The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Community volunteers can improve their skills and confidence to collectively address issues and opportunities through a January 30 Citizens4Community workshop.

From 5 to 8 p.m. at the Sisters Fire Hall Community Room, located at 301 S. Elm St., Sisters residents can gather for a free light meal and instruction from professional facilitator Terry Buchholz, who will help attendees build their practical facilitation skills.

Buchholz will be teaching how to lead more effective and more collaborative gatherings - meetings that produce real and sustainable results. The training will help people feel more confident about facilitating meetings, work sessions, or projects for their nonprofits, businesses, churches, HOAs, schools, and more.

C4C chairman Robyn Holdman told The Nugget, "We're offering this session as one way to help empower our local volunteers and those who would like to be more active in leading community action or activities." She went on to say, "As the visioning effort moves toward implementation and direct actions in the community, we do think it will be especially helpful if as many people as possible are willing and ready to spearhead talks, tasks, or projects."

With more than 35 years of experience, Terry Buchholz is the principal facilitator and strategist for Integrated Water Solutions. She has become known in the Pacific Northwest for her ability to convene collaborative processes that achieve implementable consensus solutions. She has helped a diverse range of organizations, including tribes, state and local agencies, and stakeholder organizations.

There will be another session in the spring focusing on collaboration after this session on facilitation.

The free community meal and a chance to connect with other community members will be offered from 5 to 5:45 p.m. The workshop runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

St. Charles Health Center and Deschutes County have provided support for this local learning opportunity to help strengthen the base of local volunteers. With that help and Buchholz's generosity, the workshop is being made available for a nominal $5 per person that will be collected at the door.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. Reserve a spot at www.

citizens4community.com.