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Leadership program brings Luverne people together for training

Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson

Twenty-six residents of the Luverne area returned Friday from the prestigious Blandin Community Leadership Program, an intense five-day training at Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand Rapids.
Local residents participating in this training were Johnna Ahrendt, Mike Davis, Mike DeJong, Lisa Dinger, Judy Fenske, Stacy Gangestad, Tim Gust, Lori Hallstrom, Mike Jarchow, Wanda Jarchow, Ryan Johnson, Jane Lanphere, Tyler LeBrun, Jeremy Lehman, Tammy Loosbrock, Matt Mostad, Mark Opitz, Dianne Ossenfort, Jordan Papik, Phillip Paquette, Dave Riphagen, Craig Rogers, Holly Sammons, Deb Schandelmeier, Sherri Thompson and Caroline Thorson.
The goal of the Blandin Community Leadership Program is to develop and train a broad base of local leaders to build healthy communities.
At Monday’s Luverne Economic Development Authority meeting Thompson (who is also a county commissioner) and Sammons (EDA director) said their Blandin experience was worth the weeklong commitment.
“It was a wonderful experience,” Thompson said.
Sammons shared her Blandin experience in her director’s report.
“It was a wonderful week,” she said. “Thanks for the opportunity to go.”
She said she appreciated the chance to meet and connect with other Luverne residents who were interested in working for the good of the community.
“It was a unique mix of people — some who have lived here their entire lives, and some who have been here only a short time. Building these relationships is a big part of the retreat.”
Topics covered during the retreat included identifying and describing community issues and opportunities, effective interpersonal communication, building social capital, appreciating personality differences, managing interpersonal conflict, understanding community power, mobilizing community resources and goal setting.
“A healthy community depends on leadership engagement of community members,” said Valerie Shangreaux, director of Blandin leadership programs.
“The leadership demonstrated by these participants reflects their commitment to their community as well as to the region and to rural Minnesota.”
Last week’s retreat is the first segment of leadership training, which will include three follow-up workshops.
A program of the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation, BCLP has provided experiential leadership training for more than 7,000 community leaders from more than 425 rural Minnesota communities since it began in 1985. 
This is the third time in the past 20 years that Luverne residents have participated in the BCLP leadership program.
BCLP training programs are funded entirely by the Blandin Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area.

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