Orientation 2014: What’s Your Impact?*

August is just around the corner, and that means that the current JVs are finishing up their year of service while a new group is preparing to embark upon a year of values-driven living and learning. This new group is stepping into over 58 years of rich history, and the continuation of that history begins at Orientation at Camp Adams starting Monday, August 4th.  Read on to find out more about how you can get involved in Orientation this year.

Each year the JV Program Manager and Program Coordinators (the PC Team) come together to develop a theme that will welcome and guide the incoming JVs as they go through a whirlwind week of Orientation. Last year’s theme was “Enter the Story”, a reference to a quote from the co-founder of the JVC movement, the late Fr. Jack Morris, SJ. “Enter the Story” referred to Jack’s invitation to truly enter into their service with an open heart and mind, soaking up all that their communities and clients had to offer them, their struggles and their triumphs.

This year’s theme, “What’s Your Impact?*”, once again asks JVs to think deeply about their time as a Jesuit Volunteer living in community and serving those living on the margins. The PC Team went through several different ideas before settling on this theme, but all came away agreeing that they loved the duality the theme presented; getting JVs to think about the impact they were having on the community in which they served, as well as the impact that same community was having on them. You may have noticed the asterisk at the end of the theme as well, and that alludes to the second half of the theme, which is “*Show Up, Listen, Act, Reflect, Repeat”. This cycle is to help JVs clarify the fact that they need to enter their community with active ears before active hands, taking the time to understand the people and environment in which they serve, then act on that knowledge, and finally reflect on the impact their actions have.

If you’d like to be a part of Orientation and have your own impact on the 150 incoming JVs there are three different ways you can become involved.

1. Write a letter or note of support to the incoming JVs. Offer advice or tips, share memories of your service locale, or tell the new JVs how you were”Ruined for Life”. Please include your name, year(s) served, and service location in the note. You can write a specific note to the new JVs serving in your same locale or a general note to be shared with all new JVs.
   • Email your notes by Friday, July 31st to outreach@jvcnorthwest.org or mail them to JVC Northwest, PO Box 3928, Portland, OR 97208.
2. Join us Friday, August 8th in Molalla, OR at Camp Adams for the Orientation Banquet. Share a meal with incoming JVs, former JVs, JVEs, JVC Northwest staff and Board members, Jesuits, and other Orientation guests. Guests should arrive between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m. as the banquet will begin promptly at 6:15 p.m. Directions to Camp Adams can be found here.
   • All FJV letters or notes will be shared with the incoming JVs at this time.
3. Attend the annual Missioning Liturgy, which will take place directly following the Banquet at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 8th at Camp Adams. Help mission off the new JVs with a liturgy presided over by  FJV Paul Grubb, S.J. (Juneau, AK ’95-96)
   • Overnight lodging and camping are available for guests wishing to stay at Camp Adams Friday night.

Send your notes or RSVP for the Banquet and/or Missioning Liturgy to your Outreach and Events Coordinator, Zach, at outreach@jvcnorthwest.org.

All notes and RSVPs must be received by Friday, August 1st by 5 p.m.