PHOENIXVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION

NEW LEADERS CELEBRATED AS
ACADEMY GRADUATES ELEVEN

Phoenixville -- For the past ten weeks eleven individuals have participated in the Phoenixville Community Health Leadership Academy. Since September 16th these committed community volunteers have been meeting one evening a week for two hours learning from experts, both locally and nationally based, on aspects of leadership. They have had to put their new-found knowledge to practical application by developing a community service project that will benefit the greater Phoenixville community.

The students and their projects are: Karen Bearden is developing a Black History Month program for the fifth grade students at Barkley Elementary School; Matt Harrington is planning a biking event to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Margo Ketchum is creating new avenues for the elderly and infirm to access the services of the Phoenixville Time Bank; April Klotzbach and Laura Landis are partnering to provide services to patients at the Cancer Center of the Phoenixville Hospital in connection with the Phoenixville Relay For Life; Cherie Lewis-DiGian and Catherine Mannion are also partnering to bring educational programs to the public on the topic of living with arthritic disorders; Richard Liston is planning a short-subject film that will encourage others to step out of their comfort zone; Cary Moore will highlight the African-American experience in Phoenixville through oral histories and photographs; Dennis Wright is organizing a charitable pro-wrestling event to benefit PACS and The Clinic; Sylvia Yoder is organizing a “Healthy Weight Support Group” in partnership with local organizations.

“The Community Health Leadership Academy is designed for adults who want to become more involved in their community or neighborhood”, states Lynn Pike Hartman, Phoenixville Community Health Foundation Senior Program Officer and Academy Facilitator. “This class has exemplified the mission of the Community Health Leadership Academy. We are looking for great things from each and every one!”

Sponsored by the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation and the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, the mission of the Academy is to provide a vehicle to identify, train and empower greater Phoenixville area citizens for leadership roles that promote our community’s health and advance its quality of life. The Academy culminated with a graduation luncheon, held November 20th at the Columbia Bar & Grille in Phoenixville

Dr. Louis Beccaria, President & CEO of the Foundation stated, “This Community Health Leadership Academy has exceeded all expectations. Its impact on our greater Phoenixville community will only continue to grow. This class will add their own mark in very distinct ways.”