BRATTLEBORO — People whose organizations and nonprofits have been dealing with survival during the COVID-19 pandemic are invited to learn from others and how they've faced novel ways to tell their stories and connect to community.
This conversation will take place in the form of a Media Mentoring Project panel discussion on Wednesday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m., on Zoom.
The moderator will be Joyce Marcel, a long-time, award-winning Vermont journalist and president of the board of the nonprofit Friends of Brooks Memorial Library. Panelists - all nonprofit professionals - will include:
• Jon Potter, executive director of the nonprofit Latchis Arts and for-profit Latchis Corp, the two companies that own, operate and steward the historic Latchis Memorial Building.
• Lindsay Fahey, who helped establish Retreat Farm as a model land-based anchor institution and free public common. She'll share her strategy development experience and marketing expertise.
• Brett Morrison, who works with the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), the 70-year-old organization championing science-based water policy across the four-state watershed.
• Susan McMahon, executive director of the Landmark Trust USA, a historic preservation nonprofit in Dummerston.
• Rick Cowan, board member of Main Street Arts in Saxtons River, the Nature Museum in Grafton, and the Grammar School in Putney.
Each panelist will describe the steps they took to survive during the pandemic, including creating compelling and effective communications.
For example, Potter will talk about the early days of the pandemic and how the nonprofit Latchis Arts board asked itself the question: “What do we do now that we can't be a theater for a while?”
Very quickly, board members made a commitment to step up their communication efforts to keep the community close, he said.
All are welcome to participate. “In fact, this is a great opportunity for local non-profit leaders to listen in, ask questions, and share your stories too,” VIM Board President Lynn Barrett said in a news release.
Media Mentoring workshops will continue once a month. The next workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, will focus on opinion writing.
Registration is required; email VIM board member Geoff Burgess for the Zoom link to join this workshop.