Chamber seeks candidates to expand leadership skills and improve community
Published Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS -- Some people may be born leaders, but most of those who are not content to follow or get out of the way require on-the-job training. To that end, the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce wants to help expand the talent pool of local leaders.
Leadership Fairbanks is a new program for would-be leaders and established leaders who want to develop their skills and improve life in the Fairbanks area.
The Leadership Fairbanks Committee, chaired by Sue Hull, has been meeting for a year to set up a rigorous course that organizers hope will be worthwhile and challenging.
With classes scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month from October until May, the course will cover a range of personal leadership skills and community information sessions related to the local economy and civic groups, she said.
The Fairbanks-based consulting company Information Insights is to lead the classes.
There will be sessions on leadership theory and application. Every participant will be able to select a local mentor from a group of high-level leaders for meetings at least twice a month.
Six graduate-level credits are available to those taking the course for an extra fee of $200.
Applications for the program are available at the Chamber of Commerce Web site, www.fairbankschamber.org.
The deadline for early registration is Friday. The tuition is $1,500 for Chamber members and $2,000 for those who do not belong to the Chamber. The final registration deadline is Sept. 2, but those who apply by this Friday will be given priority consideration for scholarships.
A $5,000 grant from the Alaska Humanities Forum will help fund $500 scholarships. BP provided a $25,000 grant to help start the institute.
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BACK TO SCHOOL: New students at Two Rivers Elementary School take notice. A meet and greet session will be from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 19. News of that event did not get into the back-to-school edition.
School starts next Wednesday, while teachers report for work this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, students at the Effie Kokrine Charter School have already started their school year. Their first day was Monday.
The students at Effie Kokrine get the week of Sept. 15 off as a “fall break,” in recognition of the hunting season and other activities.
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HELP NEEDED: To finish off the community project to help Vallie Byrdsong, the committee could use some assistance.
You can help by donating to the “Rally for Vallie” fund at Denali State Bank.
In addition, the following are needed items: a new refrigerator, a new washer and dryer, rain gutters, new light fixtures, curtains, linoleum for the entryway, a new couch, a new queen-size bed, a new dining room table and chairs and a coffee table and armchair.
“As fond as Vallie was of her yard, we have made a real mess of it, burying her new fuel tank and replacing her sewer pipe,” said Tim Sharp of the Laborers Union.
“If there is a landscaper that wants a showpiece to point to on the corner of 10th Avenue, we would appreciate someone helping out,” he said.
“We just need a little more of Fairbanks’ generosity to get Vallie back home,” he said.
For more information, contact the union at 452-3139 and ask for Jonna Weed or Zeb Woodman.
Community Discussion
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By the way who is the new person in charge of the Chamber of Commerce.
BigMike- No joke. I cant believe that they are charging for this, I see the need. Take the neighborhood that did not want the additional liquor store for example. They saw a problem that was in their neighborhood and they wanted to do something about it. Without knowing how to go out and get support they have been stuck on the bottom rung on the ladder of power (individuals). How and who do I want that is at a higher rung (buisness leaders, unions, elected officials, people with influential positions in the community) to support my issue?
This is nothing more than a singular example of issues that are presented in our community every day that without having community leaders that have a little more insight than "can we make it happen?" to solve end up lingering around and stagnating peoples perception of the community that we all live in.
Woodman- they have a help wanted ad in the paper since Jewelz left.
The people who could benefit the most aren't going to be able to come up with the tuition money, even with the scholarship. I hope it turns out to be more than just another expensive networking opportunity for the Fairbanks "elite."
Mike when you get past sarcasm you might become an effective community activist. To get past that might require a class but I dont mean to be sarcastic in saying that. Workshop might be a better phrase. Believe it or not having a group to discuss things with can actually help some people, maybe not you, but some. that is the idea, dont tailor to one group have an effect on the community, many people, different walks of life and thoughts. The world outside the horseblinders for example.
Isn't this the same Chamber that rubber stamps everything that big oil tells them to say? Isn't this the same Chamber that wouldn't allow the most articulate candidate, in my honest opinion, to participate in the Chamber hosted debate for the Alaska House of Representatives a few years ago, claiming it was because he was non-partisan? The fact that he was running against one of their own members, of course, had nothing to do with it.
Sounds like BP needs to create some more Bill Allen clones to do their dirty work.
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