Communities need leaders – no doubt about it.

Where do those leaders come from? Many of those leaders were born and raised in their communities. Some leaders, during their adult years, move into those communities. In Washington, it’s no different.

To help groom leaders, the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce conducts Leadership Beaufort, a multi-week long “academy” that exposes area residents to information they’ll need to know to be effective leaders. Leadership Beaufort just graduated its latest class, from which community leaders should emerge.

Leadership Beaufort trains its participants so they know more about the community. By knowing more about the community, those people can better serve it. If Leadership Beaufort does nothing more than educate its participants about Washington and Beaufort County, it’s doing a service to the community.

With the knowledge they gain from attending Leadership Beaufort, its graduates are better equipped to take on roles of responsibility in the community. These graduates one day will become the leaders of nonprofit organizations that do so much good work in the community. These graduates one day will become the city or town council members or county commissioners who set policies that chart the course for local government and oversee implementation of those policies. These graduates one day will run businesses that effect the local economy and educational institutions in the community that influence local children.

Through Leadership Beaufort, the chamber of commerce is investing its resources in area residents in hopes of them becoming community leaders who will invest their time and talents in the community. It’s a safe bet that investment will produce dividends for years to come.