How has another week gone by already? Last week wrapped up quickly with the City Year 2017-2018 AmeriCorps graduation, and the office has been far quieter since they left. While it was wonderful to celebrate the accomplishments of the corps members and catch a glimpse of their previous year in service, I am excited to prepare for the upcoming school year and new AmeriCorps team!

This week, I am focusing on the importance of patience in development work. This week has been full of transitions- from the AmeriCorps year to summer hours, from field to office work, and from observing City Year at work to diving into it myself. I am excited to have started development work for City Year- planning for the next Red Jacket Ball Fundraiser and upcoming summer events has proven to be a wonderful challenge.

What I tend to struggle most with in development work is the longevity of projects. I find that I feel most successful when I am able to sit down and complete a project all at once. With development work, this is almost never the case, as many events and planned projects take place over the span of months. This week, I am challenging myself to find success in smaller tasks which contribute to the larger success of development projects and events. For example, over the last two weeks I have been tasked with doing research on potential speakers for the Red Jacket Ball, putting together pricing and booking information along with biographies for each person. This completed task can be celebrated as part of a larger effort to plan the Red Jacket Ball, which is the largest fundraising event that City Year Columbus holds. To keep myself accountable, I am using a project tracking tool to mark feedback, project timelines, and completed projects as a means of staying organized.

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, I am excited to start on a new grant cycle and see what else the development department holds at City Year!