Shep’s Place Getting Acquainted Meeting, March 31

We’ve been working on this lovely dream of starting a Sanctuary for almost a year now.  From the enthusiastic response, it is a goal that many of you share.  Now that we have an actual, physical location, it’s time to start making the dream real.  Facebook messages and blog posts are not enough.  We’ve reached the point where we need to build a genuine organization, a dedicated group of volunteers with the skills and energy to make it happen.

How do you pull that off?  Well, getting together to talk about it would be a great start.

With that in mind, we’d like to invite you and any other interested parties to our very first event, a Getting Acquainted Meeting on March 31.

Date:  Saturday, March 31

Time:  2:00 – 4:00 pm

Location:  Shep’s Place, 17012 Truman Rd., Independence, MO

We have an unrealistic number of lofty goals for our first meeting:

• To make introductions, and start getting to know each other
• To show off the building and grounds (so you realize what needs to be done)
• To discuss the current plans for Shep’s Place, and how to implement or change them
• To discuss the role of volunteers at Shep’s Place, and how best to organize them
• To begin establishing our Organizational Culture: the central beliefs and overall philosophy that will guide Shep’s Place
• To answer and ask questions
• To figure out as a group what to do next

Here’s the deal.  Since we can’t afford staff, Shep’s Place has to rely entirely on volunteers.  That will only work if we empower our volunteers to take ownership of the place and the program.  We need people to develop the plans, the schedule, the day to day procedures, the outreach, the website, all of it.  But if we don’t want chaos, we need to make sure we are all on the same page, rowing in the same direction.  This goal of this meeting is to start that process.

If you want an opportunity to make a difference, to contribute and have your voice be heard, well, this is certainly it!  We are on the ground floor; everything is open, and all voices are welcome.  We need your input!  Please come check it out.

If you plan to attend, please let us know by March 24, so we have an idea of how many to expect.  You can send a message on Facebook, or an email to russell@shepsplace.org . Hope to see you there!