MONROE - Twenty-seven members of the Green County Leaders Class of 2016-17 successfully finished the nine-month coursework and became Green County Leaders graduates on May 17 at a ceremony and celebration held in their honor at the New Glarus Hotel.
This was the 15th class to graduate from the program. Participants represented businesses, nonprofits and government organizations. The program, which held its full-day orientation in August, covered various aspects of leadership and leadership development along with information about Green County communities, history, infrastructure, government, natural resources, businesses, economy and resources.
The classes were held throughout the county, allowing members a chance to get to know the various communities in Green County. To further develop their leadership skills, participants created teams to complete a final class project focused on helping the community. Five specific projects were accomplished by the class bringing the total number of community projects up to 61 completed projects conservatively worth more than $350,000 in volunteer time. Community projects for the 2016-17 GCL class included:
Monroe Area Community Closet: The project team consisted of Arianna Meier, Gina Haldiman, Jessica Day, Katie Letcher, Lauren White and Shari Ruesga.
The group partnered with Family Promise and the Church of the Nazarene in Monroe to create a community closet. Free clothing is available to any community member through the community closet. The project already has helped several families who have experienced difficulties such as house fires. Extra clothes that are collected will be sold to a company in Milwaukee that reuses the clothes for various purposes. In other communities, the money made from these transactions has gone to the local school district.
Promoting Inspire: Youth Career Programs: The project team consisted of Amy Hollis, Dan Perdue, Megan Wells, Teri Schaver, Val Johnson and Wes Speer.
The Inspire program helps connect youth with career and apprenticeship opportunities in the Madison area, including Green County. However, at the start of the GCL year, only eight businesses in Green County participated in this program. Through outreach and education, the group increased the number of participating businesses to 28. The group also worked with the Inspire program to develop marketing materials specifically for Green County to assist in increasing engagement.
Expanding Access to Broadband: The project team consisted of Aaron Lehman, Blake Canterbury, Kathy Raymond, Theresa Bernstein, Teresa Joranlien and Wendy Ellingson.
The group partnered with the Green County Development Corporation to reach municipalities across Green County to engage them in expanding access to broadband. Specifically, they asked municipalities to support the creation of a grant application to increase broadband in Green County. This required a financial contribution and a letter of support. These efforts made it possible for GCDC to contract with the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to put together a grant application on behalf of Green County. The grant is anticipated to be submitted in 2017.
Expanding Bicycle Benefits to Green County: The project team consisted of Briana Lenzlinger, Laura Gams, Marco Puga and Nick Hein.
This group worked with several area businesses to bring the Bicycle Benefits program to Green County. The national program involves bicyclists purchasing a special sticker for their helmet. They then can receive different benefits, such as discounts, from participating businesses. Because this is a national program, tourists in Green County also will be able to receive benefits and Green County will be included in the national program map.
Synthesizing the Monroe Arts Center Focus Group Study: The project team consisted of Angela Noel, Bret Shaw, Catherine Boughton and Susan Lawson.
In fall 2016, the GCL class facilitated 14 focus groups designed to get community perspectives on the Monroe Arts Center's programming. The project group analyzed the data, synthesized it and wrote a report to inform the MAC board of the community perspectives. MAC will be using this information to inform their strategic planning process and future programming.
Green County Leaders is made possible through a partnership of the Green County Development Corporation, Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension and other area organizations and businesses that donate their time by serving on program committees and as session speakers. The program's mission is to provide an educational program where individuals can practice leadership skills, deepen their understanding of community issues and prepare for leadership roles, thereby creating a network of individuals committed to the future of Green County. The program consists of a full-day orientation, nine classes and the graduation ceremony. Since its inception in 2001, the alumni network has grown to 321 people throughout Green County.
Recruitment for the class of 2017-18 is underway. Brochures on the program are available at the Green County UW-Extension office in the Green County Justice Center, 2841 6th St., Monroe. For more information, a brochure or an application, contact Victoria Solomon at 608-328-9440 or victoria.solomon@ces.uwex.edu or check out the Green County Leaders website at www.greencountyleaders.com.
This was the 15th class to graduate from the program. Participants represented businesses, nonprofits and government organizations. The program, which held its full-day orientation in August, covered various aspects of leadership and leadership development along with information about Green County communities, history, infrastructure, government, natural resources, businesses, economy and resources.
The classes were held throughout the county, allowing members a chance to get to know the various communities in Green County. To further develop their leadership skills, participants created teams to complete a final class project focused on helping the community. Five specific projects were accomplished by the class bringing the total number of community projects up to 61 completed projects conservatively worth more than $350,000 in volunteer time. Community projects for the 2016-17 GCL class included:
Monroe Area Community Closet: The project team consisted of Arianna Meier, Gina Haldiman, Jessica Day, Katie Letcher, Lauren White and Shari Ruesga.
The group partnered with Family Promise and the Church of the Nazarene in Monroe to create a community closet. Free clothing is available to any community member through the community closet. The project already has helped several families who have experienced difficulties such as house fires. Extra clothes that are collected will be sold to a company in Milwaukee that reuses the clothes for various purposes. In other communities, the money made from these transactions has gone to the local school district.
Promoting Inspire: Youth Career Programs: The project team consisted of Amy Hollis, Dan Perdue, Megan Wells, Teri Schaver, Val Johnson and Wes Speer.
The Inspire program helps connect youth with career and apprenticeship opportunities in the Madison area, including Green County. However, at the start of the GCL year, only eight businesses in Green County participated in this program. Through outreach and education, the group increased the number of participating businesses to 28. The group also worked with the Inspire program to develop marketing materials specifically for Green County to assist in increasing engagement.
Expanding Access to Broadband: The project team consisted of Aaron Lehman, Blake Canterbury, Kathy Raymond, Theresa Bernstein, Teresa Joranlien and Wendy Ellingson.
The group partnered with the Green County Development Corporation to reach municipalities across Green County to engage them in expanding access to broadband. Specifically, they asked municipalities to support the creation of a grant application to increase broadband in Green County. This required a financial contribution and a letter of support. These efforts made it possible for GCDC to contract with the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to put together a grant application on behalf of Green County. The grant is anticipated to be submitted in 2017.
Expanding Bicycle Benefits to Green County: The project team consisted of Briana Lenzlinger, Laura Gams, Marco Puga and Nick Hein.
This group worked with several area businesses to bring the Bicycle Benefits program to Green County. The national program involves bicyclists purchasing a special sticker for their helmet. They then can receive different benefits, such as discounts, from participating businesses. Because this is a national program, tourists in Green County also will be able to receive benefits and Green County will be included in the national program map.
Synthesizing the Monroe Arts Center Focus Group Study: The project team consisted of Angela Noel, Bret Shaw, Catherine Boughton and Susan Lawson.
In fall 2016, the GCL class facilitated 14 focus groups designed to get community perspectives on the Monroe Arts Center's programming. The project group analyzed the data, synthesized it and wrote a report to inform the MAC board of the community perspectives. MAC will be using this information to inform their strategic planning process and future programming.
Green County Leaders is made possible through a partnership of the Green County Development Corporation, Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension and other area organizations and businesses that donate their time by serving on program committees and as session speakers. The program's mission is to provide an educational program where individuals can practice leadership skills, deepen their understanding of community issues and prepare for leadership roles, thereby creating a network of individuals committed to the future of Green County. The program consists of a full-day orientation, nine classes and the graduation ceremony. Since its inception in 2001, the alumni network has grown to 321 people throughout Green County.
Recruitment for the class of 2017-18 is underway. Brochures on the program are available at the Green County UW-Extension office in the Green County Justice Center, 2841 6th St., Monroe. For more information, a brochure or an application, contact Victoria Solomon at 608-328-9440 or victoria.solomon@ces.uwex.edu or check out the Green County Leaders website at www.greencountyleaders.com.
