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June 23, 2009

Do you want to make a difference?

By Bailey Dabney, Publisher

June 23, 2009 — Rogers County is a great place to live for a number of reasons, but that didn’t happen overnight or by accident. Over the years and along the way, civic-minded people have chosen to make a difference in the lives of other people.

Folks just like you and me took the time to get involved in city matters, county matters, state matters, and affected change that benefits each of us today.

If you would like to be one of those ‘change-makers’ but don’t know where to begin, maybe you should consider applying for entry into the next Leadership Rogers County class.

Right now is a good time to consider it because they are currently taking applications for the coming year.

Leadership Rogers County began as a part of the Claremore Chamber of Commerce. The inaugural class (Leadership Claremore) launched in 1991 as a Claremore area program. In 1993 the Leadership Claremore program was expanded to a countywide area, which included the name change to Leadership Rogers County. In 2005 it was incorporated as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

Leadership Rogers County is a yearlong program meant to introduce you to the inner workings and hidden mechanisms that make this county tick. The program consists of seminars, panel discussions, field trips, and tours presented by current leaders in the public and private sectors.

The resulting exchange of ideas and information forms the foundation for leadership in this fine county.

Through these programs and discussion, and through access to current leaders, participants will gain a familiarity with the county in ways you wouldn’t expect. Cassie Sowers, a lifelong resident of Rogers County, who serves the City of Claremore as its head of Public Relations, was one of my classmates from the class of 2008-2009.

Cassie commented that she would never have believed that there was so much she could learn about Rogers County after have spent a few years as Claremore’s spokesperson. Upon graduation, the program mints a new batch of leaders: a diverse group of individuals with a renewed commitment to their local communities, and the skills, contacts and information to turn commitment into action.

When I first arrived in Claremore, I immediately inquired as to the existence of a local Leadership program. These programs are offered throughout the country in a similar format.

The unique twist in Rogers County is that each class includes a few high school students in addition to the business and civic leaders of the community. The high school students add a neat dynamic to all of the programs, and provide a youthful enthusiasm and perspective that helps the adults maintain a proper focus during the year.

Our class ranged in age from 16 years old to 55, and ranged in life stage from student to CEO. Whoever you are, please don’t think you are either too old or too young to be a part of this next group.

If you consider yourself too busy to be a part of this, think again. My group has some of the hardest working folks in the county and we all found our time with the group this past year as beneficial, rewarding, and worth every minute.

Each year ends with a fundraiser and a project intended to make the county better than it was before.

The projects have all been special, contributing nearly $35,000, but the development of people who are willing to dive in and make a difference is the biggest contribution of the program.

Leadership Rogers County (www.leadershiprcok.org) is taking applications to be a part of the next class through August 15th but don’t wait. This is your chance to make a difference.

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