Leadership Wayne is a program of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and is designed to interact with a corps of leaders dedicated to the betterment of the community through service. Participation is open to persons who are recognized as emerging leaders, as well as those persons demonstrating leadership potential.

Each year Leadership Wayne participants complete multiple criteria before graduation. One of those is the completion of a community class project. Class members must work together to raise funds and complete a class project. The project is an important team-building exercise and gives the class a chance to leave their mark on the community. Depending on the size, scope and expense of the project, the actual hands-on part may not begin until January of the class year. Regardless of the project start date, the project must be completed and presented to the community by May 31, 2021.

Wayne County organizations have an opportunity to submit project applications to be considered by the class. The following are essential aspects that must be addressed when submitting an application:

• The project must provide hands-on work for all class members and must include tasks that all class members can complete together.
• The project must be accessible to and for the benefit of Wayne County citizens.
• The project must be sustainable in that it will not need future maintenance or upkeep. In the event that the project would need to be maintained after completion, there must be a plan in place for this.
• The project must be able to be completed within a 3 to 4 month period.
• The project costs must be reasonable and must fall within the parameters of the class’ ability to raise funds for the project.

Examples of previous class projects are as follows:

• 2019—2020 Class —The Salvation Army Outside Shelter & Recreation Area
• 2018—2019 Class—3HC Kitty Askins Veterans Garden 2017—2018 Class—Pikeville Activities Trail & Little Free Library 2016—2017 Class—Wayne County NC Heritage GeoTrail 2015—2016 Class—Herman Park – Story Walk & Little Free Library
• 2014—2015 Class—Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County: Create an outdoor Reading Garden
• 2013—2014 Class—Wayne Opportunity Center: Employee Break Room Renovations
• 2012—2013 Class—Boys & Girls Club: E Books
• 2011—2012 Class—Herman Park: Playground Restoration
• 2010—2011 Class—Wayne County Services on Aging: Dining Facility Make-Over
• 2009—2010 Class—Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro: Facility Upgrades
• 2008—2009 Class—Paupers Cemetery: Environmental Upgrade
• 2007—2008 Class—Battered Women’s Shelter: Full Facility Renovations

The deadline to apply for the Leadership Wayne Class Program is September 1, 2020 and the deadline to apply for the Class Project is October 6, 2020.

Both the Leadership Wayne Class Program application and the Leadership Wayne Class Project Application can be accessed at waynecountychamber.com under the ‘Participate’ tab or by emailing [email protected] or calling (919) 734-2241.