News

Rising Leaders now well-versed in volunteerism

Rising Leaders.

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 13, 2017

After eight months of education and community service, 20 members of sixth annual Rising Leaders Program of the United Way of Henderson County are better prepared to start making a difference as volunteers with Henderson County nonprofit organizations.

Launched in 2011, the Rising Leaders Program is sponsored by Friday Staffing and Lenoir-Rhyne University. United Way of Henderson County (UWHC) created the free program as a direct response to the need for a new generation of board members and key volunteers at Henderson County nonprofit agencies.

Rising leaders graduates were Bonnie Black, Tish Blair, Heather Boyd, Jessica Collins, Emily Freeman, Alesia Griesmyer, Tyfani Griffis, Jill Hart, Serena Igharas, Keith Johnson, Sara Landry, Donecia Santana, Katherine Schuen, Christine Singleton, Sam Singleton, Luke Small, Ellen Stallings, Caitlin Stepp, Dawn Temple
and Jan Witte.
Rising Leaders participants are volunteers and professionals representing a wide variety of Henderson County businesses and organizations. They receive training in the knowledge and skills for board service, community needs, principles of governance and management of a non-profit, rights and responsibilities of board members, best practices of financial and legal leadership, basics of fundraising, and the power of advocacy. Participants also completed a community service project and attended a nonprofit board meeting as part of the program.
The 2016-17 Rising Leaders class graduated on March 9th and then enjoyed a quick “Speed Dating” session with representatives of local nonprofit agencies looking to recruit potential board members and volunteers.
New members are currently being recruited for the next Rising Leaders program that will begin in the fall. UWHC will be accepting applications for the 2017-2018 Rising Leaders Program beginning May 1. Application materials will be available at an informational event beginning at 5:30 p.m. that day at Dandelion (127 5th Ave W.). Anyone is welcome to attend this free event; please email Kristen Freeman at RL@liveunitedhc.org to RSVP or for more information. After May 1, application materials will also be available on the UWHC website, www.liveunitedhc.org.