Taking the Lead
Making a Difference, one Leader at a Time
As another busy and successful year comes to a close, I'd like to thank Leadership Clark County's supporters and donors for your generous support. LCC is in the midst of what will certainly be another successful Leadership Academy, thanks to the continued belief of our benefactors that we play an important role in creating new community leaders.
The 2009 year included: a successful graduation and awards ceremony honoring local community leaders, the 2nd Annual Leadership Open, a collaborative summer alumni picnic with the Springfield Arts Council, another well-received, competitive Amazing Race with new corporate teams joining the Academy class, and an Inaugural Brain Drain Trivia Challenge event.
In addition this year, we made some changes to academy participants' requisite service projects, teaming class members to work on group projects instead of working individually. Some class members are working with the Springfield Museum of Art and Quest to improve their marketing efforts. Others are helping Big Brothers Big Sisters to establish mentoring programs that will serve our community's youth. Academy attendees are also benefiting from interactive issues segments. These segments cover current social and economic issues facing our community and are designed to generate dialogue among class participants and local community experts. At the most recent session, the Academy class experienced the Bridges out of Poverty Simulation, which immerses participants into a poverty life style and exposes them to the challenges faced by those living in poverty.
The Academy class also decided to come together with alumni and assisted the Second Harvest Food with packing and distributing boxes of food that benefited our elderly citizens.
All of us at LCC are looking forward to another winning year and know it's possible only because you believe in us as much as we do.
My best to you and your loved ones during this holiday season!
Melissa Riley Patsiavos
Executive Director
