The Huntsville Leadership Institute (HLI) Class 41 is proud to invite everyone to the ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration of the new stage at Rather Park on Saturday, April 22. The vision of the HLI class, the stage is now a reality after months of planning and hard work.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 11:30 am, but the festivities start at 11 am and will continue until 3 pm with free food, free beverages (beer and sodas), and live music. The celebration will take place in the downtown area of Huntsville, offering a chance for people to enjoy the vibrant community while partying on the stage.
“This is a project that was started with the vision of Main Street. Huntsville Downtown Business Alliance saw an opportunity to involve the HLI class 41 with the goal to help make Huntsville a Texas music city,” said Justin Killingsworth, an HLI student.
The Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce proudly sponsors the Huntsville Leadership Institute (HLI), which graduates an average of 20 individuals each year who are eager to serve their community with the knowledge they learned throughout the prior nine months. HLI was established to foster the development of community leaders from all segments of the Huntsville/Walker County area.
HLI’s mission is to promote leadership as a public responsibility, identify and develop new and emerging leader candidates for community service and improved business practices, encourage communication between current and future leaders, fill key community leadership positions with graduates, and develop a large, active group of graduates.
In addition to leadership training, the program also focuses on community awareness, networking, and relationships. HLI class members visit various businesses and organizations throughout the year to learn what makes the community unique. They also form relationships that last a lifetime, and the program provides networking opportunities to broaden participants’ business and personal relationships.
HLI class members take guided tours of various organizations in the community, including Sam Houston State University, Huntsville Independent School District, Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Wynne & Walls Unit, Trinity River Authority, Huntsville Fire & Police, City Recycling Center, Huntsville Memorial Hospital, and the Walker County Jail, among others. These tours give participants an opportunity to learn what makes Huntsville a unique and thriving community to live, work, and play.
Melissa Barham, an HLI student, explained that as part of the graduation requirement, they were required to participate in a project that gives back to the community. She added that the project had been voted on by the members of HLI Class 41, and each one of them had contributed to its completion.
According to Barham, the new stage has already been booked for events through the summer, including the Main Street Music Series.
The ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration of the new stage at Rather Park is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the vision of HLI Class 41. Join us on Saturday, April 22, and be part of the celebration.
For more information about Huntsville Leadership Institute, click here.
