Leadership Bedford class learns team-building

It always seems like a lot of fun when they first start out -- a few warm-up exercises, a couple of team-building games ... but by noon, the members of Leadership Bedford's newest class are usually tired and sweaty -- and still having fun.

The program, which takes community leaders and lets them discover many facets of life in Bedford County -- as well as improve it -- kicked off this weekend with the annual retreat. It begins with fun and games, but as the day went on, the team members learned about each other and the program itself.

Webb School hosted the first day of the retreat, with its Wilderness director Mike Wofford leading the exercises.

"We'll have lunch, then they'll hear some speakers," said Natalie Austin, one of the program facilitators Friday. "Tonight, they'll talk about projects and elect officers and have more team-building exercises."

Throughout the year, the class will take field trips around the county to various institutions and industries, learning how they work and how they affect and are affected by the community. These trips can range from a visit to the courthouse while court is in session or attending a locally produced play, and a certain number of the trips are mandatory to graduate the class.

There are only six in this year's class, a decrease Austin blames on the economy.

"We had two who wanted to do it and couldn't because of it," she said. Another couple of interested people could not make the overnight retreat, which is mandatory for the class.

But neither she nor Mike Winton, who is also involved with Leadership Bedford, are worried about the size of the class.

"Sometimes a small group can get more done," said Winton.

Last year's class had nine members and they accomplished several projects, including creating a prayer garden and The Next Step Home, improvements at Wartrace's city park, and fundraising for First Choice Pregnancy.

Both Austin and Winton are graduates of the program and Austin used her own experiences to encourage the group of newbies.

"I made it," she said as they tackled one course of the low ropes, which are actually cables stretched tightly between trees on the Webb School grounds. "If I can do it, anybody can!"

By the end of the exercise, the team building was becoming apparent. The six men studied each problem, offered suggestions and encouragement‚ and got the job done.

According to the Leadership Bedford web site, www.leadershipbedfordtn.org, its missions is "to develop local leaders by equipping them with leadership skills, to provide information in community issues so that the community can progress, and evoke community action based on the presentation of these issues," and its purpose is "to conduct annual programs which will develop a diversified corps of informed, committed and qualified individuals who will provide a leadership source for Bedford County organizations, both public and private to meet the needs of the feature."

This year's class includes Mike Cavender of Edward Jones, Kent Flanagan of the Times-Gazette, Joseph Forsee of Midsouth Satellite, Bob Graham of First Community Bank, Josh Lynch of Midsouth Satellite and Jim Potts of Tennessee Technology Center.