VOA presentation to leaders of 11 stakes

I had a very pleasing experience last Tuesday in the early morning.  The commissioner for our scouting district had invited me to make a 45 minute presentation on our stake Venturing Officers Association (VOA) to representatives from the 11 stakes that are in our scouting district (members of Stake Presidencies and stake YM Presidencies).  VOAs are a significant feature of Venturing and opportunity for giving young men growth opportunities, but are not used very often.  I think we are the only stake in our district that has been successful in getting a VOA off the ground.  A VOA is an organization covering a group of Venturing Crews. It is made up of 1) a presidency and 2) representatives of crews in its jurisdiction or representatives coming from lower level VOAs if organized at a broader level.  One of my assignments from our stake presidency when I was called into the stake YM Presidency a little over a year ago was to make Venturing work better in our stake, and creating a stake VOA was an important part of that strategy.

With lots of support from President Christensen (stake President) and his 2nd Counselor, President Blair, we got our first VOA going by last fall.  We are now in the process of calling a new Presidency for the coming year (June-May).  The current VOA accomplished several things, including getting trained so as to be able to present on 8 hour course in leadership skills to the rest of the Priests of the stake.

After receiving this invitation, I in turn extended an invitation to key members of our VOA to help make this presentation.  I worked up an outline which they agree to, and prepared a handout.  I met with these young men twice in preparation, and they ended up making almost the entire presentation.  I sure was proud of them.  I think it showed off very well our stake’s accomplishments with our VOA and what great things youth can do if the adults will get out of the way.

Presenting were Dallin B, our current VOA President, Zach V, our current program VP, and Nathan C, who will be the President for the coming year.

Side note: About everywhere I go, it seems to be my destiny to organize a VOA.  This is my fourth VOA.  I established a Stake VOA (then an EPA–Explorer Presidents Association) while Stake YM President in Taylorsville Central Stake.  I worked with a district EPA for the Olde English Fort District for several years.  When we moved to SF, I organized a VOA in the Palmyra District and was adviser for 3 years until we went on our mission.  (Our president the third year was a girl, Jennifer Lowe, who went on to become the Council VOA, Area VOA, and then National Venturing President.)  After the mission, I thought I was retired from the VOA adviser calling, but our stake leaders called me out of retirement and here I am again.  It sure is fun to keep associating with outstanding young people and to see them grow.