Sisters salutes… GRO

Regan Roberts, executive director of Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO), wrote:

A few weeks ago I attended my first ever SistersGRO Senior Celebration. And by attended I also mean did the majority of the planning and hosting. Anyone who knows me can probably guess that I was in high stress mode, feeling out of control and terrified of the unexpected. I’ve lived my life doing everything I can to know what’s coming around the corner.

Well what came was an incredibly successful event, albeit the first pancake. You know, it looks mostly like a pancake, might be a bit over or under done but still edible, and now that you know the temperature and the timing the second one will be even better.

I spent the following days thinking about what I wish I would have said, so here it is.

Thank you to Laura Kloss, my predecessor. Your extremely detailed notes and planning spreadsheets kept the unknowns to a minimum.

Thank you, Katie Arends, for always doing more than promised and supporting me and SistersGRO all year long, but especially to pull off the Senior Celebration.

Thank you to my family for mostly understanding why all of my time and effort was dedicated to the event for the few weeks before, and to my husband for folding and stapling all 100+ programs day of.

Thank you, GRO board of directors and SHS Staff, Steve Stancliff, Charlie Kanzig, Rick Kroytz, Jessica Sampson, Ann Thompson, Karen Hensley, Bob Landwehr, Susan Parker, Brian Harris, Wendy von Kalinowski, Kristy Rawls, and especially board chair Tim Ross. Your unwavering support and encouragement of me these last 9 months is so appreciated. We’ve navigated challenges both expected and not, but with your positivity and clear mission it has all worked out.

Scholarship donors and volunteer review committee members, you have blown me away with your passion for supporting our youth. Once again you have donated almost $250,000 to further the education of 71 Sisters High graduates, incredible! I’ve truly enjoyed working with you to offer your generous scholarships and am at your service to continue to refine the process.

Students, what I wish I said to you on stage: What you should take from this night is not the number of scholarships each person receives, or the total dollar amount, but the belief and support of this entire community. It is truly rare and special. This should not add pressure to what’s to come, but comfort that we are all behind you.