CLASS PROJECTS
Beginning in 2004, each Leadership Butler County class has developed a project to aid a nonprofit organization and to encourage volunteerism among its members. Here are snapshots of the projects.
2004: The class donated $4,000 to Slippery Rock University's Leadership Reaction Course. Funding included $1,500 for Butler Junior High School academic stars to participate in the reaction course and $2,500 for its Whale Watch station. At the Whale Watch station, teams step on a large board that teeters, then must work together to avoid falling off. Money was raised through a night at the races event.
2005: The class furnished eight apartments for Butler County homeless people as part of the Housing Opportunities Promote Encouragement program or HOPE. HOPE bought the apartments and the class solicited community donations, working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and sponsoring a comedy night at Butler County Community College to raise funds to furnish them.
2006: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the class worked with the United Way of Butler County to develop the policy for the Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative. The class developed assistance guidelines, applications, and a cooperative partnership agreement, It also helped raise funding for the service. Today, the fund provides direct utility assistance to families.
2007: The class developed a child-friendly waiting area and playroom at the Butler County Community Health Clinic. The group designed the playroom and raised $5,000 to build and furnish it by selling raffle tickets.2008: The class assisted the nonprofit CANDLE, Inc., with the organization's Reality Tour drug prevention program. Class members raised money for and enhanced community awareness of the program, including funding attendance of the sixth-grade class of the Chicora Elementary School.2009: The class bowl-a-thon raised about $10,000 to provide “starter emergency kits” for 630 senior citizens in county-subsidized independent housing. In addition, they endowed five half-scholarships for entrepreneurs and small businesspeople to attend Leadership Butler County.2010: The class projects focused on promoting the Butler County Blind Association. The class raised $4,000 to market the association to blind people and to businesses to publicize their services. The class also raised $1,000 for the Butler County Humane Society and $600 for the Leadership Butler County scholarship fund.2011: The class established the Groundhog Plunge at Moraine State Park to fund the Duffel Bag Project for Children and Youth Services, Butler County. Each year, CYS serves 300 to 400 children who each receive a duffel bag that includes some personal essentials. The class held a Groundhog Plunge, a Mardi Gras party, raffles and solicited donations to raise $32,000.2012: The class raised funding for and marketed First Impressions, a Butler Health Systems program that provides low-income children with clothes and shoes. The class raised $1,200 through the Butler Eagle's Caring at Christmas program, $8,000 at a fashion show and a busload of new and used clothing through its Stuff the Bus campaign. They served 381 children. In addition, the class funded a mural above Smith's Flower Shop on Main Street.
