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VICTORIES Newsletter
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February 2008
A Note From Kurt Schultz
Strong Start To An Ambitious Year
 With January's BreakThrough Weekend - which was sold out and wait-listed - we began what will be the most ambitious year of programming in our history. For 2008, we are increasing the BreakThrough schedule to 7 weekends, are once again offering 4 Wisdom Years programs, and contemplate at least 3 Paths To Leadership trainings. In addition, we will introduce the Victories Forum (see item below), a series of 5 half-day workshops. We also expect to provide referring professionals with new opportunities to earn continuing education units. While we are proud of our expanding programs, we do not seek growth for its own sake. Rather, we continue to pursue the same goal that has driven us for many years: to reach more men and families with the kinds of experiences that will bring them greater well-being, stronger relationships, and more promising lives.
None of these things would be possible without the financial and volunteer support we receive from our community. We deeply appreciate your confidence in us and look forward to your continued involvement in Victories of the Heart. |
 Become A Sustaining Member
Support VOH & Enjoy Unique Benefits
We cordially invite everyone in our community to become Sustaining Members of Victories of the Heart. This new membership program will provide those who believe in our work with the opportunity to help us ensure its future. Your tax deductible membership dues of $200 will entitle you to a variety of benefits including free admission to Victories Forum programs, discounts on our weekends, reduced ticket prices for our annual dinner, recognition in our next year-end report, and the option to be included in the new Sustaining Members Directory - an interactive online listing designed to promote personal and professional networking within our community.
Even with all the tangible benefits of membership, the most satisfying will be one that is intangible: the knowledge that you are helping us help others to realize their dreams, become better partners and parents, and achieve greater peace of mind.
To become a Sustaining Member, please call or e-mail Peggy Cicero 312.604.5013, peggy.cicero@victoriesoftheheart.net). For additional information, contact Rick Simon ( 847.475.0400, rick.simon@victoriesoftheheart.net).
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Victories Forum Begins May10
First Workshop Explores Couples Communicationvoth1985
Over the past several years, our weekend graduates have frequently expressed interest in attending briefer programs that would expand upon the themes of their BreakThrough and Wisdom Years experiences. With this in mind, we are pleased to announce the Victories Forum, a series of half-day workshops on topics of importance to men and their families, each offered on a Saturday morning from 9:00am to noon at the Evanston Ecology Center.
 The series will begin on May 10 with a program for couples. Entitled The Challenge of Intimate Relationships: Bridging the Differences, it will be presented by couples counselor Leo Dhont, LCSW and his wife Peggy. The Dhonts are highly regarded as facilitators of the Imago weekend programs that have grown from the work of Harville Hendrix and his best selling book, Getting All The Love You Want. Their workshop will offer couples an opportunity to observe, practice, and discuss Couples Dialogue, an approach designed to bridge the inevitable differences between individuals by providing each with better ways to express his or her own truths while effectively listening to those of their partners. According to Leo and Peggy, "Our goal in this workshop is to teach couples how to be conscious of what it is they are trying to accomplish together while giving them a tool that can help them enjoy more committed and satisfying adult relationships."
While the Victories Forum topics are chosen for their relevance to our weekend graduates, they are open to the general public. The fee is $20 per person (but $20 per couple for the May 10 program). Sustaining Members may attend at no charge. To register, please call or e-mail Peggy Cicero ( 312..604.5013, peggy.cicero@victoriesoftheheart.net).
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Victories Forum Calendar
Save The Dates
The following is the schedule for the 2008 Victories Forum workshops. As mentioned above, all workshops will be held at the Evanston Ecology Center from 9:00am to noon. If you are interested in presenting future workshops, please contact Rick Simon ( rick.simon@victoriesoftheheart.net).
May 10, 2008
The Challenge of Intimate Relationships: Bridging the Differences
Presented by Leo Dhont, LCSW & Peggy Dhont
June 28, 2008
Retirement Wisdom: A Guide to Preparation and Planning
Presented by Henry Feldman & Gary Shunk, LCSW
September 6, 2008
Parenting Smart from the Heart
Presented by Derek Randal
September 27, 2008
Caring for Aging Parents: A Panel Discussion
Moderated by Buddy Portugal
November 8, 2008
Men, Money & Relationships
Presented by Steve Wallman, LCSW & Brian James
NOTE: The Victories Forum is offered as a public service by Victories of the Heart, NFP. The presenters are known to us as professionals with expertise in the subject matter of their workshops. They donate their time to participate in the Victories Forum. Victories of the Heart is responsible for the costs these programs and receives no compensation on account of any subsequent professional relationship between a guest and one of the presenters.
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VOH Seeks Groups Chair
Paid Position Will Coordinate Group Programs
As a step towards increasing the impact of our personal growth groups, Victories of the Heart has begun the search for a Groups Coordinator. The individual appointed to this part-time, paid position will work with the board chair and executive director. He will lead a volunteer committee whose task it will be to help the organization review and improve key facets of our groups program, among them its design, management, marketing, communications, and facilitator training. The committee's goals will include:
- Group Census: identify, list, and contact all currently active BreakThrough and Wisdom Years groups.
- Group Process: strengthen group procedures and facilitator training,
- Communication: increase the contact and connection between groups and VOH.
- Consistency: encourage standardization in the method and management of BreakThrough and Wisdom Years groups.
- Continuity: establish and administer an effective approach to assist groups seeking mergers or new members and individuals seeking groups.
Qualifications for this position include group leadership experience and past participation in our weekends. To apply, please contact Rick Simon ( rick.simon@victoriesoftheheart.net) no later than February 15, 2008 with an expression of your interest, a brief outline of your background, and a summary of your qualifications.
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Board Appoints Executive Director
New Position Targets Long-Term Sustainability
Victories of the Heart is pleased to announce that by unanimous vote its board of directors has appointed Rick Simon as the organization's first executive director, a position created in conjunction with the strategic plan adopted last year. Both the plan and the position were created to help secure the organization's long-term future. Rick completed the BreakThrough Weekend in 2002, the Wisdom Years Weekend in 2005, and Basic Staff Training in 2006. He has staffed all three programs and has been an active member of the Victories board since its inception several years ago.
"For Victories of the Heart, the appointment of an executive director marks a significant step towards greater sophistication and sustainability," said board chair Kurt Schultz. "It is also a tribute to the volunteers and donors who have helped us to improve and increase our resources over the past few years. We are grateful to all who have given of their time and their hearts to support our work."
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Volunteer Opportunities
We are essentially a volunteer organization, one that relies on you for the energy that drives our programs. If you would like to volunteer for any of the following activities, please contact Rick Simon ( rick.simon@victoriesoftheheart.net) or Kurt Schultz ( kschultz@winston.com).
- Raise Funds for VOH
- Help launch the Sustaining Members program
- Staff a weekend
- Facilitate a personal growth group
- Help plan the 2008 Annual Dinner
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Group Finder
A recent BreakThrough Weekend graduate is seeking a group whose meeting locations include the Lombard area. For further information, please contact Kyle Hasselbacher. |
Books for Men
Readings Recommended by Paul Kachoris
 Hendrix, Harville. (2007). Getting the Love You Want: A Guide For Couples. New York, NY: Henry Holt & Company. In his 2007 revision of the highly practical guide originally published in 1998, Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. presents the relationship skills that have helped hundreds of thousands of couples replace confrontation and criticism with a process of mutual support designed to facilitate healing and growth. This book describes the revolutionary technique of Imago Relationship Therapy, which combines a number of disciplines-including the behavioral sciences, depth psychology, social learning theory, Gestalt therapy, and interpersonal neurosciences. The result is a program that transforms conflict into a creative tension, deepens connection, and renews passion. Order from Amazon.
Ford, Debbie. (1998). The Dark Side of the Light Chasers: Reclaiming Your Power, Creativity, Brilliance, and Dreams. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.In this excellent book Debbie Ford describes the "shadow" - the "dark side" of human beings. She guides the reader to understand how we consciously and unconsciously hide and deny our shadows. In doing this we reject a part of our true nature and, as a result, a wholeness that we can reclaim only by embracing the things about ourselves that we consider "ugly" and "bad" (as Carl Jung said, "I would rather be whole than good"). In the end we come to discover the "gold" that lies within our deepest, darkest spaces and gain the freedom to live more consciously, more authentically, and more safely for ourselves and for all the others in our lives. Ford reinforces the idea that conscious personal knowledge of one's deepest self is the only real power. All else is illusion. Order from Amazon.
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BreakThrough Weekend
January 18-20
March 7-9
April 25-27
June 6-8
Sept 5-7
October 24-26
December 5-7
Wisdom Years Weekend
March 7-9
May 2-4 (Chicago)
May 2-4 (Boston)
October 10-12
November 14-16
Shadow Weekend
TBA
Basic Staff Training
February 8-9
September 20
Annual Dinner
October 17
Building BreakThrough
Container
March 14-15
Victories Forum
May 10
June 28
September 6
September 27
November 8
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