...and Relay training season begins!

Last weekend, I headed to Arizona for the Summit Training Weekend -- where we put on a "Pseudo Summit"...giving an official run-through of all the general session trainings as well as the "Relay Runway" the night before.

In years past, there was one major Leadership Summit in Reno for all 12 states in the Great West Division with 1500+ Relay volunteers and staff.  As attendance grew, it made sense to break them up into smaller regional Summits to dramatically reduce costs keep the trainings local and personal.  The biggest challenge?  Creating that "major summit" feeling on a smaller scale. 

Everyone who attended was on the Summit Planning Committee and was involved in either heading up their own Summit (one of 18 this fall for the Great West Division) or staffing it.  There were about 80 people in attendance.  We trained on how to make their own trainings a success, what's needed, and was able to get immediate feedback on the General Sessions so that we could adjust the content, presentation and scripting to flow best.  The second biggest challenge?  Designing things so that they can be replicated on a major scale easily by the different trainings.

With Jonathan in Canada at a wedding and Thomas at my parents' house, it literally felt like one giant workday, broken up with 3 times to sleep for 6 hours.  It was a blast though, I won't lie, we had so. much. fun.  I'd forgotten about the "Relay Rush" you get when you're up until midnight getting things rolling. 

It was SO INCREDIBLY awesome to see everyone's reactions to what was being presented.  We've been working like mad for the last month or so, pulling all the details together.  The Division rarely pairs Mark H and I up -- we're usually sent separately to different spots -- and I loved being able to train and adapt along side him.  We (meaning he) pulled together a hilarious skit for the Relay Runway which found us in a walk-off, a la Zoolander.  It was a sight.  :)

We are so fired up for the trainings this fall!!  I'll have the chance to be at the very first Summit in Phoenix in a few weeks, the Seattle Summit and the very last Summit in Portland, Oregon in November. 

I had the chance to spend time with Karen -- including one of those flights home that you look at your watch and say, "How can 2 hours have gone by?  We just got on the plane!"



Our fearless leaders: Anna and Mark  :)  They raise the bar for our Division as volunteers.  I heart them.


So excited for what's ahead!!