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LIMA – Community leaders gathered inside the Lima Civic Center on Thursday evening to celebrate the next generation of leaders by graduating from the 2021 Allen Lima Leadership (ALL) class.
The program, which was founded in 1989, focuses on building professional skills through team building and introducing participants to the various industries that play a vital role in the success of the Lima region. ALL CEO Matt Childers said he was proud of the 2021 Class, especially for meeting the challenges the past two years have brought.
“The last two courses have certainly been a challenge in terms of navigating through COVID-19,” he said. “These groups are amazing leaders and amazing people who have great resilience and great courage. It’s not easy to take these classes in the middle of a pandemic, and they just stood up for it. They did everything they were asked to do, and then some.
The ceremony also included a special awards ceremony for an alumnus and a 2021 graduate. Beth Seibert, who graduated in 2006, received the ALL Alumni Award for her continued support of the program and service to the community.
“For me, this is just a great program and effort in this county and it helps to train great people and it helps to train people who have a greater sense of their community,” said Seibert. “Most (graduates) will tell you ‘I learned so much about the justice system’ or about various facets of the community that they had no idea, what a great learning tool. “
Class of 2021 Courtney Owens won the Lois Rubens Spirit of Leadership Award, intended to recognize the most outstanding student each year. Rubens was a founding member of the program over 30 years ago. Owens thanked Rubens for making sure she was part of the class and reflected on the impact that has had on her own life.
“Often I would wonder why am I still here in Lima? Owens said. “But now I know and understand that I must flower where I am planted.”
Owens also said that graduating from ALL felt like a “full circle” experience for her, as she was part of the ALL Youth Leadership program when she was growing up.
Class 2021 also presented their culminating final project, carried out by each class to create a program that will have a positive impact on the community. This year’s project was “Lima Region Restaurant Week”, intended to work with restaurants in the region to promote the best cuisine in Lima and attract more tourism to the region.
With the final class on the verge of release, Childers expressed his enthusiasm for the Class of 2022, which was introduced at the end of the program.
“It’s going to be a great class,” he said. “Each class is unique in itself. It has its own special flavor, and the class of 2022 is going to be really good. “
Beth Seibert won the Alumni Award for Allen Lima Leadership at the ALL graduation ceremony on Thursday night.
Graduates and family watch during a graduation ceremony at Allen Lima Leadership on Thursday evening. Courtney Owens (second from left) won the Lois Rubens Spirit of Leadership Award, recognizing her as an outstanding student of the Class of 2021.
Contact Trevor Hubert at 567-242-0398
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