The Cranbrook Social Planning Society will host its second of four Cranbrook Thrives luncheons on Wednesday, September 30.

The luncheons are possible thanks to a grant received from the United Way East Kootenay.

Focused on the needs of non-profit organizations in the East Kootenay, each luncheon in the series features a different keynote speaker and provides attendees the opportunity to network with other non-profits.

According to Rita Romeo, Chair of the Cranbrook Social Planning Society, partnering with similar non-profit organizations helps to avoid duplication of services, reduces service gaps and helps to identify possible shared service areas.

“While networking can achieve these objectives, many not-for-profit staff don’t have a lot of opportunities to network. Non-profits are usually minimally staffed so there’s not a lot of flexibility in their schedules to get together and share information, but most people are able to fit in a lunch break,” she said.

The first luncheon was held in May 2015 and featured keynote speaker Chris Botterill, owner and general manager of Genex Marketing who spoke on using digital strategies to help non-profits connect with clients and donors. According to Romeo, the luncheon was well-attended.

The second luncheon features keynote speaker Ingrid Liepa, a process artist, knowledge translator and community builder. Ingrid has enjoyed a 14-year career as an independent consultant, which has given her the opportunity to work with a wide array of clients on projects that have ranged from community to national in scope.

She has a diverse background that includes degrees in environmental management and law, and representing Canada at two Olympic Games as an athlete on the Canadian Speed Skating Team. She received an early introduction to facilitation and consensus decision making as Secretary General of the National Student Commonwealth Conference, has participated on at least a dozen community and non-profit Boards as a director or officer, and has had a long-standing interest in high performance by organizations, teams and individuals.

Her presentation will introduce collaborative approaches and how to create effective partnerships that will have defining characteristics of many high-functioning organizations and communities, not to mention a key building block for innovation and sustainability on all levels. What does it take to create productive collaborations? What undermines them despite the best of intentions? This presentation will peel back the layers on the nature of collaboration and partnerships to reveal the underlying dynamics and essential ingredients for success.

While the focus of the Cranbrook Thrives Luncheon series is for non-profit organizations, anyone is welcome to attend. The luncheon will be held at the Heritage Inn on Wednesday, September 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each and include a soup and salad lunch. To register, visit https://cranbrookthrivesluncheonseries2.eventbrite.ca.

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