[TRANSCRIPT]
0:00:00 - (Doug Jenkins): Coming up next on Chamber Amplified, I.
0:00:02 - (Bret Barnes): Was looking for something that, that would have a lasting effect for more than just one quick, you know, second, something that I guess kind of like a legacy for the Hancock county leadership class of 2024 to leave, but also something, you know, our biggest thing is once we're done with the class, you know, we're out of it. So it's something that can be maintained.
0:00:24 - (Doug Jenkins): Welcome to the show. I'm Doug Jenkins from the Findlay Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. On each episode of Chamber amplified, we're examining issues impacting the local business community. Whether it's employee recruitment, retention, marketing, it.
0:00:36 - (Doug Jenkins): Issues, it can really be anything impacting your business.
0:00:39 - (Doug Jenkins): Our goal is to give our members tips each week on at least one way they can improve operations and thrive in the current business environment. And, hey, one way you can do that is by having better leaders in your company.
0:00:50 - (Doug Jenkins): We're going to talk a little bit.
0:00:51 - (Doug Jenkins): About how to do that and what some of the leaders we're working to develop are working on. On today's show, we're talking about a chamber of commerce program that's near and dear to our hearts around here. Of course, it's Hancock leadership. So each year, employees from the area take part in a nine month series of classes designed to get them more familiar with the community and sharpen their leadership skills. I mean, it's right there in the name.
0:01:11 - (Doug Jenkins): Part of that process includes an annual class project, which is what we'll be talking about today. Bret Barnes is part of this year's leadership class and joins us once again, as well as Stephanie Trofe of City life Finley.
0:01:22 - (Doug Jenkins): We'll talk with them about what city.
0:01:23 - (Doug Jenkins): Life Finley aims to do for area teenagers, as well as Hancock leadership and what they'll be doing to help out the program. Thanks again for tuning in. Remember, if you're listening on Apple podcasts or on Spotify, you can rate and review the show. It really does help spread the word. Now let's get into it.
0:01:40 - (Doug Jenkins): So, Bret, let's start with you. Welcome back to the podcast. By the way, as we were talking a little bit ago about young professionals in town, but today, a little bit of a different thing. You're a member of the 2024 leadership class. Each leadership class takes on a community project. So let's just start there and talk about what the collaboration with city Life will be this year.
0:02:02 - (Bret Barnes): Yeah, absolutely. So as you mentioned, every year the new class takes on a project, and we had some proposals that came to us, and then we had the proposal presentations and as a class. We kind of met and talked about the different projects that were being pitched for the 2024 Hancock county leadership class and Finley City life. I know for me personally, as well as for the other members of my pr and sponsorship group, since we always sit next to each other, it really was a big eye opener, I guess, for me, being newer to the community, that there are organizations out there like city life that do help the children in the community with things that we so often would take for know, help with homework, things like that. These kids might not have that structure at home or might not have the resources, I guess I should say, to be able to do those kinds of things.
0:03:01 - (Bret Barnes): And Stephanie and her team work with a lot of different kids to make sure that not only, and I know she's going to touch on this, too, but the biggest thing for us was how they work with the kids, not only on homework after school, but also making sure that every kid has a meal and different life skills that are going to help them after they're out of the Finley City Life program and as they grow into adults. So it's one of those things where for us, it was instead of doing something that might impact a small group of people, once we wanted to do something that would impact a group of people over the years.
0:03:45 - (Bret Barnes): So with this project and building this kitchenette and redoing the recreational room, it's going to be something that's going to actually benefit kids, not just after it's done, but for years to come. And also our big goal is to draw more attention to city life as a whole so that that know we can encourage the community to pick up the phone, give Stephanie a call and volunteer and see what resources that we can pull together to be able to help them out with their mission.
0:04:18 - (Doug Jenkins): Stephanie, a big undertaking for this class to take on, and I'm sure you're very appreciative of it. But before we get into everything they'll be doing, let's just talk a little bit about how you came into the organization and what made it appealing to you.
0:04:31 - (Stefanie Troph): Yeah, so my role at city life. So I'm the ministry director there. I came and moved into Finley about a year and a half ago. So I was new to the community as well, but had a lot of experience working with at risk youth and knew my heart was to see kids get the help that they need in all areas of life. And so the youth for Christ position, because city life is a part of the youth for Christ organization, it just appealed to me because it intersected two things that I love and that are really personal to me, which is my faith, and then also helping students and kids become the best versions of themselves.
0:05:11 - (Stefanie Troph): And everybody has a story to tell, and no two stories are the same. And I just wanted to be able to join that piece and be a safe adult that I feel like is kind of overlooked for a lot of kids these days and just be there for them in some really crucial years. And so that's what drew me to city life. That's probably my all time favorite part of city life, is that I just literally am walking alongside kids and their journey and just seeing them grow and making decisions, some good and some bad, but that's just part of life.
0:05:47 - (Stefanie Troph): That's what I experienced as I've grown up.
0:05:51 - (Doug Jenkins): I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. But you mentioned before we get started that your husband's a college basketball coach, and I have to imagine you have a little bit of that coach instinct in you as well, and this is a really good place to put those efforts.
0:06:04 - (Stefanie Troph): Yeah, definitely. Grew up playing sports. Grew up. Gosh, I'm so competitive, but I need to dial it down. Sometimes when we're playing games with the kids at city life, I don't let them win, but we get pretty into it. But, yes, definitely is a piece of our family's story. And moving to Finley and, yeah, it's good. I love that part, too.
0:06:29 - (Doug Jenkins): Bret, you touched on it a little bit, but when you started sorting through all the different applications that came through to Hancock leadership, what was the thing that set this above the others? Because I have to think that it's probably difficult to make that decision of, this is the one we're going to support when there are a lot of really good causes out there.
0:06:49 - (Bret Barnes): Right. And then the main thing, too, is it's very hard when you're looking at it on paper because obviously we got the proposals prior, and I already was sold on city life when I read the proposal because, like I said, I was looking for something that would have a lasting effect for more than just one quick second. Something that I guess kind of like a legacy for the Hancock county leadership class of 2024 to leave, but also something our biggest thing is once we're done with the class, we're out of it. So it's something that can be maintained.
0:07:24 - (Bret Barnes): Well, when Stephanie came in to present the proposal, I mean, almost the entire class instantly fell in love with her. I know we myself and what would become the pr and sponsorship committee were already whispering amongst ourselves while she was talking that that was going to be the one that we chose.
0:07:41 - (Stefanie Troph): I thought it was bad initially.
0:07:44 - (Bret Barnes): I know, right? No, we were just like, we have to do this one. This is going to be the best one. Well, we have a couple other presentations. I was like, I know, but I just feel like this is going to be the one. And I will say, because I'm sure Stephanie probably won't say it herself, but she runs around like crazy. She has so much that she does. And I know city life isn't something that's open. And correct me if I'm wrong, Stephanie, it's not open Monday through Friday.
0:08:11 - (Bret Barnes): There are certain days where the kids come, but all the stuff that goes into it. I know. Even organizing, like, a ten minute or three minute fresh brewed business speech. Right. Seems like it's a lot to do, but she has to organize daily activities, routines, help volunteer help for the kids, whether it's homework or different life skills. And she has to put all of that together. So it is a nonstop job.
0:08:36 - (Bret Barnes): Plus, she is the kind of person that if someone needs a ride home from school or they don't have it, she is right there to help them. And that was one of the things when she started presenting to us, that it was more than just a proposal. It was someone who actually cared, like, 150,000,000% about what they're doing and the impact that they're having on the community. So a lot of us felt like we wanted to align ourselves with Stephanie and with her organization because we wanted to make sure that people like Stephanie that are in the community and trying to make the community a better know, have the resources to do so. So, like I said, hopefully this podcast is not trying to. We're trying to reach out and gain sponsorship for the project, but also to reach out and put city life's information out there so that that know more people can volunteer and help out with the program.
0:09:29 - (Bret Barnes): Long after Hancock county leadership's gone, we're just a blip on the radar of all the things that Stephanie is doing for these children. So we want to make sure that if we can get more exposure for it, that we can do whatever we can and pool all of our resources together from the different organizations we work for.
0:09:47 - (Doug Jenkins): Bret, you mentioned the sponsorship part of this. You have to raise the capital to be able to do the project. How can people get involved from a sponsorship side of things?
0:09:56 - (Bret Barnes): So if anyone who wants to get involved and donate money, it is through the Hancock County Chamber alliance. So everything does go through them, including any information or receipts you would need for tax purposes. It's all going through the chamber alliance because Hancock county leadership is a chamber alliance program. But what you can do is you can always reach out to me, Brett Barnes at B and then my last name, Barnes Barnes@centricom.net. And I'm sure, Doug, we could probably put that information in the description for the podcast.
0:10:33 - (Doug Jenkins): Yeah, absolutely.
0:10:34 - (Bret Barnes): And I'll provide you with the link, too. That actually goes right to the donation site. And if you do donate through that site, you automatically will get the receipt sent to you with your donation. But if you have any other questions, you can always reach out to me or you can reach out to, we'll put Brittany's information in as well. She's actually our project spokesperson, so she is the one who sent out the initial letter to the community. So she's very heavily involved with the project as well as well as the different committees we have.
0:11:05 - (Bret Barnes): But I would say either reach out to me or reach out to Brittany. And if you have any questions about, you know, feel free to reach out to us, too. And if we need to filter that question to someone who can give you a better answer or the answer that you need, we're more than happy to help.
0:11:21 - (Doug Jenkins): Stephanie, like Bret said, a lot of this is just about getting the city life name out there a little bit more. We've talked a little bit about it, but in terms of volunteers or things that people in the community can do to help out or if they just want to learn more, what are some of the things they can be doing right now?
0:11:39 - (Stefanie Troph): Yeah, so city life is a fairly new ministry. I'll call it a ministry model. It's fairly new to the Finley area. It's only maybe about three ish years old, maybe four years old. So it's not super well known, but I feel like we've been able to serve a really important group of kids that go to the Finley schools because we do serve 6th through twelveth grade. And so a lot of what the community could be helping do, one donated to the project because I'm so excited that we might get a space to be able to cook in and to teach kids skills and to be able to continue to offer weekly meals because every time we meet, we always offer a hot meal to our then.
0:12:25 - (Stefanie Troph): So there is a Facebook page that is a city life page, which the social medias how people feel or don't feel about them. We use ours to post a lot of updates. There's a meal train on there that shows which dates are available. So the community could jump on there and see a day and be like, awesome. I would love to make a giant pan of macaroni and cheese, and the kids would love that. And it gives information as far as where to drop it off, because right now we don't have an oven or a space to be able to prepare food.
0:12:57 - (Stefanie Troph): We carry everything in, and so we love that we can offer meals, but sometimes we got to get very creative in doing so, and we partner with a lot of people in the community. The community is so generous. It's been a huge blessing seeing that grow within our ministry and just being able to offer a warm meal to a kiddo and just say, hey, you're important. And then another thing that the community could be doing is just checking out what our ministry does on a weekly basis. So I know Bret shared that we're open a few days a week.
0:13:30 - (Stefanie Troph): That's because I only have so much help to be able know, spend time with teenagers, and I know not everybody's cup of tea is to spend time with teenagers, so that's why I say cook a meal. But some people's cup of tea might be to sit down and play monopoly with a student or just to ask them how their day is and if it's not going well, be able to walk them through how to make some decisions or just have a person care about them and ask them about their day.
0:13:58 - (Stefanie Troph): And so that's a huge piece as well, is being able to look at. Maybe they have an hour to give on a Monday afternoon, and they would love to be there and volunteer their time with our students. It's really great working for a large organization like youth for Christ, but then also knowing that we're a small site that is very personal and very intentional with the group of kids that we have, that we work with who have a lot of needs.
0:14:22 - (Stefanie Troph): And so city life is there to be holistically ministering to kids, whether that's their spiritual life, their physical and emotional needs, their mental health. We're there for pretty much everything, which is really cool. I feel like I have a whole nother set of children aside from my own that I just get to spend time with. And they're all very close to me, but they're close to our volunteers, too, because that's how the community has continued to support us, and we wouldn't be anything without our volunteers. They're the best people in the whole wide world.
0:14:55 - (Stefanie Troph): So those are all ways you could be involved, certainly.
0:14:58 - (Doug Jenkins): Well, it's definitely a worthwhile cause I'm excited to see how it all comes.
0:15:02 - (Doug Jenkins): Together with Hancock leadership.
0:15:04 - (Doug Jenkins): So I'm glad we got a chance.
0:15:05 - (Doug Jenkins): To come on here and talk a.
0:15:06 - (Doug Jenkins): Little bit about it on chamber amplified. And Stephanie especially, thank you for joining us. As we record this, you are not yet a mother, but as this gets posted later this week, you will be.
0:15:18 - (Stefanie Troph): I do have a two year old.
0:15:19 - (Doug Jenkins): Okay.
0:15:20 - (Doug Jenkins): All right. Mother of two yet, though, that's where it starts to get interesting for sure.
0:15:27 - (Stefanie Troph): We'll see what happens.
0:15:29 - (Doug Jenkins): Yeah. Best of luck to you with that. Thank you for taking time to join us, Bret, thank you for joining us as well.
0:15:36 - (Bret Barnes): Thank you so much for having us.
0:15:41 - (Doug Jenkins): And if you'd like to help out the Hancock leadership class by funding this year's project, you can make a donation through the chamber of commerce website. We've got a link for that in the show notes. And by the way, if you're interested in being a part of the next Hancock leadership class, or maybe you want one of your employees to take part to develop their leadership skills, the application process will begin again very soon.
0:16:01 - (Doug Jenkins): Well, that will do it for this week's episode. If you have any ideas for topics that we should cover on future episodes of the podcast, just send me an email. Djenkins@Findlayhancockchamber.com and remember, if you're listening on our website, you can have every episode of Chamber amplified delivered straight to your phone. Just search for us in your favorite podcast player. Chamber Amplified is all you need to type in there. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time on chamber amplified from the Finley Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.