Bill OBoyle: LNE projects all about community impact
Jan. 7—It's time again for 'Missions Possible."
No, it's not a new TV show ripping off the great Mission Impossible series.
I'm talking about Leadership Northeast's Core class and the seven community projects that are getting underway.
And as always, these projects and those done by the Junior Leadership class, will have a profound and perpetual impact on the community we all call home.
It was good to be with the Core Leadership class members on Thursday to hear their about their projects and to see the enthusiasm on their faces as they described what they plan to do for very deserving organizations.
The class members will enjoy seeing the positive impact their projects will have on their particular organization, but they will soon also learn the impact these projects and the entire Leadership Northeast program will have on them.
It's not over-stating when I tell you that these class members, like all their leadership brethren before them, will go on to become community advocates. They will get involved in numerous committees, boards of directors and projects — volunteering throughout their lives to do their part in making our community better.
There are so many charities and nonprofits out there that are all competing for the same dwindling federal and state dollars to just keep pace with the increasing demand for the services they all provide.
But the situation here and everywhere is getting more concerning. Nonprofits should not have to be content with maintaining the status quo, or even keeping pace with the increasing demand for services. they should be able to have the funding needed to enhance programs and expand services.
Each Core Leadership participant is embarking (hopefully) on a life of success that will include staying involved in bettering their community.
This is vital to the health of our community and to the betterment of those in need.
All seven projects will be impactful, and they will be successfully completed through the passion and compassion of the participants.
As all Leadership Northeast classes have in the past, this current class will make us all proud.
John W. Gardner, known as the father of leadership, once said, "Whoever I am, or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach."
But perhaps it was Dr. Seuss, who said it best: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
2024 Core Community Impact Projects
—Art with a Heart is partnering with St. Joseph's Center Wyoming Valley Campus in Wilkes-Barre. Their mission is to redesign and renovate a dedicated art space and market its availability for the benefit of the under-served community of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Luzerne County. The team believes that art education is not only a means of self-expression for the special needs population but also a powerful tool for empowerment, personal growth, and social inclusion.
—Head Start Heroes is collaborating with Luzerne County Head Start to create a sensory room. Located at Head Start's Beekman Street facility, the room will provide a safe, calm experience to help children with relaxation and self-regulation.
—Hearts for Hope is working toward raising awareness of Volunteers of America's Give Hope program and providing our unhoused neighbors in the community with support and essential supplies to ensure their survival.
—In This To-Gather is on a mission to create an enriching space that supports and unites our diverse local community. In partnership with Gather Community Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the team is assisting in renovating the basement area into a functional, multi-use educational and multimedia space. They are seeking in-kind and monetary donations for needed supplies to complete their project. Gather Community Center plays a vital role in bringing people together by offering free meaningful programming and providing free essential meeting space for various community groups.
—Let Freedom Ring will be collecting monetary, in-kind material or labor donations for the creation of a new Clay Shooting Range for visitor use at Camp Freedom's property. Camp Freedom is a non-profit organization that offers hope and help to Veterans, First Responders, their family members, and Gold Star Families on a pathway of recovery. They strive to keep families together through peer-to-peer interaction, camaraderie, and outdoor activities situated on a 2,350-acre property in Carbondale, PA.
—New Books on the Block in partnership with Dress for Success Luzerne County, which provides life skills workshops for inmates at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, the team plans to assist in establishing a library inside the Correctional Facility comprised of fiction, non-fiction and self-help books.
—Team Up for Transparency the John Malvizzi Foundation's (JM Foundation) mission is "to provide families and communities with the resources needed to increase mental health awareness and improve their quality of life." The JM Foundation has invited LNE's Core team, "Team Up for Transparency," to support their inaugural Mental Health Awareness Week, tentatively scheduled for the first full week of May.
It's going to another remarkable year as these projects are completed.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
