Keeping Busy with Leadership Anchorage While J's in LA

Took J to the airport yesterday. Although cloud covered most of the sky, Denali and Foraker where shimmering crisp and clear under a blue sky and in bright sunlight off in the distance. (The battery in my camera was home charging, so no pictures.) Then to my class. (I'm still working on my photoshop picture and will post it when it's reasonably done.) Then I had dinner with K. Jim at Leadership Anchorage invited me to be K's mentor. I think we hit it off well. Today was the mentor orientation at the school district. There are about 16 [20] participants in this year's Leadership Anchorage class. The other mentors who were there were an impressive group including Arliss Sturgulewski (former Municipal Assembly member, State Senator, and who continues to work hard to support the development of our community and good state policy), Eleanor Andrews (owner of the Andrews group, former Commissioner of Administration for the state, and currently working as head of the Anchorage Urban League), Carol Comeau (Anchorage school superintendent) and Michael Carey (Anchorage Daily News columnist, former editor, radio host, whose expertise on Alaska and Palin was featured widely - BBC, NPR, etc.).

This was a great photo opportunity, but I couldn't find my camera on the way out. I did find it when I got home. Always need to put things back where they belong, not just a convenient vacant spot. So, no pictures. But the participants are a varied group working in a wide variety of places from the Food Bank, to Providence, to Municipal Light and Power, and many other places.

There are no age restrictions for this program that started in 1997. Applications for next year's class can be turned in between May and August 2009. This is something I highly recommend for anyone who's interested in leadership training with a focus on community service. Check the Leadership Anchorage website.