September 30, 2008

No Shortage of Great Volunteer Leadership in our Region

In the Greater Jackson area, there are so many organizations working for the betterment of our community, one could almost argue there are too many to count. These wonderful not-for-profit institutions are essential to the fantastic quality of life we all enjoy. While I am partial to Chambers of Commerce, we are a very small fraction of a broad picture which includes, but is not limited to numerous service clubs, entities organized to cure particular diseases, neighborhood associations, youth to senior organizations, and the list goes on and on. This caring community effort is terrific, but there is actually something more astonishing than just the number of clubs and organizations. Have you ever stopped to think how many dedicated volunteers it takes to make all of these entities effective?  To highlight this point, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership has and needs hundreds of volunteers each year to keep our organization running.  Yes, volunteerism is alive and well in our community. 

These volunteers provide so much more than a number. Volunteers routinely fill the leadership roles that drive the respective initiatives within the community. They give so freely of their time and talents in a selfless manner that many times we take them for granted. But if we stop to think, it is this volunteer leadership that makes this area the place we are proud to call home. Each of you can think of many examples of persons who epitomize great volunteer leaders. It is probably not fair to single one or two persons out as examples, but I am going to do so anyway.

The individuals who come to my mind at this time are Randy James and Shirley

Hall. These two leaders are in my thoughts because both are completing lengthy terms on the Chamber board.  Both have provided tremendous leadership and wholehearted commitment to making this a better place to live, work, and grow a family.  Both are multi-taskers. During their time on our Board of Directors, Randy and Shirley served in leadership capacities in countless other organizations. Shirley even served as mayor of Richland during her tenure with the Chamber, while Randy is one of the managing partners of the highly successful Pruet Companies.  We could never appropriately thank them for their contributions.

Maybe the most amazing point to be made about these two examples of outstanding volunteer leadership is that they are the “rule” rather than the “exception” of community-minded people in the Greater Jackson area.  Examples like Randy and Shirley are abundant, but they have surfaced in my mind as they leave our board.  However, as a community we have been so richly blessed with incredible caring citizens such as most of you who are reading this column.  We say “Thanks” to all of you who volunteer so freely.