Leadership Shelby County projects underway for 2017

The Leadership Shelby County class of 2017 has had its projects for the upcoming year approved and is ready to start working. The class of 40 is divided into four groups, and each group will take on a separate project. 

The nominees are selected based on leadership ability in their chosen field and a shown interest and commitment to the future of Shelby County. Class size is limited to 40, and the selection process is competitive. This year’s class includes a diverse group of representatives from fields that include legal, banking, human resources, education, religion, real estate, media and more. 

The purpose of Leadership Shelby County is to develop leadership potential throughout the community by providing a collaboration of knowledge and understanding. It equips leaders with the skills and abilities to improve the economic growth and development of Shelby County. Participants are encouraged to take their leadership experience into opportunities of service. The mission of the independent nonprofit and nonpartisan organization is to enhance the quality of life in Shelby County. 

Each September, the new class goes on an overnight retreat for team building. Once each month from October through May, the class attends full-day sessions on various topics that are designed to increase awareness of issues, provide a powerful knowledge base and promote the development of interactive problem-solving skills. It culminates with a graduation in May, where each class presents its project. Even after their nine months is over, the alumni will continue leadership development among alumni and across a wide spectrum of the entire community leadership network.

Here is a breakdown of what each of the four groups will be doing. 

Group 1- Karen Fillingim, chairperson

Fillingim is the executive assistant to the mayor of the city of Alabaster. She said their project is to provide a resource room for court-ordered supervised parental visitation. 

“We will be creating a friendly and interactive environment to encourage parents to engage with their children,” she said.  

Through interactive play, the participants can find relief from an already stressful situation. The room will also serve as a decompression room for children after the visit with their parent.

Group 2- Clay Hammac, chairperson

Hammac is the commander of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force. He said his group’s goals were to invest and serve the community and to maintain sustainability.

They are starting an organization called Polly’s Hope. Hammac, who has been a foster parent for years and has had almost 20 children in his home, has seen first-hand kids arriving with a black garbage bag holding their few belongings. The first foster child in his home was named Polly, so this project is named after her.

“It’s time sensitive moving a child from a dangerous situation or leaving an impoverished environment, and kids have nothing to carry with them,” Hammac said.

Polly’s Hope will create survival kits with items needed during a transition in care for children being placed in emergency care. The kits will contain material items including hygiene products, bed linens and clothes to get them through the first few days and equip first responders, DHR and faith-based leaders, to have them when they need them. 

“Our vision is to serve as a recognizable entity, to connect community and corporate resources to children and families in need in Shelby County,” Hammac said. “We plan to set up a 501(c)(3) so we can receive community contributions.”

Potential partnerships for this project may include Shelby County DHR, Owen’s House, Shelby Baptist Association and designated safe places such as law enforcement and fire stations.

Group 3- Ashley Cole-Tyson, chairperson 

Cole-Tyson is the director of risk management and patient safety at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. She and her group will work to bring awareness for volunteer opportunities in Shelby County. A Facebook page will be set up where leaders of organizations in Shelby County will post their available volunteer opportunities. They would be contributors to the page and manage their own content. 

“We’d like to come up with a logo and public relations plan to push out notifications about the Facebook page and about opportunities to encourage volunteerism,” Cole-Tyson said. 

Using a strategy similar to Hands On Birmingham, they will follow their lead and focus only on Shelby County and connecting places in need with people to help.

Group 4- Lanette Thomas, chairperson

Thomas is a Realtor at Realty South. She and her group will be working with Backpack Buddies, an established nonprofit in Shelby County that provides children on free or reduced lunch with a bag on Fridays with food for them over the weekend. 

“I’m part of Shelby Women’s League, and one of our meetings was a Backpack Buddies packing party,” Thomas said. “It was then it really hit me in my heart. These poor kids don’t have anything to eat all weekend. A lot of people don’t know about it, or what they can do to help.” 

Thomas said they want to raise awareness for this project that is already up and running. She said people may have a misconception that Shelby County doesn’t have a need for this. They hope to coordinate with different corporations for sponsorship of the program, as well as high schools so students can work toward community service hours.

For more information, go to leadershipshelby

county.wordpress.com.