Richard ‘Breezy’ Brzeski
Tiger Man
Wisconsin
Richard ‘Breezy’ Brzeski
“As a man among men I create a healing and compassionate world for Veterans and all others through my thoughts, behavior and actions.”
Richard “Breezy” Brzeski was discharged from the Army upon his arrival home from Vietnam in January of 1971. He joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and helped build the DRY HOOTCH. He is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America. Breezy joined the Vets Journey Home program in 2007, and immediately realized that the healing he received was something he wanted to share with other veterans. Over 100 men and women have attended the weekends he has staffed, and the transformation of the participants has been miraculous. Working with veterans is his passion, and in addition to staffing, he has worked on community awareness of veteran’s issues, including PTSD and homelessness.
Paul Kushner
Dragonfly
Canada East
Paul Kushner
“I create a world of loving kindness through acts of humility and by partnering with G-D”
Paul is a 2014 Ron Hering recipient from Canada East. Paul has been honored by his community because he fully integrates mission into every aspect and relationship of his life, large and small.
Mel Claytor
Loving Silver Fox
USA • Colorado
Mel Claytor
“I create a world where all people give to others by mentoring and teaching.”
Mel Claytor has spent over 3 decades supporting and empowering men and women. Through his work as a Dale Carnegie Instructor, with Marked Men for Christ, the Knights of Columbus, Prison Ministry, the Men’s Fellowship in his church, as a Marriage Encounter instructor, and more, he has impacted thousands. Mel was responsible for enlisting volunteers for re-furbishing 80-100 year old homes in the older residential sections of Denver. He volunteers monthly for local Catholic Workers Soup Kitchen in downtown Denver.
Ryan Gatlin
Hunting Jaguar
USA • South East
Ryan Gatlin
“I create a world of unparalleled safety and freedom. By connecting with others and modeling emotional and spiritual growth.”
Ryan Gatlin has lead his I-Group to take their synergy, love and knowledge and work with men in their local area who are in recovery or released from incarceration. They bring to these men the simple beauty of a man’s heart work, of vulnerability and love and they show these men what it is like to be fully held in a safe container with no judgement and masculine support. Through this work, these men have the opportunity to see themselves as whole, valued and worthy and to be at choice to take better path for themselves. Ryan describes himself as a 45 year old recovering control freak with a hero complex. He says, “My relationship with my two daughters, my brand new grandson and my strong and beautiful woman have been the best of my life since I have found my truth in connection.”
Bill Glasner
Swallow
USA • Upstate New York
Bill Glasner
“To lessen the suffering in the world by contributing as little as possible to the suffering of the world by living my life with gratitude, compassion, and clarity.”
In 1963, Bill Glasner walked in Martin Luther King’s March On DC for Jobs and Freedom. He was a Member of Town of Victor Comprehensive Plan Committee for 4 years. Successfully lobbied Victor Town Board to open NY’s first Recycling Swap Shop. Made valiant, though unsuccessful, run for Victor Town Board. He is an active and devoted Board member of the Rochester Folk Art Guild, Middlesex, NY. He supported a successful campaign for a Congressional member of the House. He is a Volunteer companion for a developmentally disabled adult twice/week for 4 years. Recently, he served behind the scenes at Standing Rock for a week.
David Wilson
Courageous Jaguar
USA • South Central Area
David Wilson
“I create a world of love, compassion and safety by modeling, unconditionally, love and respect for himself and for those in his life.”
For the past three years David has been teaching/facilitating domestic violence intervention programs for the Gulf Coast Women’s Center. He serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer and an advisor for youth court and as Gulfport Chancery Court Guardian (Ad Litem) on behalf of families and children in dysfunctional homes. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, David has provided hundreds of pro bono family therapy hours for the Gulfport Mississippi Youth Court. Recently, David led an effort to raise $25K for a family adopting three siblings. David founded the first MKP chapter for Mississippi in 2016, served as the community coordinator, established the first Women Within eCircle in the state. He acquired an 800 sq. foot facility to establish the Mississippi Gulf Coast Men’s Center, investing over $15K of his personal funds. David is currently serving as emeritus for the MS Gulf Coast Shadow Warriors mentoring over 25 men and women on weekly basis.
Gray Henderson
Timberwolf
USA • Northwest
Gray Henderson
“I create harmony on earth by respecting all beings.”
A retired soil scientist, Gray Henderson volunteers in many ways in his recently adopted community of Sandpoint, Idaho. As a board member and past president of the Bonner County Gardeners Association, Gray works with all seven Sandpoint elementary schools to coordinate garden programs, including classroom instruction and experiential learning. He also teaches courses for University of Idaho Extension in Bonner and Boundary counties and analyzes soils for the general public. As treasurer and grant writer for the local Vietnam Veterans and VFW organizations, Gray helps raise funds to assist area veterans. As a board member and water sampler for the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeepers, Gray samples three of fifteen lake sites each summer month, trains volunteers, and summarizes data for the organization. He also volunteers for the Festival at Sandpoint, the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Department, Sandpoint Elks, and Bonners Ferry community garden.
Archie van Biljon
Wise Giraffe
South Africa • Cape Town
Archie van Biljon
“To help men develop their authentic selves through the facilitation of local men’s camps.”
Archie van Biljon started men’s camps, “Mannekamp” for farmworker men in Ceres, a farming community. Similar to the New Warriors but adapted to the community and in Afrikaans, the language of the community. This had a profound experience on the participants, their families and their employers, instilling a culture of accountability, an experience of acceptance by and integration into, the community. They have put through about 600 men, and are working with a solid core of experienced community men as trainers. Finance comes from the employers. “The majority of these men are low paid laborers trapped in an inter-generational poverty sub-culture. Most encouraging for me is the personal transformation of so many men regarding alcoholism, low self-esteem, job advancement, higher income and improved family life.” Archie is married with two children and two grandchildren.
Alan Fischer
Big Fucking Lion
USA • Florida
Alan Fischer
“I create and relate from a solid base of mature self-reliant power, I empower you because I’ve become powerful myself.”
Alan is an active member in six I-Groups and co-leads a shadow exploration group in Gainesville. He has co-led carpet work trainings and day long workshops. He regularly offers Shadow Work coaching to members of the community, at large. He derives great pleasure from being allowed into people’s stories and joy when they lovingly connect with hidden parts of themselves. The recipient earned a BA in psychology and an MBA. He created and ran a gift manufacturing business for twenty four years. He completed all of Cliff Barry’s Shadow Work training and is a Certified Shadow Work Coach.
Keys to High School Success
Michael Cahn • Loping Llama
JC Dills • Charging Buffalo
Aaron Robinson • Standing Bear
Tim Birchard • Mountain Lion
USA • Durango Community
Keys to High School Success
“MKP has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with Colorado School District 9R, and is in official sponsorship supporting Conference needs.”
The MKP Durango Community in southwest Colorado, in collaboration with Durango School District 9R and the Women’s Resource Center will host the 3rd Annual ‘Keys To High School Success’ conference on Thursday, May 5, for local 8th grade boys and girls transitioning to high school. The conference, a character development opportunity for more than 250 boys and an equal number of girls, features workshops focused on nurturing Responsibility, Perseverance, and Respect. For the boys, interactive workshops include hands-on experiences with aikido, drumming, low-ropes courses, and other events designed to help the boys identify and articulate issues related to connecting with the Mature Masculine. For the past two years, these four MKP men have been involved at all levels, from providing workshops to writing grants to coordinating conference logistics and overseeing 30-40 volunteers.
Sam Lomeli
Gentle Lion
USA • South Central Area
Sam Lomeli
“To create a world of safety, compassion, and generosity by sharing my gifts and helping others do the same.”
Sam is a co-coordinator for the North Texas branch of Texas Ramps (a non-profit group which builds ramps for handicapped people at their homes to increase their mobility and access). He has been building ramps a couple of weekends each month since 2010. Sam is involved with the Soup Mobile organization and spends many Saturday mornings making sandwiches, packing them and distributing to the homeless population in Dallas. He is involved with Challenge Air (giving airplane rides to ill and handicapped children), The Salvation Army (serving meals to homeless at the SA facility) and the Special Olympics Summer Games. He is a father, community-builder, entrepreneur, and founder of a weight-loss support community at TipsOfTheScale.com.
Ed Morris
Free Spirited Pegasus
USA • Indiana
Ed Morris
“I create a world of empowered people by motivating, teaching and counseling.”
Ed Morris has been a volunteer all his adult life. For vaccinations in central America in the ’60’s, the HIV/AIDS crisis of the ’80s, domestic violence victims and offenders in the ’90s, and more. Currently, he works in the Indianapolis Public Schools as a volunteer through the Peace Learning Center. He facilitates Community Circles to teach the value of community and personal responsibility to the students. Ed is also trained to run Restorative Justice Conferences in which students have the opportunity to solve their own problems and accept appropriate consequences for their actions. Ed is also active in various Quaker organizations that seek to promote the values of equality, integrity, peace, community and good stewardship of the earth.
Roy U. Schenk
Laughing Coyote
USA • Wisconsin
Roy U. Schenk
“To enroll people to do what is necessary to create a peaceful world by writing, speaking and living.”
Roy Schenk is a scholar who has studied the subtle shame messages that creep into everyday language and has put on forums and lectures about shame. Roy has a fearless conviction to his mission, to stand up for what he sees as the truth and injustice even when it is contrary to conventional mores. Roy is active in the MOSES organization which works to eliminate the injustices in the legal system. Roy has sponsored several Oxford Houses which provide sober housing for men and women in addiction recovery. He has given lectures on healing toxic shame and has co authored a book on shame. Roy attended the first ever “Wild Man Weekend” in 1985. He still serves as a man of service on training weekends and continues his service work on elder retreats giving presentations on the effects of toxic shame.
Tom Beisanz
Soaring Sea Turtle
USA • Santa Barbara
Tom Beisanz
“I answer my calling to Wholeness, Truth, Love and Service, and trust moment by moment how the Universe unfolds, better than I can imagine.”
Tom Beisanz became MisterNumbers at age 62 and is passionate about kids playing with number patterns. Quoting Tom: “I see so many kids struggle with math, which keeps them from excelling and being their best selves! I want to provide a solution that can help millions of children worldwide!” The MisterNumbers unique approach involves both visual and kinesthetic learning. “When kids play with the numbers using my approach, they get familiar with math, see that it works, and find that it’s not so scary.” Tom’s YouTube channel, “Mister Numbers”, has over 2.5 million views of his videos and has over 9,000 subscribers. He does tutoring, teaching, volunteering at Girls Inc, and in-service trainings for teachers. Last year he co-created Pi Day in Santa Barbara, attended by about 400 kids. Tom is active in MKP, his wife in Woman Within. He is a Grandpa of five.
Jean-François Picard
Puma
Canada East
Jean-François Picard
“I create a world of authentic opportunity by my inspiring leadership. ”
Around 2008, Jean-François and his wife decided to become a foster family for abandoned kids. They adopted two children – a 6 year old, and a few years later, an 18 month old. Not being enough, they continue to act as a foster family for teenagers in difficulty. This may be for long or short term period, depending on each child’s situation. Giving these kids a safe and loving environment and a family structure will help to show these kids what a healthy family can be. In the long term, these kids will be able to choose a different model of being an adult.
Triangle “Gatherings of Men”
Dave Davenport • Eagle with Vigilant Bear
“I call forth collective fire to co-create communities committed to their purpose.”
John Hall • Standing Elk
“As an Elder I stand for a strong community of men thru mentoring, service and giving back.”
USA • Greater Carolina
Triangle “Gatherings of Men”
Dave Davenport and John Hall have been enriching the lives of men and women in the community thru diverse, useful, and timely monthly programs called Triangle “Gatherings of Men” from September 2013 to November 2016 (over 24 gatherings to date.) Topics include: Joyful Poetry; Story Sharing; Joyful Movement; Love Languages; Juggling for Geniuses; Power of Improvisation; Inviting Support With Your Mission; Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography; Touchstones for being in a Circle of Trust; The Power of an Effective Apology; How to Evaluate and Change Addictive Behaviors; Absorbing Loss, and more. Dave and John are active founding members of the Triangle NC Community, two I-Groups, and more.
David Drysdale
Ox
UK Ireland
David Drysdale
“I create a world of balanced, joyful community by nurturing and gifting the love and magic in my heart.”
David Drysdale (July 22, 1965 – July 4, 2016) was a much-loved social entrepreneur who founded Fathers Network Scotland (FNS) in 2008 to encourage and support men in fatherhood. By 2014, his social start-up had become a widely-respected, gender-balanced organisation with its own research base and the ear of the Scottish Government. In 2016 it funded a national Year of the Dad bringing together 5,800 individuals and 1,300 organisations at 100 events to celebrate the difference a great dad can make. His death from cancer in July 2016 drew warm tributes from across society, including the deputy first minister of Scotland, who hailed David’s “tremendous legacy.” David worked as an actor and web developer until the apparent suicide of two friends caused him to reassess life at 40 and devote himself to men’s personal development in MKP & FNS. He leaves a wife Misol, son Manow and baby daughter Maya.
Tim Yakaitis
Wandering Peaceful Wolf
USA • New England
Tim Yakaitis
“I create a world of peace and compassion by modeling love and an unbiased attitude towards my fellow man regardless of background.”
Tim’s work first became public on social media while telling the story of a “Guy named Bill.” Tim raised money for a Veteran he met to get the man’s ride up and running. After that Tim caught on to a story for a dying young boy Dorian Murray with the last wish to become famous in China. Tim somehow managed to end up on ESPN with “The Play of the Day” from a huge rally on the beach getting the boy his wish. Most recently Tim has dedicated his time to the Water Protectors at Standing Rock from April to December. He raised thousands of dollars and brought materials to directly support men and women on the ground. His photos and videos have been shared and used all over the world. Tim starts off by himself with a camera and ends up making a huge impact for his fellow humans and their planet. He is one of eight children, a husband to Linda, and a proud father to Connor and Nicole. Tim’s been a professional photographer for 30 years. He is the owner of DroneOn Aerial Photography.
Mike Chavez
Loving Tiger
USA • Philadelphia
Mike Chavez
“I co-create a world of love, peace and freedom through INTEGRITY.”
Mike says “How can I call anything I do for the community anything but joyful?! I enjoy going into Kensington (known as the Badlands) and talking to addicts who are still in their addiction living in the streets. I offer kindness, my hope, a jacket, a sandwich or perhaps a hug.” Mike volunteers at The Last Stop, a recovery house and shelter, where he speaks regularly about recovery and sponsors several men. He brings men to SWET Circles (Spiritual Warfare Effectiveness Training) and retreats. He is an active participant in SWET, has completed multiple workshops and staffed many SWET weekends. Mike also supports a men’s group at Calvary Church in Kensington. Mike feels that he does nothing out of the ordinary. He says “I am on earth to do God’s work and carry a message of love and hope.” Mike has been a flight attendant for 20 years.
Scott Fried
Shark with Black Eye
USA • Metro NY Tristate
Scott Fried
“I create a world of shining brotherhood that is both safe and fair by reaching out to others and reminding them of our oneness.”
Scott Fried is an award-winning international public speaker, HIV/AIDS educator and author. For more than two decades, he has spoken to over a million teenagers and adults about the struggles of self-responsibility and self-love. He shares his gut-wrenching personal story of how he came to get infected with HIV because he didn’t love himself enough to keep himself safe. He’s dedicated his life to helping teens and young adults make better choices from a place of self-empowerment, self-love, and mutual support. In addition, each year, Scott leads a team of volunteers to Roatan, Honduras to do community work for indigent families, conduct HIV/AIDS educational workshops, feed prisoners, etc.
Jerry Haack
Hawk
USA • Central Plains
Jerry Haack
“Enlightening the world thru impact and passion.I am the anvil that knocks em alive!”
Jerry Haack is the founding President of the Optimist Club to help mentor over 5000 kids to just say no. He helped start the Drug Court in Plymouth County, he’s a member of the Boys and Girls Home and Jackson Recover Boards. He’s the founder of Primal Leadership Business Coaching as a certified leadership trainer and exec life coach. At work and in his every day life as trainer, coach, and sponsor, Jerry is changing men’s lives. Jerry married Lori Stolen in August of 1979 and had 3 children: Nicole, Anthony, and Christina. Most importantly…with pride and joy he is known as “Pazee”, the grandfather of Peyton Rae, Easton John, Maizy Jae, Larry Wayne and Leon Ray.
Jerry Kaehr
Snowdove
USA • San Diego
Jerry Kaehr
“I correlate a blessed world with kindness, compassion, forgiveness and patience.”
Jerry Kaehr’s mission revolves around his church activities including a weekly men’s study group; feeding the homeless, fundraising; mentoring men in need and more. He has pledged himself to a weekly Men’s Maintenance Ministry at the church which raises thousands of dollars each year for mission programs. He provides special music for programs dedicated to the poor. He regularly makes himself available to assist members of the church who are unable to perform repair and maintenance on their homes. He has been married for 58 years; has two children, five grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. He was initiated in 2001, and is an active Elder in San Diego. His brother Michael, his son and three grandchildren are New Warriors.
Ted Huffman
Freebird
USA • Central Great Lakes
Ted Huffman
“I create a world of unconditional love by modeling its existence.”
As Director of the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Fire Academy, Ted Huffman has implemented a variety of diversity initiatives, which includes an inner city high school public safety program for fire and emt training. And, most recently, he has successfully established, in cooperation with KeyBank Foundation, a Grant based diversity initiative for female and minority candidates interested in a career in public safety. Ted believes “there are better ways to do things. I don’t believe in lowering the bar, I believe in raising the individual. When I think about my want to stand up against racism, I often ask myself, if not me, then who.” Ted has over 39 years experience as a Firefighter, Paramedic, and Instructor.
Jim Howard
Seabiscuit the Horse
USA • St. Louis
Jim Howard
“To create a world of hope by coaching and inspiring men to make life giving choices.”
For 25 years Jim has stepped forward to lead in this community and MKP. Jim is one of a small group of men that co-founded the St. Louis MKP. He has been a certified co-leader, National Elder Chair, staff man at numerous NW Trainings, staff member at Folsom Prison trainings, and active leader is virtually all aspects of developing the St. Louis community. Beyond MKP Jim has co-created and lead numerous other retreats for men and women, has given years of service to the recovery community, and made several volunteer trips to assist the survivors of disasters in Haiti. Jim is a Therapist, 77 years old, married to Barbara for 57 years. Father of Lisa, Angela, Amie, Jennifer, Jim, Molly, Julie and John. A grateful recovering Alcoholic.
Freedom Within Prison Project
Marc L’Cluse • Rock Owl
Jim Urgo • Flying Dragon
Malcolm Dydo • Guru on Wings of Fiery Dog
Jay Saber • Compassionate Saber Tooth Tiger
Luke Lehman • Playful White Tiger
Freedom Within Prison Project
“The mission of Freedom Within Prison Project (FWPP) is dedicated to the inner personal growth of incarcerated men, reducing recidivism rates and decreasing crime and violence in our prisons, jails and communities by facilitating the transformation of incarcerated men.”
Freedom Within Prison Project (FWPP) is a nonprofit 501c3 organization of five MKP brothers, Malcolm Dydo, Marc L’Ecluse, Jay Saber, Jim Urgo and Luke Lehman, dedicated to the inner personal growth of incarcerated men. The goal of FWPP is to create environments where inmates learn to take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions through self-awareness and emotional literacy. Using processes learned through MKP I-Groups and leadership trainings plus a deep commitment and experience in the unique arena of men’s group work, FWPP conducts weekly circles and weekend intensives where inmates can safely explore, and work through personal issues that have prevented them from living up to their full potential as human beings. Through working with FWPP prisoners take behavioral, emotional, and spiritual responsibility for their lives, positively impacting the level of consciousness in the entire prison community, as well as within their families and aspects of society outside prison walls.
Ronnie Hager
Snow Leopard on High
USA • Kentucky
Ronnie Hager
“I co-create a just and peaceful world by having courage and giving.”
Inspired by MKP, in 2014 Ronnie Hager connected with Louisville Catholic Charities Human Trafficking Program and offered to raise funds for direct services for local survivors. He created the Kentuckians Against Human Trafficking Campaign. He formed a team that would run in the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon in which each of the runners raised funds. He has hosted or managed a number of events to raise awareness and funds to stop trafficking. In 2016 he established a steering committee to further the work. After serving his country as a MKP USA Marine, Ronnie graduated from the Louisville Massage School, where he now teaches. He has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 7 years. He lives in Louisville with his wife and two year old son.
Tom Gibbons
Courageous Tiger
USA • Arizona
Tom Gibbons
“I uplift my world by connecting with, supporting the gold and accepting all that is.”
As a result of Tom’s passion for community and for working with kids, he found the Tucson-based Desert Men’s Council (DMC). DMC is affiliated with Boys to Men USA, and since 2009 has been dedicated to ensuring all boys in the Tucson community have access to positive male role models on their journey toward manhood. In 2015 Tom was an active participant in the creation of Boys to Men USA, a national network of Boys to Men centers around the US. He stepped up to survey all the Boys to Men USA centers, and create the first ever national snapshot of the Boys to Men movement. Tom is originally from New York. He found MKP after moving to New Mexico.
Craig Lipman
Sensing Owl
USA • Philadelphia
Craig Lipman
“I Co-Create an extraordinary world by embracing TATAS™”
A Man among Men of Service. Despite his preference of anonymity, he is known throughout the MKP Philly community for countless acts of generosity. He inspires joy, curiosity & wonder by the way he embraced life with two terminal illnesses. He also exemplified courage, tirelessly co-creating a world of peace by trusting and acknowledging feeling. Craig took his last breath in this world on December 19th, 2017. Craig Lipman’s exploration of life culminated in the TATAS™ framework that he created, through which he lived his life with Trust, Authenticity, Transparency, Acceptance and Safety. The model was a springboard for creating workshops and is now the subject of a book. This award is bestowed posthumously.
Dan Glenn
Lindross
USA • South East
Dan Glenn
“ I create a world of Balanced Reverence and Joy through Humility and Compassion.”
While Dan describes himself as “neighborly”, his actions go far beyond that. He is always ready to offer a hand up to those in need. Just in the past year, he has encountered at least 2 people who were down and struggling to get back on their feet. He gave them employment and a place to live until they moved on. He constantly provides free consulting and advice to others in his business. In his small farming community of about 60 people, he is always helping others when needed, such as building fences. He donates organic meats to various events, and sells his meats at reduced prices for those needing a break. He shares his abundance including his ideals, values and outlook.
Gethin Aldous & Miles McLeary
Revolutionary Digital Wolf & Wild Cat
USA • Metro Tri State
Gethin Aldous & Miles McLeary
“ I create a world of light by being an unstoppable force of positivity and by using the virtual world as a vessel for healing.”
This award is presented to honor the power of men working together as a team, Gethin Aldous, Miles McLeary, Jairus McLeary, Eon McLeary and others who directed and produced the documentary, “The Work”. A powerful film “set entirely inside Folsom Prison, The Work follows three men during four days of intensive group therapy with convicts, revealing an intimate and powerful portrait of authentic human transformation that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation.” (LetterboxD). These circles were started by Rob Albee (The Inside Circle Foundation) with support of Bob Petersen and Don Morrison and men from the Sacramento MKP community. Blessings to all for highlighting the power of men’s circles bringing transformation and healing to the forefront of those viewing this award winning documentary.
Steve Baker
Steadfast Bear
UK & Ireland
Steve Baker
“By living in a state of gratitude and acknowledging all that my life adventure has given me, I offer support to others to find their own truth and wisdom and walk their own path.”
Over the past 20 years, Steve has to help transform Unstone Grange from a derelict property to a habitable one with beautiful gardens. Steve is the current chair of the board at Unstone and has helped to develop the Unstone Grange mission as ‘Unity in Diversity.’ Unstone is a place for self-development groups, including MKP for one NWTA and Women in Power for their equivalent of the NWTA. Regularly offers Lodges at his home in Sheffield, to offer support to men and women as they plot their course in life. He has taken the Lodge to other places as well, notably Buddhafield Festival. He has been supporting Journeyman for the last 5 years – taking the Lodge down to Wales and Stroud where teen boys are taken through a RoPA (rite of passage).
Boys to Men Mentoring Netzwerk Deutschland
Wendelin P. Moser, Roaring Lion
Klaus-Dieter Kathagen, Friendly Bear
Joerg-Ulrich Theisz, Happy Magic Turtle with Dragonfire Rocking with the Buffalo
Germany
Boys to Men Mentoring Netzwerk Deutschland
Wendelin, Klaus and Joerg are among the leaders of the Boys To Men Mentoring Network in Germany. They have been taking active roles in growing the organization since 2011. The main focus is to organize Rites of Passage Adventure weekends for teenage boys in Germany. They encourage other men (initiated and non-initiated) to become mentors for the boys. They bring together mentors and “journeymen” by offering J-Groups throughout Germany. By doing that, they are supporting a growing number of young men during the transition from boys to men.
Bill Berry
Nurturing Grandfather Buffalo
USA • Los Angeles
Bill Berry
“I create a world where grief and loss can be fully known by leading and teaching from the heart of sacred scriptures and doing my own work.”
In June of 2003, Bill founded the “Living from the Heart” community with the intention of bringing the kind of bio-energetic work that we do in MKP to the Christian community. With skills that he learned in MKP, Bill has led over 300 weekends in 14 different formats and has helped more than 1,500 men and women. He is a gifted and intuitive facilitator. He keeps the cost of his weekends to a minimum and allows people to attend for whatever they can afford. A large number of men have come through the NWTA as a result of Bill’s encouragement and teaching. He says he never could have done all this without the change that experienced on his own weekend, and the work he has done on himself as a result. Bill’s work has had a monumental impact on the lives of very many men and women.
James E. Boswell, Jr.
Big Bear with Boy
USA • Mid-America Area
James E. Boswell, Jr.
“As a man among men, to create a more loving and caring world by Fathering.”
Jim is very active in MKP-KY and he is deeply involved in his community. He serves on several community non-profit boards. He is working with his community church to provide dinner once a week for this community and others in need. He works with the drug and alcohol recovery community to support and guide newcomers or those that still struggle. He is retired and a father of 6 and grandfather to 12, and is involved by sharing his experience, strength and hope for the future. He served as the MKP-KY President for two terms and was on the MKP-USA Council for two years. Jim was the originator of the MKP Foundation Builders program and the first Membership chair for MKP-USA.
John Crier
Morning Sun on Water
Canada • Alberta
John Crier
John has been mentoring men in the Maskwacis Community (Indigenous Cree of Alberta, Canada) to step into their power, mentoring men into Elder roles in the community, corrections, and in ceremony. John has been leading ceremony and speaking in many events including the open ceremonies for city events in Red Deer and Wetaskiwin. He also has been working with the facility of indigenous studies as an Elder holding ceremonies for the University of Alberta. To list every event that John has stepped into would be hard to list as he is so humble about his give away. When you sit in ceremony and hear the people talk about his generosity and connection to ceremony that you know what he has done for the people. John has also lead many rites of passage weekends for young people and show them a way of living a good life in ceremony.