Two OEA Team Members Graduate from Leadership Oconee County Program
Over a decade of leaders have graduated from the Leadership Oconee County (LOC) Program; gaining a wealth of knowledge about team building, leadership skills and practices, along with an understanding of the organizational makeup of many of Oconee County’s government services, non-profits, and community entities. Amongst the 2017 – 2018 LOC graduating class were Oconee Economic Alliance team members, Daja Dial and Emily Hodge. Daja, the Marketing and Communications Manager, and Emily, the Research and Data Specialist, joined other leaders across various occupational backgrounds to effect positive change in Oconee County through community involvement.
LOC, sponsored by the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce, continues to fulfill its mission of educating people on the needs and issues of Oconee County. The program provides leaders within their respective fields the opportunity to gain greater awareness of these issues and commit to a specific project beneficial to the community. The 10-month program included immersion days devoted to class topics including: Team Building, Non-profit Awareness, Arts & Culture, Justice, Education, Media, Health Services, State Government, Economic Development and Community Involvement.
This year’s Leadership class chose Oconee County’s only homeless shelter, Our Daily Rest as their community project focus. The group organized their project into three categories and assigned them by priority. The 20 member group charged themselves with raising funds to provide Our Daily Rest with industrial grade washing and drying machines to better serve the individuals who need their services. The six new washers and six new dryers would ring up to a nearly 14 thousand dollar price tag. The group took the task by the reins, surpassing their goal and raising an impressive $25,573.68. The additional funds allowed the group to complete their priority one, two, and three tasks: the washing and drying machines, new mattresses and beds, and safety and equipment upgrades to the shelter’s playground.
There is no doubt that these changes to the facilities of Our Daily Rest will help in their mission to change people’s lives and help them successfully transition into independent living. Julian Davis, President of the Our Daily Rest board said, “Our Daily Rest has been able to provide for [peoples] tangible needs of shelter, food, clothing, transportation, and counseling. However, more importantly Our Daily rest has provided many intangible needs such as safety, structure, productive routines, and accountability towards goals, self-confidence, caring, respect and a new direction for their lives.” It goes without saying, that the work of the 2017-2018 Leadership Oconee County class will leave a lasting impact on both the tangible and intangible needs of the Oconee County citizens who walk through the Our Daily Rest doors!
Congratulations to Emily, Daja, and the entire 2017-2018 Leadership Oconee class for their commitment and dedication to community involvement and their completion and graduation from the Leadership Oconee program.
Our Daily Rest is located at 525 E. Main St. Seneca, SC. For more information visit their website, http://ourdailyrest.org/ or contact Lauren Richardson, Our Daily Rest Executive Director via lauren@ourdailyrest.org.
Daja B. Dial is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Oconee Economic Alliance, which is a public-private nonprofit effort to accelerate job creation and capital investment, increase per capita income, diversify the local tax base and generate awareness of Oconee County as a business location. To learn more visit www.InvestOconeeSC.com.