Barry Finkelstein Dives Right In to Mentoring

September 28, 2011 Board of Directors, Mobius

Barry Finkelstein

Barry Finkelstein has had a busy couple of weeks.  Not that busy is unusual for Barry, he travels around the country consulting for non-profit organizations.  But recently mentoring has commanded his attention.  The invitation to facilitate the Mobius Board retreat piqued his interest in mentoring, so after meeting to plan the retreat, he met with Marissa Wilkens, Mobius’ Director of Recruitment, and decided to become a mentor.

”I like working with kids and I also like finding things to do in the communities where my wife and I  live,” he explains, “we’re here only temporarily, and I try to dive into things quickly to get to know people and get involved.  I believe that helping kids succeed is a good way to spend my time and make a difference.”  Barry and his wife relocated to Burlington recently, and will be here for about two years.

Mobius Board President Bill West requested that Barry facilitate the Board retreat,  setting Barry into action.  In a matter of days Barry:

  1. helped plan the board retreat
  2. met with Marissa about becoming a mentor
  3. attended the September New Mentor Training
  4. facilitated the Mobius Board Retreat
  5. attended the mentor appreciation event at Shelburne Farms
  6. was referred to the King Street Center’s Each One Reach One program

It takes a lot of energy to get that much mentoring business taken care of in such a short time.  Barry’s great energy along with an energetic board yielded a productive retreat.  He is impressed by the board’s passion for and commitment to mentoring and to Mobius, and he is impressed with their flexibility.  “The group didn’t miss a beat when it became clear that we should change our planned agenda.”

With great energy in the room, and a great facilitator, the board came away with a bold new strategic plan that focuses on program support.  And Mobius came away with an enthusiastic new mentor.

Barry says his hopes are simple, “that I can be a friend to a young person who can use one, and that I can help out with academics, showing him that school and learning are fun, and increasing his self-confidence.”

If Barry Finkelstein can fit mentoring into his busy schedule, can you?