I think I say this every year, but wow…I cannot believe that the 4th of July has passed and summer is halfway over! June was a quick month for TFFT as a whole, and we were all busy bees. 12 brave, enthusiastic riders traveled to Tanzania and took on RIDETZ, the 400 mile, cross-country bike fundraiser, which Kaitlin led. Meghann also was in Tanzania – meeting with the TFFT team over there, checking up on things, seeing the scholars, etc. This meant that Kelly, Elizabeth, and I were holding things down in Charlotte by ourselves. It was definitely different not having Meghann and Kaitlin’s smiling faces in the office every day, but we were all able to get a lot done from different ends of the world! And we did get to see them some during some Skype meetings!
June was filled with database, database, database. There has been a lot of editing, clean-up, information entering, etc…and while it was not the most exciting thing to be working on, it will definitely benefit TFFT in the long run – something I have to remember on days where I’m staring at the computer screen for too many hours! I’ll admit, there were a couple days when our eyes glazed over and Elizabeth and I had to take a quick ice cream break!
I learned a lot in June as well. While my knowledge of the database expanded more and more, I also learned more about the inner-workings of nonprofits. TFFT is applying for a technology grant, so I was able to sit in on a meeting and learn about the many steps that need to be taken in order to even apply for a grant. I learned some new nonprofit lingo, and also was able to hear how TFFT team members describe our different programs, and how technology can enhance them further.
One of my favorite projects this summer was working on a “What’s Next” packet for RIDETZ riders. After having the trip of the lifetime, Kaitlin thought of tons of ways for the riders to stay involved, and we worked on putting them all into a pretty packet to mail out. This was my first time using InDesign since high school yearbook, so it took a bit of getting used to, but it was fun to do a project that involved my creative side!
Another thing I did this month was work with the Myers Park High School TFFT club some to promote their graduation caps and gown drive. For the third year, they are collecting caps and gowns worn by MPHS grads, and these will be taken over to Tanzania for our TFFT scholars to wear in September! If you have any gowns hanging in your closet collecting dust, feel free to contact us, we would love to pick them up and put them to use!
Overall, it has been a great past month. I have learned a lot about TFFT and nonprofits in general from the US team, and I have gotten to know some of the TZ team members a little better as well. I’m excited for what the next few weeks bring, and I’m excited to have Meghann back in the US office! Speaking of, she just walked in with the office mascot, Kona! I’m off to see if Golden Doodles can input information into the database…we could use a extra pair of hands/paws!
