| 29 JAN 2005
Look,
Dig, Stretch and Reach
by Jo Maribojoc
Dear JVP Community,
Looking far back, digging deep, stretching
wide, and reaching high.
This is what JVP has been doing since
the Silver Year started in May 2004. Throughout this program
year, we have been looking far back to our beginnings and
where we have been to see what brought us to where we are.
Then we can choose where to go. The JVPFI Organizational
Diagnosis conducted by the Center for Organization Research
and Development (CORD) is now in its final stages. The draft
report, a product of months of discussions, interviews and
workshop participated in by the local communities, Central
Office, and some key people in JVP, will soon be discussed
in the local communities and presented to the Board this
February 20.
We have also been digging deep into who
we are as an organization and a community, asking questions
on what it is that JVP really wants to achieve with its
efforts. In the Midyear Seminar last October, we strove
to articulate JVP’s place in development work in a
new session on development theory and strategy. The JVPFI
Executive Committee also discussed this in a meeting last
week and forwarded these discussions to the local communities.
Hopefully, the local communities can also give their feedback
on this discussion and the materials I sent them, in time
for the feedback to be taken up by the Board in its upcoming
meeting. The Execom discussion will also provide input for
the formulation of criteria and standards in choosing institutions
for JVP’s three-year development partnerships which
will begin in the next program year. At the same time, the
Ignatian Core Group also had several meetings to discuss
the Ignatian grounding of JVP, in both the volunteer service
program and among the former volunteers, and provided Ignatian
prayer guides for the local communities’ use.
Stretching wide in many ways, we have
been expanding the circle of friends of JVP. With the contribution
of Leo Burnett advertising company to our promotions and
recruitment, we are looking at a big batch of volunteers
next year. Now, we are working with Leo Burnett on fundraising.
The Association of Communication majors has also been generous
in creating various JVP promotion materials, just as Mike
Palacios has been charitable in his design and management
of the JVPFI website for which many have expressed appreciation.
The Central Office has also been stretching
out its hands to the JVP local communities and former volunteers
abroad to help in raising funds. There have been a number
of positive responses. Some batches have also been stretching
out their open hands to give of their time, talent and treasure
to raise funds for the Foundation. We are very thankful
for these and we hope these efforts will inspire others
to also do their share as we still have a long way to go
in fund-raising. We thank Batch 22 for sponsoring a volunteer,
Batch 13 for putting up a fundraising concert of Bamboo
on March 4, Cagayan de Oro local community for raising funds
and holding an art exhibit for the benefit of JVPFI and
making a presentation and getting a commitment from the
Rotary Club of Carmen Valley West to sponsor a volunteer
for one year. We also thank the former volunteers and associate
members who continue to help the Foundation with their time,
talent and treasure to make our activities successful and
to run and improve our volunteer service program. Work of
former volunteers in the 25th Grand Reunion committee is
also underway to make our silver homecoming a truly meaningful
and happy event on April 22-24 in Tonglen Beach Resort in
Boracay.
Looking, digging, and stretching, we have
been working up the muscles of the Foundation for us to
leap and reach high for the stars. I hope we will together
increase and sustain this energy and stamina not only during
the 25th year, but in the years to come in building a vibrant
and dynamic JVP, our JVP. With this strength, life and growth
flowing from an Infinite Source, we can make it happen.
In Christ,
Jo
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