Grace Akers and Thurman Senn
I count my anniversaries by Picnic at St. Joe’s. This week marks my 9th anniversary at the helm of this beautiful agency, and my 10th Picnic. My first day at the helm was five business days before Picnic #164. Thurman Senn was my first Board Chair, and I loosely paraphrase Thurman when he said, “Let me give you some advice: Step into Picnic and let the magic happen.” The “Let me give you some advice” is quintessential Thurman, but the rest of the quote may be more like me.
My anniversary week is always a time of reflection for me and a time for thankfulness to those who helped St. Joe’s become one of the most extraordinary child-caring organizations in the Commonwealth.
Thurman loves our Picnic and St. Joe’s as much as anyone I know. His spirit and enthusiasm are infectious. He, along with Chris Whelan, Ja Hillebrand, and Barbara Carter, helped model how a Governing Board of Trustees could support the fundraising and friend-raising of this magnificent community event. They were confident we would build a dynamic leadership team, and that our Picnic would focus on the goal of raising funds for Kentucky’s most important children.
On this anniversary week, I also want to thank some St. Joe’s leaders. Pam Stone was our grant writer when I started in 2014, and in between grants, she developed a passion for the details of our Picnic. She is now our Events Coordinator and has taken our beloved Picnic to new heights. I wanted to feature her in a behind the scenes video profile, but she declined, telling me she could not slow down long enough to participate. If you see her next weekend, shout out a thanks to her.
Julie Greenwell, COO, Debbie Turner, CFO, and Kathy Ott, Executive Assistant of St. Joe’s have been with me since my first day in August 2014. They will be at Picnic all weekend working countless hours, because they believe in our purpose and values. You three take the hill for St. Joe’s every time, and I am grateful for all of you. I can’t imagine our village without you, and I am in awe of your love for our kids.
They, along with April Manning, Jody Minix, and Suzy Hillebrand, are without a doubt the most fun group a CEO could have. I am lucky. It’s clear to me that our Board and staff believe the heart of our purpose statement, which is that St. Joe’s provides inclusive and compassionate care to ensure a safe home and a bright future for every child in our diverse community.
I also realize we would not have Picnic #174 if not for the love and support of our St. Joe’s village. We can’t wait to see everyone next weekend and celebrate our St. Joe’s kids.
Don’t miss this weekend of mega fun: live music, food (CHICKEN DINNER IS BACK), games, and raffles.
WHEN: August 11, 5-10 p.m. and August 12, 12 p.m. – midnight
WHERE: On the St. Joe’s lawn – come ready to have a good time and support our #sjkids.
Leave a Reply