Last week, I had the pleasure to speak to a leadership group called LEAP. The acronym stands for Leadership Lee, Estill, and Powell Counties. Darryl Billings, business owner in the area, had invited me down to speak about Natural Bridge State Park, its facilities, park history, and financials from a tourism perspective. It was great to see old friends again and to re-connect with that area called Slade, Kentucky. I spent 5 and a half years there as park manager for Natural Bridge and can honestly attest that this area has many geological formations that are simply spectacular. This region has been thriving from tourism for many years. And, with attractions like Natural Bridge and the Red River Gorge, it is definitely a draw among many tourists.
According to LEAP's FACEBOOK PAGE, "The Leadership L.E.A.P program focuses on developing our most precious and under-utilized asset – our people. Nearly any successful community and economic endeavor you may study will reveal the same conclusion, that leadership development is an integral part in progressing any community or region. The participants of Leadership L.E.A.P attend monthly educational intensives. Each session will focus on a different facet of what makes our communities “tick,” how to develop participants’ skills as community leaders, and how to apply those skills to improving and progressing our communities, our region, our commonwealth, our country and our world."
I want to applaud Darryl Billings and LEAP's leadership crew in bringing together LEAP. This is an outstanding example of community development by incorporating people from the region into a group learning initiative to highlight many areas of tourism in Lee, Estill, and Powell Counties, and to learn from the many aspects of natural, cultural, and historical components. There were many that attended my session and learned a lot about the region that they call home.
To learn more about the Red River Gorge/Natural Bridge/Powell County Region, please visit this WEBSITE.
Comments (0)