New Father’s Club Chapters – You have what it takes to launch a New Chapter!

By Todd Milner, Board Member/Director of Campus Development and Mike Rothwell, Board Member/Director of Community Partners

Shawnee Mission East

The 2021/2022 school year is in full operation at this point, and the Father’s Club has been honored to partner with three new schools, their administration, and the dads in those communities by locking arms and going to battle together. In 2021, we welcomed Shawnee Mission East, Heritage Christian Academy, and Olathe West. The total chapter count is now sixteen campuses and counting. The men of these schools are energized and ready to create simple ways for dads to be intentional with the kids, each other, and the communities in which they serve.

In the 2021/2022 school year we have many new chapters of the Father’s Club launching.

The past 18 months have been a challenge for all communities, students, and families. The Father’s Club has felt similar burdens as well. As a result, we’re not only opening and launching new chapters, but we’re also relaunching many of our existing chapters. 

Shawnee Mission East

It’s exciting to see the pent up demand of dads who are eager to #ShowUp for their kids, other dads, and their school communities. The energy is vibrant this fall all around the campuses our dads are serving. The momentum is contagious as the total headcount of dads engaging and stepping up is about to exceed 1,000!

So how does a new chapter get launched?

What does it take to have a successful chapter launch in our school? Like all thing’s dad, the key to the Father’s Club is to not overthink things and keep it simple. When the Father’s Club began in 2018 the mission was clear and focused around getting busy dads to be more engaged and intentional with their kiddos and in their schools. 

 Dads traditionally are busy with work, family, activities, life in general, and find their tank empty each night and by the end of the week. Often men wait for their significant others to lean in and tell them when to #ShowUp. We lacked intentionality. We lacked leadership in our schools and communities. Many times, we let others fill the void as we’re too busy!

Olathe West

Like our partners at F3 say, “We were suffering from Sad Clown Syndrome.” We go to work, come home, get sucked into our electronic devices, hope we did our best to provide for our family, participate in our kids’ activities, and try to go on a vacation each year. Then we rinse and repeat this course of action day in and day out, week in and week out until our tank is empty. 

While we are more connected than ever before in history, we still feel more disconnected than ever before. Do you ever ask yourself why is that? What can I do to change this cycle?

 The Father’s Club assists dads who are called to be leaders at home, at work and in their communities to be more engaged with their kids and their schools. In the battle for our time and talents, Father’s Club believes dads are stronger together and we help men understand they are not alone in the battles we face day in and day out. 

Every Father’s Club Chapter exists to create simple and intentional ways for dads to engage with their kids, other dads and within their community.

Olathe West

The Father’s Club is a turnkey opportunity to make it amazingly easy for Dads to join, get engaged and begin making an immediate impact.

HERE ARE THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS TO KICK OFF A VIBRANT NEW FATHER’S CLUB CHAPTER . . .

1. Identify a small group of men in your school community who have shared vision and desire to live life together in community with one another. We cannot overemphasize the importance of this step. The group may or may not exist today. But finding like minded men with a shared vision is mission critical. A Father’s Club Chapter’s success is dependent on a group of men committed to mission, purpose, and authenticity with one another.
2.  Next you need to engage with the administration at your school. Cast your vision to the principal and other members of the administration. These individuals are key stakeholders in the mission and allowing them to provide input and feedback is also mission critical. Our experience tells us that most administrators are more than excited to share in the Father’s Club vision and are longing for help and support from the dads in their school community.
3. Contact the development team at the Father’s Club. Visit www.fathersclub.org, Click on CONTACT. Send us an email. Our development team will connect with you directly and provide you with the entire playbook for a successful Father’s Club Chapter Launch.
4. Schedule your Chapter Launch Meeting
5.  Solidify a steering committee that will carry out the Father’s Club Mission at your school.
6.  Keep it Simple. Select a few simple things you can do for kids, dads, and your school community. Whatever, those few things are done with excellence, love & humility. As you grow and expand your reach amongst the community you can add more engagement opportunities

Heritage Christian Academy

Our newest chapters, Shawnee Mission East, Heritage Christian Academy, and Olathe West are notable examples of dads locking arms, being intentional and engaged. They have a shared vision and are ready to lean in and do the work to have a meaningful impact on their kids, dads, and their school community.

Our battle cry is simple. Right Here. Right Now, You Matter.

Every kid matters. Every Dad matters. Every school community matters. Don’t wait. Don’t overthink it. When you lock arms with another dad and make the decision to lean in together, amazing things will happen in your family, in your life and within your school.

So, if this mission hits home with you, you love your kids and you have a passion to serve others, you are a perfect fit to be part of one of our Father’s Club Chapters throughout the metro area.

Heritage Christian Academy