Brigade Leadership Training Conference Huge Success!

In early June the Brigade hosted its annual Leadership Training Conference (LTC) at Camp Onaway on the Chain O’ Lakes in Waupaca.  LTC is an elite Brigade program in its core mission of building leaders and is the ultimate leadership camping experience for youth in 10th-12th grades.  The conference was another huge success this year with 88 boys and girls in attendance, as well as over 40 volunteer leaders, guest speakers, and staff.

The Neenah Rotary Club generously approved a grant of $2,000 to help Brigade fund scholarships and expenses at LTC.  The Brigade distributed one financial and five merit scholarships to youth so they could benefit from this leadership training.  All of the campers who responded to a survey reported an increase in their leadership skills with 69% reporting their skills increased a lot and 97% felt better prepared to take a leadership role.

LTC provides excellent workshops, group initiatives, presentations, and activities for students.  Speakers this year included Ron Strege, Director of Multicultural Affairs at UWSP; Justin Mallet, an admissions counselor at UWSP; motivational speakers Craig Hillier and Mike Mauthe; Rick Hocking, who spoke to the 1st year students about different types of leadership; and a panel of speakers who spoke to the entire conference about community activism.  The panel included Tony Palmeri, a professor at UWO, Mark Wolfgram with Special Olympics, John Weyenberg with Habitat for Humanity, Kari Clusman with Alaska National Education Association, and Mel LeBaron with AmeriCorps.

In addition to the above speakers, the volunteers also led various breakout sessions on financial planning, health and wellness, stereotypes and family diversity, gender barriers, dining etiquette, and much more.

Conference attendees participated in water sports such as tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, swimming and boating.  Many learned how to ski or wakeboard for the first time at Camp Onaway!  They took part in the challenge courses, including the low and high ropes elements and had plenty of time to enjoy the basketball, foursquare, kickball, and sand volleyball courts.  The talent/no talent show and grand campfire are always a favorite!

John Dery, Brigade’s Executive Director stated, “We would like to extend a huge thank you to the volunteer leaders who dedicated their time to help make LTC successful.  These leaders are: Brian Borchardt, Time Buhl, Bill Casper, Coley Deltour, Chad Fahrenkrug, Adam Fisk, Elise Gavle, David Grove, Jeff Harding, Adam Hendries, Steven Hoar, Tom Hoare, Jody Hoppe, Meghan Houlihan, Nate Koenecke, Jan Krueger, Alyce Marsh, Stephanie Mayer, Gerri Meverden, Ben Olson, Ryan Peterson, Jason Pheifer, Ali Rector, Jess Roseen, Tom Terhorst, Cassie Thacker, and Stephanie Weber.  We are happy to see several LTC graduates back as leaders!”

LTC has a 3-year curriculum designed by staff and volunteers.  This year, 16 boys and girls graduated from the program.  We would like to congratulate the following attendees and wish them the best of luck in their future plans: Molly Augustin, Alexandra Bennett, Anna Carpenter, George Collier, Alex Drake, Ericka Grimm, Maria Haen, Courtney Holcomb, Kelly Houlihan, Katie Howard, Nancy Jahnke, Lori Jilek, Becca Littlefield, Jess Retzlaff, Michael Ropella, and Michael Spoehr.  The Brigade staff extends a special thank you to class mentors Jess Roseen and Ryan Peterson and class leader David Grove. 

CAPTION:  LTC is an elite Brigade program in its core mission of building leaders and is the ultimate leadership camping experience for youth in 10th-12th grades.  The graduating 3rd year class, with their class leaders, poses in the crystal clear water at Camp Onaway.  All of the campers who responded to a survey reported an increase in their leadership skills with 69% reporting their skills increased a lot and 97% felt better prepared to take a leadership role.