By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
The 2015 State of the Vision Dinner marked the halfway point of the 20/20 Vision Campaign and to mark the special milestone, 20/20 Vision elected to pair the annual celebratory dinner with the graduation ceremony of this year’s CU Lead program.
The pairing of these two events was a natural fit as the theme of the night, and really the whole 20/20 campaign, has been one of leadership. Since the beginning of the campaign there has been the very strong belief that turning this county around is something that would have to come from within. To that end, 20/20 Vision has coupled creating action plans with a focus on the nurturing of leaders necessary to putting those plans into action. With these two components crucial and complementary to the work that 20/20 is doing, it was only natural that the two events be combined.
Michelle Failor is the communications director for 20/20 and was clearly excited for the night’s festivities.
“We’ve done a really good job and wanted to celebrate,” Failor said.
The graduation ceremony took place prior to keynote speaker Sean Swarner taking the stage. The graduates of the program were introduced by Dr. Paul Johnson, of the Bucyrus School Board. In his opening remarks, Johnson spoke of how “leadership is integrated into everything we do.”
“The best way to predict the future is to shape it,” Johnson said.
All in all, 18 program participants received recognition for completing the program. They were presented by videos they made themselves, speaking about the most personally poignant portions of the program, and offering their favorite quotes about leadership.
Swarner originally hails from Willard, but currently resides in Colorado. Swarner makes his living as a motivational speaker, and with a life story like his, it’s not difficult to see way.
Swarner scaled Everest and Kilimanjaro. Oh, and he’s twice beaten cancer. That trek up Everest was completed with one lung.
In chatting with him he revealed that he recently completed a personal milestone. It was impossible to miss the personal significance of him just completing 25 years cancer free. The way he unhesitatingly recounted May 7 of 1990 suggested a memory vividly etched in this man’s brain.
Swarner spoke of acknowledging struggles and problems, but without dwelling on them; of the need to continue and power forward and to turn those struggles into a struggle forward.
“We need to appreciate the fact that we’re alive,” Swarner stated.
Swarner has spoken to many groups large and small, to thousands at once with his words translated into multiple languages; but he said small groups offer up an intimacy that can be quite rewarding.
“With things like this it’s more emotional and personal,” Swarner added. “I like hanging around after to meet people.”
The evening was a great commemoration of the work that has been accomplished, and a reminder of the work that needs to continue.
The latest class of graudates from CU Lead incude: Brittany Arnett, David Brown, Annie Carter, Debbie Ewalt, David Green, Dena Kirby, Jennifer Klein, Noreen Mullens, Mike Prenger, Betty Preston, Brian Rinehart, Matt Scheffler, Randi Shoup, Chris Stuckey, Melinda Teynor, Ryan Whitmeyer, and Lisa Workman.