Leadership and Promotion

Summary of Events

August and September were spent recruiting business students for our local FBLA Chapter. Seventy-seven students joined FBLA, and most of the members went on to become active committee participants.

Lee County Chamber of Commerce sponsored the 61st Annual Tobacco Festival Parade on Saturday, October 2nd. Our FBLA Chapter entered a float and placed first in the civic float competition. Several members rode the float and passed out candy as they rode through the town of Pennington Gap.

A successful campaign for chapter officers was run during the month of September. Nominees handed out candy and made posters. In October, officers met for supper at Mrs. Day's house. They enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs grilled by Mr. Day. Program of work and several other important matters were discussed.

At the State Leadership Conference, several LCCTC FBLA members had the opportunity to listen to many inspirational speakers to inspire leadership in themselves. Chad Foster, a successful businessman who has had his own show on ESPN called Fly Fishing America, was the keynote speaker at the conference. Foster told inspiring stories from his life to instill in the students the desire to reach for their dreams. Foster's other accomplishments also include playing an instrumental role in the development and marketing of SAF DEK™, a playground surface seen at McDonald's Playlands and at Walt Disney World.

Two LCCTC FBLA members ran successful campaigns for office and proved themselves to be among 'simply the best' of Virginia's FBLA members. Caitlyn Russell was elected President of the UVA's College at Wise FBLA Region. She will also serve as a vice-president at the state level. Hannah Fitzgerald was elected to the office of state reporter and will help to inform all the regional and local FBLA chapters about the news from the state chapter.