I have the pleasure of being part of this years Leadership Randolph. I hope you will follow my journey along as each month I bring you an insight of what all the great benefits of the program will bring to me and others in the area. There has been numerous others before me from this corner of our county that has enjoyed and received much enlighten knowledge. You may be asking what is Leadership Randolph. Leadership Randolph has been one of the most successful and worthwhile programs ever offered by the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce. It not only helps to build stronger community leaders but also to create a bond between different people from different walks of life in the business community. After completing the course of study graduates leave the program with a sense of how society must and can work together, and a better knowledge of the inner workings of the community. Leadership Randolph began in 1988 with the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce designing and implementing a course of study consisting of eight monthly sessions covering issues relating to area history /communications, education, business and industry, tourism/team building, agriculture/environment, health and human services, criminal justice, government and community involvement. Each participant is required to be involved in an overnight and day long simulated society activity, directed by Dr. Larry Peppers of Clemson University. Another requirement for graduation from Leadership Randolph is a Police Ride-Along. The eight monthly sessions, in conjunction with SIMSOC and the Police Ride-Along, make this program a unique, behind-the-scenes approach to learning about Randolph County. This years ,2008 Leadership Randolph Class is listed below with their business sponsor:
Traci Bond-White, Acme-McCrary Corporation
Kevin Bowman, Randolph Program for the Rural Carolinas (Liberty Leader/Learning Environments),
Margaret Cabell, Carolina House of Asheboro,
Michael Concannon, Ink Solution of NC,
E. Reid Craig, Randolph County Senior Adults Association,
Tina Crutchfield, RBC Centura Bank,
Melanie Curtis, North Asheboro Middle School,
Matthew Dixon, Randolph Community College,
Beverly Fowler, Randolph County Schools,
Ronald Franklin, Tram Lumber, LLC,
Doreen Gaines, Insurance Associates of the Triad,
Candice Garrett, BB&T,
Sherri Hall, Coleridge Elementary School,
Dot Harper, Asheboro City Schools,
Linda Harris, Randolph Bank & Trust Co.,
Phillip Hogan, Asheboro, City of,
Richard La Liberte, Coldwell Banker-The Real Estate Shoppe,
Zac Lee, AVS Office Concepts,
Billy Maness, Jr., Asheboro Police Department,
LeeAnn McDowell, Randolph Hospital,
Allen McNeill, Randolph County,
Kristen Miller, North Eastern Randolph Middle School,
Wanda Pegg, Habitat for Humanity of Randolph Co,
Darlene Perry, Randolph County,
Jerry Simpson, Randolph Community College,
Gary Smith, Jr., Randolph Telephone,
Dare Spicer, Randolph County Family Crisis Center.
Our first session was held overnight at Camp Caraway in Asheboro and the session was conducted by Larry Peters, retired professor from Clemson University. This session was focused on the building of a simulated society. There was much mystery to this class as students from years before was very tight lipped on what to expect. I am personally glad they did, for this allowed us to come away with a large amount of knowledge on how just the smallest thing can affect a community, for good and for bad. I look forward to sharing with you the next sessions in more detail. We will be meeting for classes on the first Thursday of each month all the way through October. Our sessions will be as follows for the coming months; health and human services, agriculture, education, tourism and team building, history and government, business and industry, criminal justice, you and your community, and the final graduation. Each session will begin and end at the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce that is hosting this great program. The hardest challenge of this event is the mere absence of our cell phone, pagers and/or PDA. We have become so use to this staple of life but to be fair and have our minds totally open to the team building of fellow classmates and the program it self. This is so understanding. Another part of the program is a minimum of a four hour ride along with the Asheboro Police department. If you would like to learn more about this program or other information about the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce feel free to contact Stacey Miller at 626-2626 or email
chamber@asheboro.com