Hutchinson, September 2021
After our 2019-2020 class being disrupted, and the cancelation of the 2020-2021 class, McLeod For Tomorrow was happy to be back at what we do best: building up leaders and connecting communities. We start doing this by introducing participants to influential members of each community, helping them understand their individual skills, and showing them their leadership skills even if they don’t see themselves as a leader. Each year, our program follows a similar model, despite tours, locations and methods changing. The core of what we do remains constant.
The Beginning of the Day
The day starts off with greetings, breakfast and introductions. 2021’s first leadership program day took place in Hutchinson at the McLeod County Historical Museum. Executive Director, Brian Haines graciously hosted our program for the day. This offered a beautiful facility, a historical connection, and an opportunity to learn more about McLeod County. Read more about the McLeod County Museum here. 
Leadership Education
Catie Rasmussen was our University of Minnesota Extension educator for the first session. Catie has been a staple in McLeod For Tomorrow and other bridging programs across Minnesota. September’s lesson was ‘Understanding your own personal leadership style’; Featuring Myers Briggs evaluation discussion and the differences between personality types. Our group participated in activities that showed a physical representation of the differences in how we think. These activities really drove home the content.
Tours and Community Education
After the leadership training portion of the day, our participants ate lunch and got ready to tour Hutchinson. Our historical tour of the city was done by Jim Fahey, representing Historic Hutchinson. Part of the tour included touring the old church shown below. The ceiling is the original and untouched ceiling! Mr. Fahey pointed out homes that were moved to their current location, homes with different architectural styles, and locations of other important landmarks. Finally, we saw the oldest home in Hutchinson, the Harrington Merrill house. Efforts to restore the home to its original glory are underway. Mr. Fahey puts on an incredible tour that reflects on the importance of restoration and history, while looking forward to the future.
To close the day, we toured the McLeod County Museum and had happy hour at Mainstreet Sports Bar. This period of reflections gives the cohort an opportunity to learn more about one another and network.
A successful first program day for the 2021 year resulted in a positive experience for the group. After Covid required us to cancel the 2020 program year, we are grateful to be back up and running.
