By Lori EhdeFor the second time since 1998, Luverne has been selected to participate in the Blandin Community Leadership Program.The prestigious BCLP is at the core of the Blandin Foundation’s mission to support rural communities. Its philosophy is that rural communities survive – and thrive – when local leaders take responsibility and deal with change effectively.Training community leaders and supporting them is what the BCLP is about.The Blandin Foundation believes so strongly in this concept that it’s willing to pay all expenses involved for training the community leaders.This amounts to roughly $3,700 per participant, totaling $88,000 for its investment in Luverne. The cost to participants is their time away from work and family, plus minimal travel expenses.The program consists of a five-day retreat Feb. 12-17 at Ruttger’s Sugar Lake Lodge in Grand Rapids, plus two follow-up workshops May 1-2 and July 31 in or near Luverne."We feel this is an excellent opportunity for members of the community who desire to become more involved in what is happening in Luverne," said Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce director Dave Smith.Smith is one of 24 Luverne trainees who participated in the 1998 leadership training."This was one of the greatest experiences of my life," he said. "I feel I learned a great deal and I have been able to put that knowledge to work." He and a steering committee of several other BCLP alumni are laying the groundwork to select 24 new participants for Luverne’s February retreat.A selection committee will be formed and a timeline for recruitment will be set.Blandin charges its selection committee with finding a balanced group of Luverne residents for the training who will represent a wide range of the community’s population.For example, they should be both young and old and from various sectors of the community. The group could consist of educators, business owners, elected officials, healthcare professionals, social workers, clergy, volunteers, etc. The one thing they should have in common is a commitment to their community and a willingness to be involved in shaping its future.The BLCP was established by the Blandin Foundation in 1985 and has served more than 4,000 leaders from 250 rural Minnesota communities.Its educational methods focus on hands-on, practical learning styles, which include individual skill development, understanding community dynamics, establishing new and diverse networks and leadership coaching.More information about the program and about the Blandin Foundation is available at www.blandinfoundation.org.