Each year a couple dozen people from different backgrounds and interests get together for work sessions over the period of a couple weeks to learn, to explore their community, to think creatively.
They come away from Leadership Warren County with not only a better appreciation for their home, but a unique sense of responsibility as well.
That's what Leadership Warren County is all about. As the name implies, the effort is to nurture community leaders by giving them detailed knowledge of the cultural, business and economic environments in which they live. It also stimulates them to take a pragmatic approach to improving those environments.
Each year, Leadership Warren County develops a project, plans it, orchestrates it and sees it through to fruition. Some of those projects in the past have resulted in the establishment of the Warren County Council on Tourism, the Pennsylvania Keystone Pathways program and the ARTS Program for instance.
Leadership Warren County, to borrow a hackneyed and overworked phrase, is a win-win for this rural county.
Not only does it annually graduate a class of future leaders, it also provides the community with an immediate tangible benefit, either through physical improvements or long-term programs that make this place a little better for its residents and a little more alluring for visitors.
This year, Leadership Warren County has taken on improvements to Warren's Washington Park, an often forgotten jewel that provides a breathtaking view of the valley that cradles the city. The park has periodically fallen into a shabby state, and LWC is determined to make the place a must-see destination for visitors and a pleasant place for local families to picnic.
We wish them well, encourage them to retain their sense of community spirit, and thank them for their commitment.