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Leadership Fort Dodge program kicks off

32 to take part in new session

-Messenger photo by Michaela Frerichs
Leadership Fort Dodge met Tuesday afternoon for orientation to begin this yearÕs program. Around 60 people between participants, volunteers, and Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance members met at Olde BostonÕs for lunch and to discuss the goals of the program.

Close to 60 community members gathered at Olde Boston’s Restaurant & Pub in downtown Fort Dodge Tuesday to kick off the new session of Leadership Fort Dodge.

Leadership Fort Dodge is facilitated by the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance and this year they have 32 participants. In addition to the participants, many volunteers and Growth Alliance members are active in the program.

Jill Nelson is the community development director at the Growth Alliance and head of the Leadership program. Nelson explained more about the purpose of the program.

“Leadership Fort Dodge is a program that is designed to get participants out into the community and to help them become aware of a variety of different topics, leadership roles, businesses, and ways to get involved,” she said.

Nelson said the program is intended to educate local leaders in order to better the community. “The end result is hopefully that they take what they have learned and then they find a way to give back and become involved and engaged in our region,” she said.

The group meets once a month for nine months from September to May.

“Each month, there’s a different topic,” Nelson said. “Right now, we are kicking off the program with our orientation. We’re trying to get all of our participants aware of what exactly we’re going to be doing for the next nine months. Then we can set expectations and share what they should expect.”

In addition, the participants were able to enjoy lunch and take time to socialize with the other members of the program they will be working with.

Topics planned for this program will include History and Demographics, Health and Human Services, Civic Engagement, Media, Education, Criminal Justice, Local Government, State Government, Quality of Life, Economic Development, and Agriculture and Ecology.

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