W.Ian Walker, Christian Media-Fundraising and Developing a Board of Directors

GETTING THE TEAM AND THE BOARD TOGETHER… PRAISE GOD! THE YOUTH CHOIR FOR THE NATIONS CANADA…IS BECOMING ITS OWN ENTITY!

Well, it's almost now four years since we initially formed the Youth Choir for the Nations... as I have been working with South East Asian Christian Children (ages 8-16) and we're soon to become a registered charity. Our new name will be The Youth Choir for the Nations Canada. Thank you, Ken Wyman and our Faculty in the Humber College Fundraising Program (Toronto) Class of 2004-05 for showing and educating me, how to work and function as an incoming Chairman of the Board!

I think that I’ve learnt many new techniques from our classes and various discussions in how to choose the "right Board of Directors" for any new charitable entity. Having many professional friends in business, the arts and in ministry, has been a real asset for me, as these individuals on my Board of Directors are currently working on our “vision and mission statements” and have began to draft our by-laws. My Board of Directors are solid believers and they are beginning to jell, “one to another” and I thought long and hard about approaching each one of them to come on the Board, as I wanted to make sure that they were the “right fit” and could work together. I also wanted to make sure that they understood my vision with this entity. These members indicated to me that they were “willing to work hard” in helping me develop this organization to grow into the future. Some of my Board members have even begun to give monthly to our organization…I couldn’t be more pleased! Next stop in the near future will be to develop a Board of Directors Manual.

One of our Board Members is an experienced accountant and has already “been through the process” in incorporating and in setting up a charity. He has offered to bless our ministry and our organization, if within the next three months we can get “our paperwork” done for registration and incorporation, and he will pick up the costs of legal fees and costs. Despite wearing two hats, that of Music Director and Chairman of the Board for this organization we’re soon to be touring with some dates into the late fall and near the Christmas season. I have already been hard at work researching potential Christian Foundations and Sponsors that could support us in the future. I would like to develop at least $50,-100,000 for this young organization before the end of the year. We have some BIG plans for 2009 including a weekend tour to Montreal in the spring and to the U.K. in the summer, combined with recording our first CD.

I’ve been writing a lot these last two years, and I’m soon to publish my autobiography entitled Stirring My Soul to Sing, for the fall of 2008. For some of you who do not know of my story, I was born with a learning disability that later was diagnosed as ADHD. This is my journey that has developed from having a solid faith and relationship with Christ as well as my passion for vocal and choral music, arts management and fundraising which has enhanced my career, from negative experiences to positive ones. I am now an Arts and Fundraising Consultant. I will be developing a web site soon. So please stay tuned for more information in the near future as to how you can purchase a copy of my book.

Thanks so much Christian Media members for reading this article…when the Lord gives you the vision, He provides the provision! I am so blessed with seeing this Christian Choral and Ministry organization develop as the Lord opens all the doors.

W. Ian Walker, President Emlian Communications Group Inc. emlian2@rogers.com

Blog: www.emliancommunications.spaces.live.com