04/21/2015
I (Dale) am very disappointed that the Wesley Foundation wasn't recognized as the Outstanding Leadership Team at tonight's student organization awards ceremony. I'm sure the winning team was deserving, but I am so impressed by the truly amazing teamwork the Wesley leadership has demonstrated, this year and the previous two as well, that I really wanted them to be recognized for their ministry. As a small consolation, I'd like to share my nomination letter so others can hear about this superb group of young women and man:
Over the past three years, the Wesley Foundation has experienced tremendous growth both in the quality and quantity of its organization. This can be directly attributed to the incredible culture of commitment that the Wesley Leadership Team (WeLT) has developed.
Their commitment begins with a planning retreat every Spring in which they sacrifice a weekend during their busy schedules to: (1) discuss the mission of the Wesley Foundation for the following year; (2) discuss the strengths of the leaders as individuals and as a team (using their Strengthquests from BCC 100); and (3) plan the specific events for the following year, including the exact dates. I have never seen such a unified team or such a clear plan so early by any group of students -- or faculty for that matter!
Once the school year begins, the leadership team meets every Monday. They review the activities from the previous week, plan the coming week's events, and look down the road to anticipate steps that need to be taken now to ensure future success. The level of organization and planning is impressive. Perhaps even more impressive is the truly cooperative approach the group takes in delegating responsibilities and assisting others with their assigned duties if a person should be anticipating a particularly difficult week. Furthermore, I am amazed at the level of responsibility each and every member demonstrates. Virtually without fail, every commitment at the leadership meeting is faithfully completed later in the week as promised -- without prompting by me (the advisor) or anyone else.
The results of the efforts of the Wesley Leadership Team has been truly impressive. Some of the current leaders speak of their freshman year four years ago when perhaps 4 people would attend the weekly Wesley event. Now, we have as many as 40 people attend, with the average attendance well over 20. And Wesley has become a core source of community and fellowship for many of these students. In addition to our Thursday night gathering, the leaders also organize other weekly events: social "Banter" on Sunday nights; "Family Dinner" on Wednesdays; and carpools to worship at Trinity UMC on Sunday mornings. This does not include the many other spiritual, social, and service opportunities that the leadership team organizes: a "kickoff cookout" in early fall for 140 students; co-sponsoring "Stop Hunger Now" in which hundreds of people package 60,000+ meals for people around the world; our fall fellowship retreat; a "youth night" for the youth groups of local churches; and much more.
I could find many other reasons to praise the Wesley Foundation Leadership Team. I hope the words I have written above are sufficient to demonstrate the exceeding worthiness of this impressive group of students to be named the Outstanding Organization Team.
