Ryan Woolf, (A More Perfect Union)
During our regular weekly meeting this past Thursday, we were pleased to hear from Ryan Woolf. Ryan is a leader of the Front Range, More Perfect Union organization. Front Range Brickyard (+MPU) and Brickyard are terms they use to describe each local community support group.More Perfect Union (+MPU) is a nonprofit organization that inspires veterans and service-minded individuals to come together for conversation and community service. It was founded in 2018 by Jake Wood, the co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon, a disaster relief organization that deploys military veterans to respond to natural disasters. The organization seeks to forge a stronger, unified America by bringing together people from different backgrounds to solve community problems, illustrating that more unites us than divides us.
This Next-Generation Civic and Service Organization (+MPU) organizes events and programs that foster dialogue, understanding, and collaboration among its members and their communities. It operates through local chapters called Brickyards, which are named after the place where the U.S. Constitution was drafted. Brickyards host service projects, leadership development, and civic education events that empower their members to partake in community building and social impact. Some examples of Brickyard activities include volunteering at food banks, cleaning up parks, hosting book clubs, and attending town halls.
Ryan showed us a PowerPoint and explained that +MPU is guided by six core values: service, virtue, mercy, humility, courage, and hope. These values reflect his organization’s commitment to serving the country, doing the right thing, treating others with compassion, learning from each other, standing up for principles, and shaping the future for the better. +MPU believes that by living these values, its members can be a positive force for change and a model for civic engagement.
Before Ryan began his presentation, our president, Ben Vagher alerted the group in attendance to the upcoming Epic Day of Service on May 18. (This is a day where Rotarians across Colorado and Wyoming are coming together on one EPIC Day of Service to volunteer on local service projects). In the spirit of +MPU’s commitment to service, Ryan made it a point that his organization is always open to support Rotary and offered their organization’s help with our community projects on during the Epic Day of Service on May 18.
+MPU currently has nearly 10,000 members across the country and aims to grow its network and impact in the coming years. By signing up for +MPU, members receive invitations to local events, hear inspiring stories of leaders across the country, and find new ways to connect with their neighbors. +MPU invites anyone who is looking for better connections in their neighborhood, developing their leadership skills, and serving their community to join its movement2