COMMENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2009 ON LEADERSHIP CATTARAUGUS
Mike Marvin, class speaker for the Class of 2009, asked the members of the class to send him comments on their experience in Leadership Cattaraugus. Mike then assembled the comments into his graduation night speech, which follows:
County Resources and Needs:
I think the most rewarding aspect was being exposed to the wonderful opportunities available in Cattaraugus County. We are fortunate to have a manufacturing world headquarters, an elite educational institution, cultural activities, first rate health care, and countless other gems right in our own County. The tour of OGH stands out in my mind- the many improvements that they are making.
I have lived here most of my life, and am incredibly impressed by the amount of services and programs, organizations, and recreation available to us. This class opened my eyes and my heart to all that is here in our community. I have learned so much about what is out there and how it works it is just amazing. It has made me think daily about our area and how much more enriching it is than I had previously thought. Because of my experiences in Leadership Cattaraugus, I have become even more of a proponent for our area.
When people start "badmouthing" our area, I feel offended! I now, more than ever, have a great pride in our area and what we have to offer and I often feel a need to point out the positives to naysayers. Since the class started I have become more involved in activities that are important to me - including the American Legion and Patriot Guard Riders.
I think that LC gave me a broader perspective on the resources we have in Cattaraugus County. I have become more informed of both the needs within our community and the programs available to help meet those needs. As a member of Leadership Cattaraugus, we were exposed to issues in our County that many people don’t get an opportunity to experience, such as visiting a soup kitchen and learning about the struggles faced by the homeless.
I was unaware of many of the vital services within our county and the issues these services face daily. Having spent the past 8 months visiting the various critical areas of our county has given me a greater depth of knowledge in not only our areas of strength but also some areas of weakness. From this experience I feel I can provide support to these vital services though Leadership and volunteerism and assist in moving towards building a stronger community. My participation in the program has encouraged me to personally step up and take part as a new board member for a local organization and I hope others do the same.
To say the least, Leadership Cattaraugus has been a rewarding experience!
People:
The best aspect of the program was the people. Having the opportunity to bond with such a great group of professionals within our class that I probably would have never met otherwise, has been incredible! Many new friendships have been made that will carry on after graduation. The LC class members and alumni that I have shared these experiences with will, I hope, remain as colleagues and friends for years to come. I have enjoyed getting to know every person in our class and learning what they do and the passion they have for their jobs and the communities they live in.
I was surprised how quickly I felt a bond with the members of our class. We are all very different and have different jobs, but seem to also have much in common. Everyone is extremely busy, but enrolling in this program forced me to reserve one day per month to work on leadership skills and work with others in the group that are doing the same.
Through it all, I have come to realize that the true success of LC is people. Whether it is our Classmates, LC Alumnus, or community leaders or employers, I continue to be impressed by the amount of time people are so willing to dedicate to the greater good of bettering Cattaraugus County and the quality of life we live.
Teamwork:
We worked hard to put together program days that took us to many areas of Cattaraugus County. We have learned the importance of working with a team that started out as strangers and became friends. Leadership Cattaraugus gave us the opportunity to grow both personally and professional and in the process we learned, we laughed, and we cried! We were touched as we heard the heart-breaking story of Keith Hurlburt which resulted in the death of his best friend and the struggles he has endured since then and the obstacles he has overcome. We were amused to find ourselves walking in the rain through a cow pasture at sojourner farms some of us in heals and flip flops.
The discussions and experiences in the program demonstrate that there are a wide variety of leadership styles and each is useful in different situations. It offers an opportunity to work with people who have different personalities and perspectives and learn to value those differences and see how they contribute to the greater good.
LC taught me how people from entirely different careers, educational backgrounds, personalities, etc. can join together to achieve a common goal. When we were assigned teams to coordinate our ‘Days’, we had no common bond with our team mates – we didn’t know each other, we weren’t co-workers, had no idea of anyone’s strengths or talents – yet we quickly became friends, established goals, accepted the responsibility placed on us, and became very successful at structuring well-coordinated, informative ‘Days’.
The program days that our team was responsible for were a little stressful, but the feeling of accomplishment when the day was over and everything went well was gratifying
General:
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when I started but I found that I really looked forward to the days that we had Leadership. The day after each Leadership Cattaraugus session I would find myself talking to people about some of the places we had been or some of the people we had heard speak. Even through the small sections like the Leadership Safaris, I learned a lot about places in the county that I’d always knew were there, but never really knew any details about. I have absolutely no regrets about being in LC and would recommend it to anyone (and I have). I have probably told 50 people about all I have learned and gained from being a part of this Leadership class. I have often said, I want to continue to go every month to class. My experience has been amazing and I cannot speak enough about what I have learned and how I want to be able to contribute more of myself to the communities in Cattaraugus.
A rewarding experience indeed!
Thank you to Leadership of Cattaraugus for providing me the opportunity to experience something I will refer too for the rest of my life…
