As we find ourselves in the last quarter of the year, many of us are looking forward to a new year and a fresh start. The recession, which has as last seemed to find its way to Fort Worth, weighs heavily on our minds. Our careers, our families and our lifestyles are being negatively impacted.

It is during these troubled times, that we must remember the importance of people that have assumed leadership positions and the importance of having people ready to assume such positions. Leadership Fort Worth is critical to both. Since 1972, Leadership Fort Worth has been developing promising people for leadership roles — do the names Kenneth Barr, Erma Johnson Hadley, and Roger Williams sound familiar to you?

Since 1995, Leadership Fort Worth has offered the LeaderKids program, a program free to selected middle school students from the Fort Worth ISD. The LeaderKids program is designed to initiate the development of leadership skills of students that have exhibited leadership-like qualities and are not realizing their potential. I know the day is soon coming when Leadership Fort Worth will be reciting names of LeaderKids graduates that are familiar to everyone.

And already, we are seeing the fruits of our newest program, the Leading Edge young adult program. Started in October of 2008, this program engages approximately 35 young adults in their early 20s and 30s to polish their leadership skills, to broaden their community perspectives and to create community connections with them. Many of our inaugural Leading Edge graduates are currently serving as shadow members of various community boards.

In conclusion, it is during these troubled times that we need to make a concerted effort to remember and appreciate the value of Leadership Fort Worth to our community. Without the programs that Leadership Fort Worth offers, our dynamic community undoubtedly would be less. We appreciate your support and attendance at the Leadership Fort Worth Fellows Dinner at La Grave Field on October 15, 2009, in honor of Mike Berry of Hillwood Properties. See you there!