71Five Executive Director
Bud Amundsen joined Youth 71Five Ministries (formerly Rogue Valley YFC) in August 1991. His prior employment was as an investment broker for Edward Jones & Co., where he had a profitable office in Ashland, Oregon. While volunteering with youth programs in the Ashland area at that time, he decided to join Rogue Valley YFC and invest in young people, as others had invested in him.
Bud was introduced to mentoring at age 12 when an invitation to bale hay from a family friend turned into a three year mentoring relationship. That farmer taught Bud many skills, everything from how to drive a tractor to how to work all day in any kind of weather. Since that time Bud has enjoyed mentoring younger guys. He put that interest to use in college as a teaching assistant; teaching kayaking and rock climbing to underclassmen. As he began his work with Rogue Valley YFC he reformatted the program model to focus on small groups and one on one relationships with students. In 2003 he was a founding member of the Every Kid Task Force and became the main spokesperson, presenting to community service groups and churches how mentoring relationships between safe adults and children play a vital role in the healthy development of children. This understanding led to the development of a highly effective mentoring program where at-risk children are matched with adults coming from partnering churches and community groups.
In 2009 Bud became the Executive Director at Youth 71Five Ministries (formerly Rogue Valley Youth for Christ) and his passion for mentoring continues as he is currently mentoring five young men between the ages of seventeen and thirty-one.
Bud was introduced to mentoring at age 12 when an invitation to bale hay from a family friend turned into a three year mentoring relationship. That farmer taught Bud many skills, everything from how to drive a tractor to how to work all day in any kind of weather. Since that time Bud has enjoyed mentoring younger guys. He put that interest to use in college as a teaching assistant; teaching kayaking and rock climbing to underclassmen. As he began his work with Rogue Valley YFC he reformatted the program model to focus on small groups and one on one relationships with students. In 2003 he was a founding member of the Every Kid Task Force and became the main spokesperson, presenting to community service groups and churches how mentoring relationships between safe adults and children play a vital role in the healthy development of children. This understanding led to the development of a highly effective mentoring program where at-risk children are matched with adults coming from partnering churches and community groups.
In 2009 Bud became the Executive Director at Youth 71Five Ministries (formerly Rogue Valley Youth for Christ) and his passion for mentoring continues as he is currently mentoring five young men between the ages of seventeen and thirty-one.
BUD AMUNDSEN
71Five Executive Director
cell (541) 301-0897
bud@71Five.org
YOUTH 71Five MINISTRIES
529 Edwards Street
Medford, Oregon 97501
fax (541) 779-7702
office (541) 779-3275
GIVE to:
mail to: 529 Edwards Street, Medford, Oregon 97501 | (541) 779-3275 | office@71Five.org
