Success stories from the DAD lane

By Charles Dahm, Blue Valley District Chair for Father’s Club

Father’s Club has 3 “Lanes” where we engage:  KIDS, COMMUNITY and DADS. Today’s blog is about sharing some of the successes and approaches members are taking with the DAD lane.

Why does the DAD lane matter?

The DAD lane is a key to success for Father’s Club. Our members show up with enthusiasm and purpose when our kids, schools and community need them – showing up for each other matters too! Fellowship with other dads who are experiencing many of the same life challenges (and successes!) can lead to some great conversations and relationships.

When asked what is unique about fellowship among men, a local therapist Amy Schmidt, LCMFT said, “…men are taught to not only be strong, but that needing others is a sign of weakness. This can’t be further from the truth. Being known, truly known and understood leads to greater confidence and significance. It’s incredibly hard to feel the weight of leading a family and guiding your children, yet you aren’t alone.”

Father’s Club chapters have found so many ways to get together to unwind, share a few laughs and maybe even take some time for deeper conversations and connection.

Here are just a FEW successful approaches.

Jason Dolezal of Sunrise Elementary learned that Axe Throwing at Bury the Hatchet is a great way to learn the names of your new friends and cornhole is always a popular excuse to gather.

Dan Vial and Kevin Saylan say that “putting it on the calendar well in advance and sending reminders” can lead to a great turnout. They proved this when ELEVEN from their chapter turned out for a particularly HOT Royals game recently.

Tyler Cook from Olathe East and Steven Richmond (Regional Chair for Olathe Schools) say they have had great success by prioritizing consistent, routine meetups. These include monthly happy hours and morning coffees. Dads drop in on their way to and from work. These simple, informal gatherings allow the men to catch up with each other and also track chapter progress and hold one another accountable.

Father’s Club sponsored Mental Health events can help men not only with suicide awareness and prevention tactics but also help dads connect with one another to open up about families and shared experiences.

Check with your chapter chair to see if there are any Dad events scheduled. We also have a great communication tool called Benefaster to find opportunities to connect with other dads. Login or set up an account to see what is happening. If you don’t see any events, reach out to some dads and set one up!

One more quote to close this story…

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”  -C.S. Lewis