By Jim Bradford, Chapter Co-Chair at Mission Trail Middle School for Father’s Club

As Thanksgiving approaches, it always seems to be the time of year when we take stock, reflect and appreciate everything a little bit more.

It happens every year and we can’t get enough of the love. As soon as the leaves start to fall and the temperatures dip into the 40s on a daily basis, we turn our attention to the holidays, family and reflection. When things come to an end – like a year – you can’t help being reflective.

And being reflective, when it comes to Father’s Club, you can’t help but smile. What we’ve done over the course of the past few years in the KC area is nothing short of amazing. And it’s all about those lives we help enrich.

For that, we are thankful. Thankful for so many things and so many people that make the Father’s Club work all across the KC metro area. Not just at the high school level, but at our middle schools, where several of our new Father’s Club chapters are taking root. It’s not easy getting a foothold in those communities – high school and middle school – but with some great, dedicated dads who are tremendous servant leaders, the success stories are plentiful.

Thank you, staff and administration

Where would we be without the willingness of the staff and administrators who let us in the building? Well, outside looking in, that’s where we’d be. Thank you so much to those principals and administrative assistants that welcomed us with open arms. Thank you to the teachers and counselors who help us engage with the students.

Each of you represents the pulse of the building, you know what’s going on. You can help point us in the right direction. If we don’t know which students need a pat on the back, an extra fist bump or an “way to go, we see you,” then we’re just spinning our wheels. We rely on your help more than you know.

Thank you, students

The thousands of students at the high school and middle schools around the metro are the reason we do what we do. Thank you for your willingness to be seen and maybe more importantly, for your willingness to listen to bad dad jokes and even occasionally act like one or two of them are actually funny.

Getting the opportunity to interact with you makes our hearts sore. Catching a half a smile or a chuckle here or there is music to our ears. If we can reach just one of you at a Fist Bump Friday, it’s more than made our efforts worth it.

Thank you for being you. We know these teen years are tough. Trust us, we’ve been there. We’re just thrilled you’ve allowed us in to be a part of the chaos that is high school and middle school.

Thank you, dads

Last, but certainly not least. The chapter chairs may the tone, but it’s the hundreds and hundreds of dads that step up every day who do the heavy lifting.

There’s always something that comes up and there’s always a dad there to answer the bell. We may not ask a lot of you and you may shrug it off as no big deal, but certainly is to us. Time is one of our most precious commodities and don’t take that for granted.

What else can we say? To all of you? Thank you, thank you, thank you. We don’t say it enough and shouldn’t have to wait until the end of November to say it, either.

Thanks to everyone who allows us to do what we do.

• To get involved with a Father’s Club chapter at your school, visit the Chapters page on our website.
• If there isn’t a chapter currently at your school and you would like to know more about starting a Father’s Club chapter, visit the Contact page and fill out the form with your details and we will be in touch.

By Dan Holdhusen, Grandfather of three graduates and one currently enrolled in Blue Valley High School

As announced in previously, Father’s Club is proud to announce the election of two dads to its Board of Directors. The previous blog highlighted Dave Strickland, and this one will feature Jon Ogren. Jon and Dave both began serving their terms earlier this summer.

Brief Bio

Jon is a graduate of Colorado State University and began working after college for a financial advisory firm in Denver. While there, Jon met he wife, Gina, who happened to work with the same firm. They moved to Overland Park 25 years ago and have enjoyed living the majority of their married lives in Kansas. Jon and Gina have two children: Austin (a KU graduate who works for Honeywell), and a daughter, Alex, who is currently studying marketing at KU. Both Austin and Alex attended their pre-college scholastic years at Aubry Bend Middle School and Blue Valley Southwest High School.

Why Become Involved with Father’s Club?

Jon’s response to this question is succinct: “America is amazing but becoming less amazing every year. Nearly all could have been and would be impacted positively if we had good dads.” He adds that the civil unrest and looting from a couple of years ago began an ugly cycle that has continued.

“Leadership from dads and the home is critical. Being a dad is not cool, having kids is.” The final punctuation he offers in responding to the ‘why become involved’ question is: “The grassroot level for me is hanging out with other dads and mentors and standing up to today’s world!”

Jon’s involvement with Father’s Club started modestly during the years his kids were in middle and high school, but he could clearly see the advantage and positive impact his involvement had on Austin and Alex – but also on him personally.

Entering a new “season” of life

Now that his kids have graduated and moved on to the next phases of their lives, and Gina’s business is thriving, you would think a dad like Jon might rest on his laurels and build on his past successes and existing business relationships without other distractions. In fact, he is at a time in his professional life that he has been intentional on gaining some margin to expand his involvement in great causes like the Father’s Club.

He explains that he has been blessed with a gift of knowing how to “grow things” or being a catalyst for change, so he is anxious to apply the skills with which he has been blessed and assist Father’s Club to expand its footprint with sustained growth. Instead of becoming complacent and focusing solely on his family and work, he wants to, in his words, “help improve Fatherdom” by volunteering to make a difference in expanding and strengthening the Father’s Club and its mission.

That is one of the reasons that makes Jon an exceptional addition to the Father’s Club Board of Directors.

What specifically would you aspire to do to advance the Mission?

Given Jon’s gifts and training, he would like to assist with building programs to help develop leaders, which is so incredibility important in the bedrock and success of organizations like Father’s Club. With it comes the awesome responsibility of fostering, developing, and nurturing new and existing leaders, and growing leaders at the Regional and Chapter levels and teaching all how to lead with a purpose, and with integrity. Things that do not always come automatically in dads.

An idea Jon plans to espouse is to recruit “veteran” Father’s Club dad/leaders whose kids have completed their secondary education and lend their experience to mentor upcoming dads for leadership. What better resources and talent could be better?!

How does Jon have fun?

On the surface, Jon is amiable and humble. But another Jon lurks inside.

He says that – even in his mid-50s – he loves dressing up and being silly on Halloween. Some of his past costumes include Gene Simmons, Frankenstein, and the Wicked Witch of the West. For this year’s event, he will appear as Hagrid from the Harry Potter series.

No matter the costume, Jon lives life to the fullest, and the Father’s Club is truly fortunate that he has stepped up and offered his “dad” character and talents to serve on the national Board of Directors. This, of course, can also be said about the addition of Dave Strickland to the Board. Both  of these leaders will offer insight and intelligence as they serve, which has been built on years of both being exceptional fathers.

By Dan Holdhusen, Grandfather of three graduates and one currently enrolled in Blue Valley High School

The Father’s Club is proud to announce the addition of two outstanding men and dads to its Board. David Strickland and Jon Ogren, two community leaders, each with two children who have graduated from high schools in the Father’s Club footprint, were recently elected to the Board of Directors. These men will each bring to Board experiences and unique expertise that will complement the gifts already possessed by members of the Board, but also add fresh perspectives and ideas that will help to not only solidify the programmatic footprint of the Father’s Club, but also propel the organization in new and exciting directions.

There is so much to share about these two gentlemen, so we decided to break this into a 2-part series! This particular blog will highlight and focus on David Strickland.

Part 1: David Strickland
Part 2: Jon Ogren (coming soon!)

David Strickland – Brief Bio

David came to the south Kansas City area 10 years ago after his life and professional opportunities had him living and working in such places as Wisconsin, Alaska and, more recently, South Carolina.

David serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Kenton Brothers Security and he and his wife, Tammy have two children, Anna (20) and Jason (18), both of whom attended middle school and high school in the Blue Valley District. Both graduated from Aubry Bend Middle School and Blue Valley Southwest High School. Tammy works for the Blue Valley School District, while both of their children attend the University of Kansas.

Why Become Involved with Father’s Club?

When asked about what motivated David to become involved with the Father’s Club, he traces one reason back to a particular event that occurred when the best friend of his son, Jason, was killed in a tragic accident at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in 2016. The shock and sadness of the event brought David to the realization that kids and their families can have dramatic, life-long mental health impacts, and this incented him to become involved with the Blue Valley Southwest High School’s Father’s Club chapter at its inception in 2018. He thought that he could offer as a father – with unique perspectives and insights, and, simply, “showing up” – real support for kids.

After attending a weight room meeting, he felt called to action and began active participation in the activities of his kid’s school activities.

Taking a Time Out

As time progressed, and the COVID pandemic changed the lives of everyone, Dave realized that kids did not have the ability and skills to cope with isolation and depression. Incidents of teen suicide, sadly, became more common during these years, and he found it important to focus his attention on his own son, who was struggling with issues of his own.

Dave testifies that not having grown up with a dad of his own being present, he was learning ways – many of them through Father’s Club training and learning from other dads – that he could make a difference in his son’s life. He is happy to report that looking back on those years, he saw the importance of getting in the trenches with other fathers meant a great deal to him, and he is proud to say that his son got through that dark chapter stronger than ever.

He expressed his enthusiasm of being back in action as a Board Member and thinks he can offer support in applying his talents and skills in a variety of organizational ways to help the Father’s Club mature and grow to strengthen the great mission statement around which its activities focus.

A Unique Talent

A surprising thing that people would not necessarily know about Dave is that he has been a professional photographer for 25 years and has owned several studios in his lifetime. He is a published author and has had photos published in national magazines like Sports Illustrated. David continues to lend his photographic skills to sporting and other events in his life.

Why Get Involved with Father’s Club?

When asked this question, Dave’s answer is direct and succinct: “Dads need to look for opportunities to serve. It is important to stress that dads need to participate. Value your children.”

In announcing the nomination and election of both David Strickland and Jon Ogren to the Board of Directors, President Brad Holdhusen commented, “we couldn’t be more pleased to add two superb gentlemen to our Father’s Club Board. Each is an outstanding individual in his own right and will offer expertise that complements the talents and backgrounds of others already serving.”

Thank you to Dave and his commitment in helping Father’s Club continue making an impact in the lives of children.

By Jim Bradford, Chapter Co-Chair at Mission Trail Middle School for Father’s Club

A year ago, a Father’s Club Chapter at Mission Trail Middle School was a pretty good idea, but that’s all it was, an idea. We had two co-chairs and a handful of dads with a little bit of time on their hands.

But that’s it.

Fast forward one year and the Mission Trail Father’s Club is booming! A roster of more than 100 fathers interested and willing to be present in the lives of all 700+ students at Mission Trail.

The key? A strong start and some advanced planning.

Recruitment

We hit the ground running in the fall of 2023. What started as a conversation with administration the previous spring with a handful of willing dads turned into something pretty great at Mission Trail.

Those five dads helped pound the pavement, so to speak, at the Timberwolves Ice Cream Social in early August, talking to willing dads, supportive wives and, well, pretty much anyone who would listen. Five dads quickly turned into 10 or 15.

Then after a couple of Back to School Nights, that number grew to close to 70. Our recruitment was wildly successful. Without the help from those initial five dads, nothing would have happened at Mission Trail.

Buy-in

Getting Mission Trail fathers to sign up was the easy part. Getting them to understand what Father’s Club was truly about was a bit more difficult. Explaining it as the Watch D.O.G.S. program at the middle school level was a bit too generic. It worked to help them understand there was some commitment involved, but Father’s Club is so much more.

At our initial kickoff, we had many conversations about the mission of Father’s Club.

We introduced ourselves to staff, helped a teacher clear some brush to put in a disc golf course and started our insanely popular Fist Bump Fridays.

The Fist Bump Fridays were the linchpin. Once dads got to see the kids each Friday connect with other dads, they were hooked. We had at least two dads at every Friday for the rest of the year.

And our Mission Trail Father’s Club had some legs.

Planning

It didn’t happen overnight. And it won’t happen overnight for anyone trying to build from the ground up. As we learned first hand, a little planning goes a long way.

We had some discussions about what and how much we wanted to bite off in year one.

Once that was done, we leaned into our good friends at Signup Genius. The app helped us set up volunteers for mowing and trimming the disc golf course, helped us with helpers for our night football game tailgate for the students and, most importantly, helped us stay on top of who was lined up for Fist Bump Fridays.

Year Two

We learned a lot in year one. We learned that there was definitely a need for our involvement, which was truly a fleeting thought. Were we even needed? The answer? An emphatic YES!

Our kickoff meeting this year was less of an introduction to Father’s Club, but more about how we can take it to the next level. It was a bit smaller in year two, as well, but that’s OK. We discussed tweaks instead of creations. We discussed how we can improve instead of how we can do.

We hung our hats on two big events last year – one in the first semester and one in the second.

This year, we’re going to be more aggressive and shoot for two each semester.

Starting the year with a bang was easier this year – all thanks to laying some groundwork and planning.

To get involved in the Father’s Club chapter at your high school or middle school, or to ask how to start a chapter at your school, start here!

By Jeff Johnson, Director of Compliance/Board Secretary for Father’s Club

The Father’s Club is evolving into an organization whose mission is to be recognized as a catalyst for positive influence around the world.  With this evolution comes the unique opportunity to reimagine the way we present ourselves to the world we want to impact.  As we capture this opportunity, it is important that we take a moment to recognize the widespread impact we make when we put others first, do everything with excellence, live with integrity, work together, hold ourselves accountable, and lead courageously.

The article explains how we bring our brand to life with every internal and external contact.  Along with other organizational foundations such as our mission, core values, and code of ethics and conduct, our brand provides the heart of our success.

WHO WE ARE

Ultimately, we want a dad-led and community-focused group to be intentional about sharing with other dads, loving kids, and nurturing character development.

• We promote involvement among fathers.
• We are dads just like you who are connecting to make a difference and providing opportunities to support our kids, our families, and our community.
• We use many different approaches like social media, showing up to school functions, partnering with organizations, and promoting community events.

OUR BRAND PYRAMID

Our brand pyramid is a crucial for defining and maintaining a strong brand identity, ensuring that every aspect of the Father’s Club is strategically aligned to create a cohesive and impactful presence to those we encounter.  The right side of the pyramid explains each attribute.

BRAND PROMISE
• Engaged dads and community focused

BRAND PERSONALITY
• Locking arms with men
• Carry our shields and engage in life’s daily battles
• One body with many members

BRAND BELIEFS
• Putting others first
• Personal Excellence
• Integrity
• Working together
• Accountability
• Leading courageously

EMOTIONAL BENEFITS
• Positive influence
• Making a difference
• “I didn’t know I needed this”

CORE DIFERENTIATORS
• Create simple ways for dads to be intentional with kids, other dads, and in their community
• Dad-led
• Fathers making a difference
• Committed to strengthen families

THE INTENTION BEHIND BRAND POSITIONING

Brand positioning should be the guide for all pieces of internal and external facing communication.  Everything we create as a brand should aspire to reflect the sentiment of our brand positioning.  The Father’s Club brand is our identity. Many are familiar with our organization and our logo.  However, our brand goes beyond what people see to include a comprehensive image of our organization that includes our character, why we exist, and why others want to be involved with us.  The Father’s Club brand extends to every aspect of our image and communications, including verbal, written, and electronic means. It comprises the images and feelings we want to evoke in all who encounter us when they think, hear, and see our name.

STATEMENTS OF IMPACT

As we move from being an organization that tells stories about what we do to one that tells stories about the impact we make, we must ensure the articulation of our messages feel as big as the impact we make.  Through our function in the areas of mental health, school relations, community promotions/partnerships, and fatherhood support, the Father’s Club is making a positive impact in our communities.  When the opportunity arises, we need to humbly proclaim our impacts. Not with the goal of patting ourselves on the back, but with the goal of ensuring that every father, kid, and donor understands we are there for them.

OUR VISION, TARGET, INSIGHT, AND PROMISES

VISION: Every father is engaged with their kids, other dads, and in their communities around the world

TARGET: All male fathers

INSIGHT:
Every father is unique, yet we all share the joys, triumphs, fears, and concerns of being a father
We desire to be loving and impactful in our communities
We want to help kids, dads, and communities be everything that they can be
We are about fathers making a difference
We are fathers and we are supportive of fatherhood
We have the desire to do anything we can to strengthen families and we are committed to it

PROMISES: Resolve, Humility, and Love

OUR VOICE AND TONE

Voice and tone are essential to the Father’s Club brand because they directly influence how our brand is perceived, how our brand builds trust and authenticity, and how it creates emotional connections.  Maintaining a consistent voice and tone ensures that all communication feels interconnected and recognizable.  Over time, this consistency will help us build our brand identity that people can easily identify and trust.  Below is the voice and tone of the Father’s Club:

OUR FOCUS IS GOODNESS AND LOVE

Goodness is at the core of everything that we do.  Our voice should be bold, impactful, and above all, evoke love and goodness.  Our tone should reflect what fathers offer: positive influence, love, humility, courage, honor, and integrity.

WE ARE HERE FOR ALL FATHERS

Not every fatherhood journey is the same, and we should be mindful of that in our communication. We help fathers from a multitude of backgrounds and are compassionate to every situation.  We believe that all fathers deserve the same level of respect regardless of where they came from.  We all share a common bond – we are dads, we care about our kids, and our community.  This passion should be reflected in our voice.

WE ARE DADS

We are dads, like all dads, who are connecting to make a difference and providing opportunities to support our kids, our families, and our community.  Our tone should never reflect that we are experts or have all the answers.  We are a community of flawed men with the desire to make a difference and do everything with excellence.

THE FATHER’S CLUB IS NOT

• An abbreviation like “FC”.  We should always spell out our name – Father’s Club.  We are worth the extra letters.
• The “Dad’s Club”.  The word “Father” is much more meaningful and signifies a more honored position in our community.
• Plural.  We adhere to the apostrophe in the name “Father’s Club”.  It’s much more than a group of fathers.  We are one body with many members.

OUR LOGO

THE STORY BEHIND THE LOGO

In 2018, the founding members began using an image of Navy Seals “locking arms” to represent the Father’s Club. One of the tests these men endure requires them to sit in the cold water and link themselves together by locking arms with one another. Through this process of locking arms, the men were able to encourage one another and add support to the entire team. This physical bonding created a special emotional bond.

The Father’s Club wanted to embody this idea and apply it to fathers. Our logo represents a modern and simplified symbol of courage using interlocking shields and locking arms to face the daily battles we endure in our lives.

When we lock arms:

• We become an unbreakable force
• We stand together against the things that attempt to destroy us
• We are able to encourage one another
• We add support to all fathers
• We create a physical and emotional bond with one another

NOTE: The logo should never be modified in any way. The Father’s Club Branding Guidelines will be the authority for all Father’s Club related communication and images.

HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR BRAND

Our brand is not just a logo or a tagline; it is the embodiment of who we are and what we stand for.  As an organization of fathers, we are committed to positively impacting our families, our communities, and the world.  As we embrace this opportunity, it’s essential to reflect on the profound impact we make when we put others first, strive for excellence in everything we do, live with integrity, work collaboratively, hold ourselves accountable, and lead with courage.

The members of the Father’s Club play a crucial role in the success of our brand.  Here’s how each YOU can make a significant impact:

Embodying Our Core Values

Every member of the Father’s Club has the power to bring our core values to life—whether it’s putting others first, striving for excellence, acting with integrity, working together, holding oneself accountable, or leading courageously.  By consistently demonstrating these values in daily actions and decisions, members reinforce the essence of our brand.

Consistent Communication

The way members communicate, both internally and externally, directly affects how our brand is perceived.  Consistent use of our voice and tone in emails, meetings, presentations, media, and social interactions helps build a unified brand identity.

Delivering Excellence

Excellence in every task and interaction is a key driver of the Father’s Club.  Whether it’s leading a chapter, interacting with kids and other dads, delivering a fist-bump, or engaging with the community, we need to prioritize excellence in everything we do.

Creating Positive Experiences

Every interaction with kids, dads, and members of our community is an opportunity to create a positive experience that aligns with the Father’s Club mission.  By being intentional, caring, and solution-oriented, members can turn everyday interactions into powerful moments that reinforce our brand’s commitment to making a positive impact around the world.

Leading by Example

When we lead with courage and integrity, it inspires others to follow suit.  Leadership at every level sets the tone for the Father’s Club brand identity and values.

Accountability and Integrity

Holding ourselves accountable ensures that our brand remains trustworthy and respected.  By taking responsibility for actions, maintaining transparency, and upholding our code of ethics and conduct, we can contribute to a brand that is set up for long-term success.

Acting as Brand Ambassadors

Every member of the Father’s Club is a brand ambassador.  By consistently representing our brand values in the community, on social media, and in our networks, we help extend our brand’s reach and influence.

The success of the Father’s Club is a collective effort that depends on the daily actions and decisions of every member. By embracing our core values, communicating consistently, delivering excellence, and leading with integrity, each person contributes to a brand that is not only recognized but also respected and admired.  Together, we bring our brand to life and drive the positive influence we aim to have on the world.