Goldie Floberg had the great honor of kicking off the YMCA Intern Challenge this year. The opportunity arose when Steve Schmeling, owner of Schmeling Construction and Goldie Floberg Board member, sponsored the Challenge and made the Goldie Floberg the beneficiary of his sponsorship.

18 amazing young leaders, high school and college-aged, accepted the challenge of building a brand awareness campaign for the Goldie Floberg. The interns were divided into two teams and had one week to develop the concept for a signature fundraising event, brand awareness video, and corresponding marketing plan.

On day seven, teams “Amazers” and “Scorpion” presented their completed concepts in an Apprentice-style board room to Goldie Floberg representatives and YMCA staff, including CEO Mike Brown. Presentations included a fun run, fun fair, and a millennial approach to marketing through social media. Teams also earned bonus points raising funds for new uniforms for the Goldie Floberg’s Special Olympics athletes—getting us almost halfway to our 2017 goal.

Congratulations to Team Scorpion whose total points gave them the clear win. Hats off to both teams for their hard work and creativity. We were fortunate to be a part of this event and impressed with the quality of the young leaders participating in the challenge.

Furthermore, bringing this group of future leaders into Goldie Floberg allowed us the opportunity to share our culture, values, and passion for the work we do and individuals we serve. Our hope is to have planted the seed for the next generation of nonprofit and social service professionals to find the same fulfillment we experience every day.

A huge thank you goes out to Schmeling Construction, YMCA of Rock River Valley, and this summer’s Intern Challenge Participants.