Community Voices  … with Denise Buessing: Leadership Gilroy 2021 grad praises program for shaping community

Class project provided tools to help local teens cope with COVID-19

Leadership Gilroy Class of 2021 pose at Christmas Hill Park during the tournament games. Photo courtesy Denise Buessing

By Denise Buessing

Denise Buessing

I honestly didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into when I applied to the Leadership Gilroy program. I had heard great things about this intense and unique program and thought it would be a way for me to learn more of the needs of our community and seek out new volunteer opportunities.

I’ve been through several leadership programs in management positions for profit companies and for nonprofit organizations. Nothing comes close to what I experienced in the past eight months alongside my 17 classmates. We met business owners, educators, politicians, and Leadership Gilroy alumni while gaining a deeper understanding of our community and its needs.

We were asked to bring an object to our retreat that best described who we are as leaders. I brought a heart-shaped rock that was given to me by a volunteer of a nonprofit organization where I was her staff partner many years ago. She gave it to me in a tough time and told me to remember who I am as a leader, one that leads with her heart.

I’ve learned from my classmates and this experience that leaders inspire the hearts around them and learn from the impact they have on people. This is what the Leadership Gilroy Class of 2021 accomplished individually and as a class by giving hope to Gilroy’s 8th graders. We raised $13,000 by organizing a community softball tournament and received several sponsorships that funded 975 stress relief care bags.

These care bags were packed with tools to help these teens cope through their school year during the continuing pandemic. The simplicity is what made it special to the 8th graders along with the fact that someone “saw” them enough to let them know they are loved.

Leadership Gilroy instructor Trevor Van Laar wrapped up our graduation Dec. 7 by sharing that he had recently read articles which recognize adolescent/teen anxiety and depression had skyrocketed this past year. He shared how proud he was to observe how our project had a positive impact in these teens’ lives.

The work it took to pull together a softball tournament in less than three months, the hours met on Zoom, the fact that we did everything together as a unit without any arguments, ordering the care bag items with shipping frustrations, and most importantly the lifelong friendships made.

I am truly honored to be part of the best class ever . . . Leadership Gilroy Class of 2021!

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Denise Buessing is a graduate of the 2021 Leadership Gilroy class.

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