In the spirit of nostalgia so thick close to graduation time, I thought I'd report on the end of an era in the VonGrinner story. Yesterday, Friday April 3, was my last graduation with MicroBusiness Mentors. Here's the program for the event, which is wrinkly----------------->It was my eighth graduation with MBM, as I have worked with them for three years (the first two semesters as Director of Training). It was held at Dixon Middle School, where we've also held the classes since outgrowing Centro Hispano last December.
I added the program because I think I will want to remember the names of the people I worked with; I have already lost touch with some of the earliest MBM'ers. The staff is on the left side, under "special thanks to," with the exception of Teresa Taveres, who is Director of Centro Hispano, and Warner Woodworth, who is the founder.
When I first got involved in September of 2006, our first semester we managed to put together one Spanish class of eight or so graduates. We have worked hard and grown quickly, such that yesterday we had 33 graduates from our two Spanish classes and one English class. Clients hailed from all over Latin America, the United States, Asia, and even one from Saudi Arabia (Fawaz on the program).
Most of you must know what MBM is by now, right? We give business training for ten weeks (the right-hand column of the staff are the "Trainers"), and then people who have constructed a viable business plan under the Training Department's tutelage can be eligible for a small loan. We also give support to them during their business development, with an alumni network and mentors from the business community, as well as monthly meetings (where they also make payments on their loans).
We are old enough now that we are starting to see second and third loans go out for further growing successful businesses. That's the case with Danilo and Zobeida (pictured below), whose recent loan was used to buy this pallet-making machine. Before, they were making them by hand, and had more orders than they could fill. Cool, eh? I talked about them yesterday in the speech.
Well, Devon just called, and I am late for a very important date, evidently. It's just as well, as this is getting more detailed than a conscientious blogger ought to blog. I'll update later with pictures from the graduation.**UPDATE**
As promised:
(click to enlarge)
6 comments:
Congratulacoes por graduando, meu irmao! by the way, the playlist is really suave. That regina spektor song is the bomb diggity, but I have been very upset that I can't just buy it on itunes. You have to buy the whole album, i think.
I just want to read your speech. Did it have any good jokes? maybe just print the jokes.
Kryn, that is so cool. You have made a big difference in this effort and you have to be pleased with the good that has come about...
Congrats!
Kindy did NOT make that last comment. Her mama did. Obviously she was the last to use my computer... :)
good ol' MBM, those were good days. Congratulations on moving on, though. What are your plans?
Yes, I must say that my playlist is in fact truly stellar. I have kept it mellow for all y'all's enjoyment.
Keven Stratton wrote the speech for me. It was really, really well done, but inspirational rather than hilarious, I'm afraid.
Gancito, you shall have to wait and see, like the rest of us.
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