Future leaders invited to learn about community

By Aimee Staten
Managing Editor
Published on Sunday, August 3, 2008 2:10 PM MST

Riddle: What do the communications director of a large mining corporation, a Bureau of Land Management realty specialist and a small business owner in Safford have in common?

Answer: They are all alumni of the Gila Valley Leadership program.

Registration for the fourth class is now open, and the Graham County Chamber of Commerce is looking for future leaders.

Do you think you have what it takes? Would you like to develop your leadership skills and expand your professional contacts or help your employees with their career growth?

The 10-month Gila Valley Leadership program meets once a month starting in September. Class members travel within Graham and Greenlee counties to learn about local issues and spend a day in Phoenix to gain a statewide perspective on Arizona government.

Presentations and tours are organized around specific topics that are important to this area. They include education and the arts, health and human services, agriculture, mining, state and local government, natural resources, astronomy and law enforcement. The class will also complete a community-service project.

Many program graduates find themselves more cognizant of the local community’s strengths and weaknesses, thus allowing them to better determine areas in which to volunteer.

Participants of the program must be available at least one day — the third Thursday of each month from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At a cost of $300, Gila Valley Leadership is actually a very cost-effective way for employers to develop their employees’ work-related skills. The Gila Valley Leadership program is sponsored by the Graham County Chamber of Commerce with financial support from Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold, Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, Eastern Arizona College, Graham County Farm Bureau, Apache Gold Casino-Resort, Ace Hardware/Safford Builders Supply and Wal-Mart.

Class size is limited to 20 individuals who are committed to class participation and community involvement. The $300 tuition covers all meals, supplies and travel during class days. Some scholarships may be available. Applications for the 2008-09 class are due Aug. 15. Forms are available on the Graham County Chamber of Commerce Web site, www.graham-chamber.com/leadership.htm, and the Chamber office at 1111 Thatcher Blvd. in Safford.

Editor’s Note: Information was contributed by Gila Valley Leadership alumna Diane Drobka, who works for the Bureau of Land Management.

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Comments

3 comment(s)

Good morning Graham County wrote on Aug 14, 2008 6:53 AM:

" Can't some of you people leave poor Amy alone, she does the best she can with what limited people she has to work with, the dull citizens of Graham County. Maybe she does have a dislike for Green, but has he ever given her a reason to like him? Maybe Talley has feed her false info and she believes him. Would you like her job? "

AP wrote on Aug 4, 2008 8:07 PM:

" Yep, especially since Aimee wrote it. You'd think she was going to try to bash Green again, like in all her other "work". "

cynical wrote on Aug 4, 2008 2:44 PM:

" I thought for sure this was going to be a polital gossip letter haha "

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