Josh Parker, a graduating member of Allen Lima Leadership, speaks about the ALL In financial literacy program created by this year’s class.
David Trinko | The Lima News
LIMA — Allen Lima Leadership was started in 1989 with the goal of creating more informed, more engaged community leaders. On Thursday, the program graduated its 33rd class with a celebration at the City Club in downtown Lima.
Thirty participants were honored at Thursday’s celebration, representing a variety of private and public sector entities in the area. According to ALL executive director Matt Childers, having this group together for a year to learn more about their community and leadership development was a positive experience for everyone.
“They were a tremendous group — very engaged,” he said. “A lot of them will tell you they were the best class ever.”
Much like the 32 classes before them, Childers is convinced that this class will be a tremendous asset to Lima and Allen County.
“Our motto is, ‘To lead, connect, grow and serve,’ and we feel like we want to add value to each and every member that goes through the class,” he said. “We can give them a dose of leadership and connection to their community, to grow individually as well as professionally, and then serve the community, not only through the impact project that we have as a class, but also to serve on boards going forward and special projects throughout the city and the community.”
As Childers mentioned, each class is tasked with developing a project to address a need in the community and make a positive impact. Some of these projects have continued to make an impact long after the class graduated.
“The class in 2006 ended up doing a project called ‘Love Luggage’ that continues on, and they work with Allen County Children Services,” he said. “Any time a foster child is moved from place to place, they give them luggage with all the toiletries and essentials.”
This year’s class sought to address financial illiteracy among area youth. According to Ohio Means Jobs-Allen County assistant director Josh Parker, one of the project “captains,” this endeavor will hopefully help young people avoid the financial pitfalls that some of the class may have experienced.
“Going forward, any current Allen Lima Leadership or Allen Lima Leadership alumni could come and present to a group, be it a 4-H group, a youth group or something else in the area, a presentation on financial literacy with a PowerPoint that’s plug-and-play where they could just go in and talk,” he said. “So we focused on budgeting, checking and savings accounts and understanding credit. Then we did for each of us who participated a five-minute ‘get to know us’ section talking about where we worked, what we did, how we got to where we are and what we would have done differently.”
Along with recognizing each graduate, some special awards were also presented. One was an alumni award, given to Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Jed Metzger, and the other was the Lois Rubens Spirit of Leadership Award, presented to Demi Burden, pre-planning specialist at Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services.
For more information on ALL or to learn how to become involved, call 419-222-6045 or email [email protected].
Reach Craig Kelly at 567-242-0391 or on Twitter @cmkelly419.
