The Class of 2023 is in full force – completing initial certifications for walking tours (24 of 30 as of our Docent Council meeting on 5/2), training for their second walking tour, or beginning to certify on the river! It’s a very exciting time of the year.
I was chatting with Cole (welcome to the CAC!) before my tour this past weekend and he was seeing all sorts of excitement from new docents out on their early tours! I remember that excitement – thinking am I really ready to be out there leading this group of visitors, locals, and members through the streets? Yes – the answer was yes! That’s why we’re Docents – to share our love of this great city!
On Mother’s Day (after I called my mom) I led a Walk Through Time tour for a small group – just 3 guests. A mother and son – he on work secondment in our fair city, and she visiting from London for a brief period, and the third here for a month of work.
The gentleman here from India for a month was a delightful guest – so full of wonder and excitement about Chicago, our architecture, and the story that WTT tells – from Chicago’s “discovery” up to St. Regis. He was clearly a movie buff, asking if 875 N Michigan was the building from the climax of Rampage (no it’s Willis/Sears – but I got to tell him about the relationship between the two). As I was explaining air rights at The Illinois Center he got a real kick out of Lower Wacker’s role in The Dark Night trilogy. He was asking about building tours, and admitted that he had taken Wendella’s river tour, but wanted to do another while he was here – so I told him to be sure to check out ours. He paid me a most delightful compliment at the end of the tour – “this was much better than I expected!” I’m choosing to believe he had very high expectations as he committed his time and money – and that I was able to exceed them – not as an individual, but as part of this amazing Docent Corps! Despite the intermittent rain and small group size, or maybe because of those factors it was a fantastic tour!
Continuous Improvement – As you saw from her letter, click here to read, she wraps up her first few months as CEO Eleanor has begun a re-organization of CAC staff. I won’t repeat her words here – please read her note if you haven’t yet. I will add on to say I’m very excited about the new structure and the increased partnership between Docents & Staff that Eleanor and I have discussed and these changes empower. The creation of a Chief Advancement Officer brings together Docent, Volunteer, Development, and Board interactions under one CEO report. More to come as she comes on board starting this week.
We expect to have our new Chief Advancement Officer join us at the June Docent Council meeting, where we will also introduce the co-chairs of the Docent Council Strategic Taskforces. It will be an exciting meeting as those folks kick-off by sharing their objectives for H2 and beyond. Watch this space as they will be soliciting help from you – we are looking for diversity of thought and experiences – we want to activate more of you!
In the interim keep doing what you’re doing! If you have questions start with Lexie ao****@ar**********.org who remains point person on day-to-day interactions and support while Caroline is on maternity leave (returning in August).
Last, and certainly not least – DAN is next month! Thursday June 15th – mark your calendars and be sure to register – chairs Amanda Lewis & Ellen Shubart and the committee have a fantastic event planned!
Click Here for May 2023 Docent Council Minutes
See you on the streets!
-Ross
ro**@ro*******.com
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