Leadership Whitley County participants learn about diversity and inclusion during November session
(Talk of the Town photos by Kelley Sheiss) Above, LWC Class members (from left) Mark Mathias of Micropulse and Heather Holzinger of Star Financial Bank listen intently as LWC alum Todd Rehrer of C & A Tool shows some of the products made at the Churubusco facility. Below, facilitator Merrily Hamp of Leadership and Organizational Development guided the class on a chilly privilege walk, demonstrating how our experiences as a youth may have impacted our lives.
By Kelley Sheiss
Leadership Whitley County (LWC) traveled to C & A Tool in Churubusco for its November session focusing on diversity and inclusion. 
The morning kicked-off with a trust activity involving blindfolds and specific activities. This icebreaker provided an excellent opportunity for class members to reconnect, build trust among each other and recognize non-verbal cues. Following a debriefing of the exercise, LWC participants provided informative and entertaining reports on their county tour experience conducted in October. Small teams visited different locations within Whitley County, pictures taken were assembled in collages and each group presented their tour report as the awareness portion of the November session. A variety of interesting facts relating to Whitley County were shared in the reports. Class members had the opportunity to visit with a variety of individuals during their tour, including staff at AgPlus in South Whitley, Shawn Ellis, Director of B.A.B.E. and Chuck Jones of the Churubusco Historical Society.
The main topic for the day focused on Diversity and Inclusion presented by Merrily Hamp of Organizational and Leadership Development. The program focused on diversity of thoughts, attitudes, assumptions and stereotypes. Class members were asked to discuss diverse characteristics of others we see, as well as those that may not be visible. Participants engaged in a variety of interesting dialogue and group activities throughout the three-hour program, including a privilege walk that resulted in a detailed reflection of the activity.
Following the session, the LWC class enjoyed a catered lunch by Mountaintop Coffeehouse and a tour of the C & A Tool facility by LWC alum and C & A Tool employee Todd Rehrer. The tour included in an inside look at the company’s every day operations and examples of the newest technology the company is using to remain a cutting-edge, successful business.
The support of local business, industry and organizations is key to the success of Leadership Whitley County. Sponsors for the eleventh year of Leadership Whitley County include: Micropulse, Inc., J & J Insurance, The Benton and Thelma Bloom Fund, Old Settler’s Day Association, the Dekko Foundation and over 60 LWC alumni. This support, financial and/or in-kind, serves as a key to success for offering quality programs that compose the core of Leadership Whitley County.
The December session of Leadership Whitley County will be held at Whitko High School in South Whitley and will focus on Teamwork and Collaboration. For more information on participating in the next class of Leadership Whitley County, supporting the program, or having an informational presentation made to your business or organization, contact Kelley Sheiss, Program Director, at 799-4045 or 3dsheiss@gmail.com. More information on Leadership Whitley County can be found at www.leadershipwc.org. or on Facebook.