For a Better Tomorrow

Leadership Cashiers seeks to inform, connect and engage

By SERENITY RICHARDS

Now in its sixth year, with over a hundred graduates, the Leadership Cashiers Program continues to INFORM, CONNECT & ENGAGE individuals seeking greater community involvement. As the program sponsor, the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce invites businesses and organizations to join the existing generous sponsors from the business, non-profit, and educational sectors in supporting Leadership Cashiers.

There are three levels of sponsorship from which to choose, Session Sponsor, Community Champion Sponsor, and Investor. Your sponsorship can be made online to the Cashiers Area Legacy Fund https://leadershipcashiers.org/sponsor/131-sponsorship-details. Leadership Cashiers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving as an educational and charitable foundation to finance and endow public works programs and projects in the Cashiers area. To learn more about sponsorship, contact Leadership Cashiers at info@leadershipcashiers.org or call at 828-743-5191.

Benefits of sponsorship can include business/organization promotion throughout the class, invitations to Leadership Cashiers functions, business/organization logos prominently displayed in class materials, invitation to speak at Leadership Cashiers classes, and tuition for one individual from the business/organization.

In 2017 a task force of the Cashiers Area Chamber and Vision Cashiers developed Leadership Cashiers. The curriculum is based on a model used by many cities/areas across the country.  By taking an intensive look into the issues affecting the area, Leadership Cashiers prepares and motivates participants to offer quality community leadership.

The vision of Leadership Cashiers is to build a cadre of area leaders with the necessary tools and connectivity for making a meaningful positive impact on our community, as well as insight on our future challenges – fulfilling its mission to inform, connect, and engage individuals by studying civic issues, building strong working relationships, and motivating participants to provide enlightened, dynamic community leadership.

The program is designed for leaders who want to significantly and positively impact the Cashiers community. The program is open to Cashiers Area residents and stakeholders (both permanent and seasonal) with a class size of 25 to 30 participants representing a wide range of diversity. Participant criteria include a strong Cashiers orientation, community stakeholder, demonstrated elements of leadership, and community civic involvement and commitment in the Cashiers area.

Monthly sessions are typically held on one Tuesday a month, May through December, with a two-day opening retreat. In the class, personal leadership skills are developed through academic and teambuilding exercises led by Angela Owen, Program Director of Truventure Enterprises. Owen is also executive director and course instructor of Vision Transylvania, a similar program in Brevard, NC.

As one recent program graduate said, "Leadership Cashiers has allowed me to grow individually as a representative of Cashiers to positively impact area communities. The connections I have made will last and shape my life for years to come."

The Leadership Cashiers Alumni Network was founded by the inaugural class as a way to support the long-term sustainability of the Leadership Cashiers program. All current and future program graduates are invited and encouraged to actively participate with the LC Alumni Network through various opportunities, including task force and leadership roles, networking opportunities, program engagement as guest speakers, sponsors, and more. Annual graduate investments of $75 help support the Network's goals.

While applications for the 2024 class are now closed, individuals interested in applying for the 2025 class may apply later this year. For more details, go to https://leadershipcashiers.org/apply.