Leadership Charlevoix County Graduates 6th Class
19 graduate as Leadership Charlevoix County completes 6th year
Leadership Charlevoix County completed its sixth year May 17th with a graduation ceremony for 19 class members at Boyne Mountain Resort, which sponsored the event.
“It has been a memorable 10 months working with this leadership class,” said Leadership board president Mary Faculak of the East Jordan Chamber of Commerce. “We have 19 engaged individuals who are already making a positive difference in our county. I encourage and invite our clubs, organizations and groups in Charlevoix County to invite these graduates and all of our LCC alumni to join them.”
Faculak and Alison Hubbard of the Charlevoix Area Chamber are co-coordinators of the program. “Charlevoix County is lucky to have the knowledge and drive that these leaders possess,” Hubbard said. “With the success of their Community Service Project and recent graduation, the potential for this class of leaders is endless.”
There are now a total of 93 graduates of the leadership program, which was started by the Boyne City, East Jordan and Charlevoix Chambers of Commerce with funding assistance from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation.
Each class completes a community service project, and this year’s project was called “Wipe Your Feet,” and included fund-raising and construction of boot-cleaning stations and educational signs at 24 different hiking trails around the county. The goal is to prevent the spread of invasive species and increase awareness of that concept.
The graduates were addressed by keynote speaker Dr. Gretchen Carroll, Associate Dean of Business, Manufacturing & Technology at North Central Michigan College. “Leadership isn’t a position,” Dr. Carroll said. “It’s not a title, it’s not a degree and it doesn’t require fame or fortune. Leadership is a disposition and it’s not for the faint of heart. Leadership is a relationship - and requires a strong connection between leaders and their constituents.”
The class chose two of its members to speak for them at their graduation ceremony. Emily Selph expressed her thanks “for providing an amazing program, which has given us an opportunity to embark, both individually and as a class, on this journey, this chance to come together as strangers, to connect, to grow, and to accomplish something that will truly make a difference.”
Savanah Cool urged her classmates to “continue to learn, grow and lead. Continue to invest in yourself, to take time for you, to step outside your comfort zone, to learn more about yourself, to develop your knowledge/understanding and skills, to set professional goals and identify opportunities to make a positive impact in our community.”
APPLICATIONS are now being accepted for the 2017-18 program, which begins with an orientation in August and an overnight retreat on Beaver Island in September. More information may be found at www.leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com or by calling the chamber of commerce in Boyne City (231-582-6222), Charlevoix (231-547-2101) or East Jordan (231-536-7351).
Leadership Charlevoix County | 109 Mason St. | Charlevoix, MI 49720
