GILROY
– A disparate group of 21 community notables will spend the next
nine months building their leadership skills and Gilroy knowledge.
The representatives of local government, business, education and
various community groups are participating in Leadership Gilroy
2004, a program to ready the next rou
nd of Gilroy leaders.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – A disparate group of 21 community notables will spend the next nine months building their leadership skills and Gilroy knowledge. The representatives of local government, business, education and various community groups are participating in Leadership Gilroy 2004, a program to ready the next round of Gilroy leaders.
“I’m expecting to get a lot out of it,” said Russ Valiquette, city councilman and loss prevention supervisor at Bonfante Gardens theme park. “Anytime when you’re dealing with different situations, dealing with the community is a plus. We’re always being challenged on the Council to think outside the box, and this is just another way to put that into practice.”
Three other sitting councilmen are Leadership Gilroy alumni: Craig Gartman, Bob Dillon and Roland Velasco.
“We think it’s very successful,” Leadership Gilroy’s President Bob Kraemer said. “We think it’s been very helpful for the community, and, of course, our objective is to continue that.”
Leadership Gilroy meets once or twice a month. Sessions focus on all aspects of Gilroy to provide valuable skills for current and future community leaders, Kraemer said. Most of the sessions will feature outside presenters from local government, education, public safety and business. The group will take a one-day excursion to the state capital.
Each year, the class completes a project. Last year’s project was a program that airs on Gilroy’s public access TV station. The project was such a success that this year’s class will create another video.
The program, which is in its seventh year, was started when the pool of community leaders in Gilroy was running low, Kraemer said.
Running strong ever since, the Leadership Gilroy board makes an effort to recruit a diverse group of candidates.
“Our objective always is to continue to find new organizations that haven’t availed themselves of the program and to try and bring people on in from different organizations,” Kraemer said.
The participants – a mix of men and women of various racial and ethnic backgrounds – represent nonprofit organizations, government and education agencies, the private sector and citizens-at-large.
An important part of Leadership Gilroy’s focus is on building relationships and networking among Gilroy notables. One of the program’s sessions held last week dealt exclusively with building relationship skills. During an overnight retreat next weekend and a physical challenge retreat that includes a lengthy hike through Henry W. Coe State Park, participants will learn much about themselves and each other, Kraemer said.
Art Barron, a mail carrier and founder of the Gilroy Eigleberry Neighborhood Association, said that building relationships with other Leadership Gilroy participants will provide more contacts and resources for himself and the community groups he’s involved with. Barron is also involved with a state program that helps at-risk students go to college, as well as the high school’s parent advisory committee.
“I’m looking forward to learning the ins and outs of the city government, and also the main thing is, just meeting different types of people,” Barron said. “It’s a diverse group of people, people that probably wouldn’t normally meet.”
“It’s been a really positive experience (so far).”.
To participate in Leadership Gilroy, candidates submit an application and go through an interview process to make sure they will be able to attend each of the sessions, and pay an $850 fee themselves, or through a sponsor. Leadership Gilroy is a non-profit and depends on participation fees, donations and grants.
