a substantial impact on local youth. Stacy underscores the uniqueness of high school mentors interacting with younger children, realizing the potential of mentoring to influence both academic and extracurricular interests positively. Beyond discussing mentoring benefits, the episode also delves into the organization's adaptive strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on their creative approach to maintaining their signature fundraiser event, Bowl for Kids.

Key Takeaways:

• Children's Mentoring Connection has contributed to Hancock County for 50 years, originally starting as Big Brothers Big Sisters before transforming into CMC.
• A significant need exists for mentors in the local community, and individuals from varied walks of life, including high school students, make effective mentors.
• Mentoring not only benefits the children but also fosters empathy and perspective among the high school students who serve as mentors.
• The annual Bowl for Kids is CMC's signature fundraising event, critical in sustaining their initiatives at no cost to families or schools.
• CMC showcased flexibility in face of the pandemic by reinventing their fundraising event to include at-home versions like cornhole tournaments, thus maintaining community involvement.

Chapters:

0:01:26Discussing the history of Children's Mentoring Connection
0:03:34Importance of having an outside influence as a mentor
0:05:17Anyone can make a good mentor if they care about kids
0:06:18High school students mentoring elementary kids
0:08:52Overview of Bowl for Kids as a signature fundraising event
0:09:26Importance of fundraising to support the organization
0:10:38Explanation of Bowl for Kids event and team formation
0:11:05Bowling event details and fundraising goals
0:12:31Discussing how the event was adapted during COVID-19
0:14:37Contact information for Children's Mentoring Connection

Music and sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com