The Blue Wagon

Alumni Newsletter - April 2011

Inside this issue Amuse Bouche 2

Announcements & Updates 2

(Re)Introducing the Alumni Council 3-4

DREAM Spring Highlights 5

Welcoming New Alumni 6

DREAM Doppelgängers 7

Public Service Announcement 8

I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the year we just wrapped up. With the help of some exceptional Alumni and Office Staff, we accomplished a lot between April 2010 and March 2011:

• We increased the presence and transparency of the Alumni Council by developing a streamlined, yet informative, communication vehicle (The Blue Wagon)

• We enhanced our infrastructure by updating the Alumni Database & establishing the Alumni Volunteer Pool • We organized the biannual (every other year) Alumni Reunion at Camp, Welcome Events for graduating

seniors, and mini-reunions in New York, Boston, Burlington, and Washington, D.C. • Finally, we set Alumni Appeal records in terms of money raised ($31k, +35% vs. 2009) and participation

(185 donors, +31% vs. 2009) We enjoyed a solid year. But, we can do better. And we should do better, for you and for DREAM. The Alumni Organization is an integral part of The DREAM Program, as it creates the bridge between college students supporting youth in low-income communities and lifelong philanthropists supporting an organization that improves lives. The relationship between DREAM and its Alumni should be mutually beneficial, a two-way street where Alumni continually give to DREAM because it is an outstanding program that they believe in and because it maintains a strong, positive presence in their post-graduate years. As the leadership body of the Alumni Organization, our mission is to help this special relationship flourish. During our most recent conference call, I shared with the Alumni Council my thematic vision for this upcoming year: “Big Ideas, Big Actions, Big Shoes.” I strongly believe that words and ideas are only as good as the actions that bring them to life. Our goal this year is to set some significant plans into motion so that we leave big shoes for the next Alumni Council to fill. If we set the bar high and challenge the next Council to improve upon what we did, you and DREAM will be the long-term beneficiaries. It’s time to rock and roll! AJ LeGaye President, 2010-2012 DREAM Alumni Council a.legaye@gmail.com

AMUSE BOUCHE By AJ LeGaye, Alumni Council President

1

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES  

2

1. Congratulations to current Green Mountain College mentor, Kat Kehrt! She recently applied to the DREAM Board of Directors, and the Board accepted her nomination unanimously. She is the first active DREAM mentor to sit on the DREAM Board. Kat has been in DREAM for two years. Last summer she was a Camp DREAM Counselor, and she has applied to be a Summer Community Intern for this summer. Way to go Kat – DREAM mentor extraordinaire!

2. DREAM is recruiting for full-time AmeriCorps positions to begin this September! Whether you’re just graduating or graduated 10 years ago and are tired of feeling like Peter Gibbons from Office Space, DREAM would love to have you. Click here to view job descriptions and application instructions! http://www.dreamprogram.org/resources/jobs.htm

3. This is my first month putting together The Blue Wagon. If you want to see more pictures of you and your mentee and less of me parading around Lake Tahoe in my DREAM tee, please send me any and all snippets, fun stories, photos or feedback to constitutionkeeper@gmail.com. Thanks!

Brian Bensch, Steve Addison & Aaron Gaines shred the gnar at Squaw Valley, CA.

AJ LeGaye – President Hi DREAM! I’m entering year two of my role as Alumni Council President, and I’m pumped to see what 2011 brings. For those of you who don’t know me, I was a mentor in the Northwoods/Hollow Drive program (for the record, I am a proud member of the “Hollow Hotties, North Nasties” Facebook group) and graduated from Dartmouth in 2007. I currently live in Brooklyn, NY and work for the Strategic Development group at WebMD. I’m originally from Copper Mountain, Colorado, so I’m an avid skier and a mountain boy at heart. I still keep in touch with my mentee, Ryan Kirk, and I’m sure our friendship will continue to grow over the years. Keep an eye out for my monthly column in The Blue Wagon, aptly titled “Amuse Bouche” because it’s where I share my thoughts related to DREAM and/or DREAM Alumni (according to Webster’s, amuse bouche literally means “a small complimentary appetizer”). Email: a.legaye@gmail.com

Frieda Arenos -- Alumni Appeal Leader Hey there DREAMers! My name is Frieda Arenos and I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Alumni Appeal Leader on the DREAM Alumni Council. Supporting DREAM is near and dear to my heart. With a creative new system of getting folks involved, it is my hope that this year will be a huge success. I am a former mentor of the Elm Street Program though UVM and a previous CAMP DREAM Director. It is a true honor to be once again involved with the Program. It will be an exciting Appeal season and I cannot wait to get started. I am always open to ideas. If you ever have suggestions of how the Alumni Appeal process can be more outstanding, please do not hesitate to contact me. Let’s make this the most successful year the Alumni Appeal has ever had! Email: flarenos@gmail.com Dustin Hunter – Connection Initiative Area Head

HEY DREAM! My name is Dustin Hunter and I’m psyched to be joining the Alumni Council for the next couple of years as the Connection Initiative Head! I’m a 2010 Saint Michael’s College grad that played a variety of roles within the SMC/Franklin Square program. I’m excited to start finding ways of empowering Local Programs to keep the DREAM spirit alive within their graduates and to keep grads connected to their mentees, their program and the DREAM organization! E-mail: dustin.c.hunter@gmail.com

Meghan Kerrigan – Knowledge Initiative Area Head Hey DREAMers all over the world! I’m Meghan Kerrigan and I am going to be taking over the role of Knowledge Initiative Head. I came to DREAM as a Franklin Square Summer Intern, then jumped on board for the school year programming. I loved it so much that I worked through the Franklin Square and Riverside communities’ housing authority to organize and collaborate alongside both communities’ summer program staff for another summer. I value the connection Alumni of DREAM can have with each family and community based on their talents, skills, education, where you’ve been, or what you can offer now. We all have amazing talents and skills, but we don’t let them shine enough! My goal is to tap into OUR resources as alums and think up how we can better each program, mentor relationship, and DREAM overall. So be open, share what you can possibly offer, from topics on cultural awareness to teen substance abuse... the floor is open. I look forward to hearing from each of you. E-mail: meg.kerrigan10@gmail.com

Kate Haggerty – Money Initiative Area Head Hey Alumni! I’m psyched to be the Money Initiative Head on the Alumni Council! Though I’m sure I can’t avoid being the main person you associate with being hit up for money, I can promise you that I will help lead a team that ensures your money is being used for amazing things! With your help incredible DREAM mentor ideas will becomes realities through the Alumni Organization Grants, and DREAM’s endowment will continue to grow a base for the organization. As a current Bostonian (though forever a PA girl, and a Vermonter at heart), I’m thrilled to work with you to guarantee that DREAM’s expansion to Boston is just the beginning… Email: klhaggerty@gmail.com

(Re)Introducing the Alumni Council

Brian Bensch – Editor of The Blue Wagon Heyyy fellow DREAMers! I’m happy to be getting more actively involved in the Alumni Org, and hope everyone out there is wishing they were more involved as well. I want to see The Blue Wagon grow in readership and general awesomeness, and therefore need all your help in passing it along to your fellow DREAMers and sending me awesome snippets to share each month. I graduated Dartmouth in 2009 after being part of the Northwoods / Hollow Drive program. I have fond memories of WACs, culminating trips to Boston, and two epic High Adventures. I’m originally from the SF Bay Area, where I moved back to after college and am now working for Google doing sales. I’m a weekend regular in Tahoe (26 days skiing this winter & counting...), in addition to playing on a few adult soccer & hockey teams on weeknights. I also am a thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie at times, and love things like skydiving and cliff jumping (and/or swan-diving into mud). Like most of us probably, I have no idea where I’ll be in 5 years, but am totally okay with that. I love catching up with old friends & meeting fellow DREAMers, so if you’re ever in San Francisco, drop me a line. Email: bbensch@gmail.com

Chris Ellingwood – Constitution Keeper Hellllo DREAMers! I’m thrilled to be introduced as the new Constitution Keeper. I graduated from Champlain in 2006 and was part of the Birchwood program. I’m stoked to be back involved with DREAM and can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get busy. I live out in the woods in Maine in a small town called Turner. I work for a large CPA firm in Portland as a Senior Information Technology Auditor. I travel across the US so you never know where I actually may be. When I’m home I love to ski, ATV, jet ski, spend time at our camp on the lake, and try my hands at becoming the next Food channel chef. It’s my role as Constitution Keeper to maintain the Alumni Organization’s Constitution and make sure everyone is adhering to it. I also will take notes at our meetings, enable awesome communication between everyone, and keep track of files and documents

so that everything we do is understandable and transparent. Oh, can’t forget, I also run elections for the Organization. If anyone ever has questions or if you happen to be in Maine, let me know! Email: Chris.Ellingwood@gmail.com

Dylan Nelson – Community Initiative Area Head Hey DREAMers! I am heading into my second year as the Community Initiative Head of the Alumni Council and I’m looking forward to a year of awesome Alumni reunions and new community-oriented features (like a jobs board for DREAMers.) I have passed the reins of The Blue Wagon Alumni Newsletter to Brian Bensch, so that I can focus on some other big ideas. I work for the George Washington University School of Public Health and graduated from Dartmouth in 2009 after four amazing years with the Northwoods/Hollow Drive program. Email: Dylan.j.nelson.09@gmail.com

Sandy Mervak – Development Director I sought out a role with DREAM after several years of working with children in various capacities. Before joining DREAM as a mentor in the fall of 2006, I spent two summers working on the Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at the University of Michigan Hospital. These summers incited my interest in children's health and education, but also left me rather discouraged with clinical work. So I turned to DREAM, serving as a co-chair for the Franklin St. program in Spring 2007, and a D-Unit Intern the following summer. I then joined the Central Office as Vermont Networks Coordinator in November 2009. Email: sandy@dreamprogram.org Mike Loner – Executive Director of DREAM I have been with DREAM since March of 2005. Prior to joining DREAM, I was an Environmental Technician at a major

pharmaceutical company, a Project Manager for a municipal solid waste district in Vermont, have been a board member for several nonprofits, and was a former Planning Commissioner in St. Albans. My wife and I live with our four year old daughter, Alexandria, in Hinesburg, Vermont and our 17-year-old dog Cody. I am currently a member of the Governor appointed Children and Family Council for Primary Prevention, and I sit on the Board of Directors for Mobius. I have a Masters of Public Administration from UVM, where I was inducted into the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. I also have an Associates of Applied Science degree in Forestry from Paul Smith’s College, and a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science from Plattsburgh State University. Email: mloner@dreamprogram.org

Alumni Council Intros Cont.

• DREAM receives "Engaged Community Partner" award from Vermont Campus Compact for its work with Norwich University students and administration at an awards banquet in Montpelier on Thursday, April 7.

• The new DREAM bus made its first voyage on a culminating trip, carrying Champlain College mentors, Birchwood mentees and office staff to Maine for an awesome adventure that included a Portland Sea Dogs game, a visit to a science museum, and an overnight at a firehouse. All participants had a great time and the bus made it back and forth with only one hiccup...a flat tire on the ride back. To hear more about this amazing weekend and all its hilarious stories, contact the current mentors at Birchwood! They would love to tell you all about it and swap stories.

• The weekend of April 9th was a busy one for DREAM. DREAMers were taking over New England, one adventure at a time! Including:

o The Champlain/Birchwood culminating trip to Maine o St. Mike's/Franklin Square culminating trip to Essex,

VT to an Alpine Tower Adventure o Elm Street mentor retreat at Camp DREAM o Launch of Teen Programming in the

Bennington/Willowbrook program with a trip to Williamstown, MA.

o Orchard Gardens performing live Diet Coke & Mentos experiments outside the Museum of Science.

• DREAM staff went to Bolton, VT for the first annual "Sprinter Retreat" (Spring/Winter Retreat!!!). The trip to the UVM Outing Club Cabin was amazing and included a celebration of two dedicated DREAMers and their years of service to the organization.

o Chad Butt has now been a DREAMer (mentor and office staff) for over 10 years. o Mike Loner has now been a DREAMer (Executive Director) for 6 years.

DREAM Spring Highlights By Mike Ewan, Programs Director

Mike & Chad @ the Sprinter Retreat….

Earlier this month, eight graduating seniors from the Boston University and Northeastern University DREAM Programs were welcomed into the Alumni Organization. The Boston DREAM Office hosted a cookout, which gathered board members, Finance Committee members, friends, staff, Alumni, and DREAMers from all three of Boston’s Local Programs, to celebrate the hard work of some of Boston’s founding DREAM mentors. As guests mingled, played pool, and sipped Ice Cream Sodas, Mike Loner, DREAM’s Executive Director, grilled burgers and hotdogs and made sure everyone was well fed. Among the graduates was Mary Cintron, a graduating mentee who will be working at the Franklin Park Zoo this summer! Altogether, the party consisted of roughly 35 to 40 DREAMers, including both current and former mentors, mentees and their families, and even a few special Alumni Office Staff. Highlights included a full Ice Cream Soda Bar perfect for making Root Beer Floats, and an amazing magic show by Chad Butt. See many more pictures of the event by clicking here. http://dreamprogram.smugmug.com/Alumni/Boston-Alumni-Welcome-Event/16525981_nkvQs#1244174426_sZ59y

Welcoming New Alumni in Boston By Josh Warren, Resource Development Director

Chad harnesses his magician powers by giving his brain a healthy dose of ketchup every day…. He then warms up before each show by slam-dunking on tall buildings.

 

Doppelgänger -­‐  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “A doppelgänger is a tangible double of a living person in fiction, folklore, and popular culture that typically represents evil.” *Submit next month’s Doppelgänger contributions to constitutionkeeper@gmail.com!  

 

Vermont DREAM Office: 802-338-8979