Community leaders from Key Largo to Key West escaped with fingers and toes intact as Leadership Monroe County’s Class XXX – the best class – reunited for its second session on Nov. 4-6: a three-day trip from Key Largo through the Everglades National Park.
Beginning with a classroom session and boat ride at Key Largo’s MarineLab, the 21 members of Class XXX received an education on the connections between the Keys’ grass bed, coral reef and open ocean ecosystems before traveling to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority to learn the exact science behind some of the nation’s cleanest tap water. (Did you know it’s tested 219 times per day?)
From there, the weekend was a whirlwind of environmental wonder as the class visited four museums and nature trails interspersed between tours of one of Florida’s most crucial ecological centers via boats, swamp buggies and airboats. As is tradition in the program, members of Class XXIX “Delta Force” returned to Everglades City’s Rod and Gun Club on Saturday night to provide a dinner and celebration of LMC’s 30th anniversary.
Founded in 1992, the LMC program is aimed at community residents who are active in leadership roles in the private sector, government or community organizations. Through a series of one- and two-day sessions, participants examine fundamental segments of the local community and gather information to help them make quality leadership decisions. The program has a strong alumni base and urges all graduates of the program to stay tuned for Leadership alumni events throughout the Keys as the program returns to full force in a post-COVID world. More information is at leadershipmonroecounty.org.
Rickert is a member of Leadership Class XXX.
