September's Character Quality of the Month JOYFULNESS: Maintaining a good attitude, even when faced with unpleasant conditions. Good Samaritan Society Fort Collins Village  a Business of Character Good Samaritan Society Fort Collins Village has been a Business of Character for several years. New administrator Brad Boatright attended a Character First! Implementation Seminar this spring and said, "I have attended countless seminars and training sessions. This is without a doubt the best I have ever attended. It exceeded my expectations." Erin Kubischta, Life Enrichment Director, explains further, "Although most people can recognize shining qualities in others, knowing how to share it is tricky. The (Character First!) program offers specifics - language and supporting definitions - which carry over into how we as a leadership team recognize staff, residents, and one another when quality service exceeds the expectation.  It seems more personal to be recognized for a specific quality than the old standby pat-on-the-back with a “good job” to match." For more information about integrating character principles into your workplace, contact Character Fort Collins. Character Building Family Resources September 13, 2008 Look for Character Fort Collins at the HCC Family Summit at the Ranch. October - December, 2008 Watch for Character Fort Collins' "Character Building in Families" TV shows on Poudre School District Channel 10. Three segments are scheduled to be produced this fall, in partnership with the Parent Education Network. Find the schedule here. October 25, 2008 Character First! Family Seminar at First Presbyterian Church. Child care will be provided. More Details  Sonny Lubick Coach of Character Award 2008 The Sonny Lubick Coach of Character Award is presented annually to one outstanding coach in the Fort Collins community who strives to win and focuses on character development while teaching life lessons through sports. This coach has rejected the "win-at-all-cost" model and focuses on helping players develop positive character traits that will help them be successful in life. Furthermore, this coach has helped to build a legacy of sportsmanship and character in athletics in the Fort Collins community. The Sonny Lubick award is presented by CHAMP (CHaracter in Athletics - Make it a Priority), at the annual CHAMP Celebration Breakfast in January. Sonny has been an active participant in CHAMP and in developing the criteria for the award. Nominations must be received by October 31 to be considered for the current year. For more information, visit the CHAMP web site at: www.champfc.com.   High Schools Find Character Applications in Civic Education    Airing Now: Civic Participation The Character Fort Collins TV show is Poudre School District's longest running series, featuring over 100 community guests on approximately 30 shows since 2003. Taped last spring, the episode on Civic Participation is running now. (See the schedule here.) From left, panelists include Andrea Delorey, PSD Social Studies Coordinator; Cassie Rosch, CSU Student Leadership and Civic Engagement Office representative; Art Dillon, Consultant with the Peregrine Leadership Institute; Doug Hutchinson, Mayor of the City of Fort Collins; Garth McCann, President of the Interfaith Council; and Mary Zenzen, Character Fort Collins Host.

Upcoming Events Community Character Breakfast Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:45 - 8 a.m. at the Moot House  We invite you to this free monthly continental breakfast and program, including a brief overview of the Community-wide Character Initiative and a discussion about the steps to start and sustain a character initiative in your workplace, school, or home. For reservations or information, call us at 970-266-2671, or e-mail us at Reservations. We hope to see you there! More Details Community Character Lunches Thursday, September 11, 2008 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Cache Bank & Trust We invite you to this free monthly program, including a brief overview of the Community-wide Character Initiative and a discussion about the steps to start and sustain a character initiative in your workplace. More Details HCC Family & Youth Summit Saturday, September 13, 2008 Healthier Communities Coalition will host the Family Summit Day for Kids at the Ranch. Character Fort Collins will participate by promoting its Character First! Family Seminars. We'll see you at this free event where families can spend fun, quality time together while learning about the resources available to them in our community and ways to make healthy lifestyle choices. More Details Character First! Business Implementation Seminar Tuesday, October 7, 2008 More Details  Character First! Family Seminar Saturday, October 25, 2008 at First Presbyterian Church More Details Memberships Coming This Fall! Character Fort Collins business and individual memberships. Stay tuned! Coming Soon! The Character Fort Collins MAGAZINE will be published soon!