Introduction To The Triangle Men's Center Blog

The Mission -

The mission of the Triangle Men's Center is to provide a safe place in which men can support men in becoming themselves. We are committed to strengthening men's roles as friend, son, father, husband/partner and citizen. The Men's Center is committed to strengthening the individual, the family and the community.

The Vision -

The vision of the Triangle Men's Center is to create a vibrant and diverse culture of healthy men.

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History of The Triangle Men's Center

The Triangle Men's Center (TMC), which began as the Raleigh Men's Center in 1986, is an all-volunteer service organization dedicated to promoting the wholeness and well-being of men. It grew out of a series of informal discussions culminating in two meetings at Raleigh's YMCA in November, 1986 to determine interest in a "men's center". The success of the Women's Center of Raleigh, and the lack of a comparable program for men as well as a growing national focus on men's issues, fueled this interest. Doug Lester, Fred Stephens, and Doug Jennette were at the first organizational meeting along with approximately 30 other men. Fred had experienced men's gatherings with Robert Bly in California, and offered a mytho-poetic perspective/experience to the meeting. Several men were interested in support groups, and others wanted to form an organization to address different needs of men in the community.

By early l987, the formal organization was underway with efforts toward incorporation, by-laws, and creation of a board of directors. Doug Jennette served as the first President of the TMC and participated in the bi-weekly discussion/programs held at the old United Way headquarters on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, NC. Doug Lester and Doug Jennette attended a men's gathering in spring, 1987 and the Minnesota Men's Conference in fall, 1987 where they encountered Robert Bly, Michael Mead, and James Hillman. This led to the first major TMC event in the spring of 1988, an evening poetry reading at Meredith College and day-long men's gathering with Robert Bly at Camp Durant in Raleigh, with about 150 men attending.

The late 1980s into the mid-1990s saw TMC sponsor weekend retreats with leaders such as Michael Mead, Tom Daly, David Schiffman, and Robert Bly. Fred Stephens produced a number of week-long Southeastern Men's Conferences with leaders like Robert Bly, Michael Mead, James Hillman, Robert Moore, and John Stokes, which were independent from, but complemented TMC activities. TMC support groups grew in number, and monthly programs flourished. A Fall Feast retreat and Ritual Group were added later. In 1996, a North Carolina Annual Gathering of Men was started, co-sponsored with the Men's Council of the Triad.

The inspiration for the Annual Gathering of Men came from an Elders Group headed by Doug Lester. The idea was that the Triangle and Triad areas of NC had experienced men who could produce a weekend retreat with local talent for workshops, large group process, poetry, and ritual without importing big names from the national scene. The success of the Annual Gathering, held each year since 1996, demonstrates the accuracy of that initial assessment.