- November 23, 2024
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The Chamber of Commerce sponsors a seven-day program each year.
BY WAYNE GRANT | STAFF WRITER
Wendy Foreman, a self-employed jewelry designer, wanted to get to know people in the community when she moved to Ormond Beach three years ago.
“It’s hard to meet people when you work out of your home,” she said. “It’s hard to forge relationships.”
Julian Cantillo, president and founder of Axiom Internet Marketing, wanted to network.
So the two are currently developing a networking group together, along with several other local businesses, called the Business League Network. They plan not only to support each other in business but also perform community service projects.
“We want to give back to the community,” Cantillo said.
The two were inspired to form the group when they took part in the Ormond Leadership Seminar last year, which is sponsored annually by the Chamber of Commerce. The next session begins March 29.
There are many facets to the leadership program, according to Linda Camp, who coordinates the program. Participants learn about the city, including history, recreation and government; take part in a community service project; and develop relationships.
“The key is that you get to know the community and become more involved,” she said.
There are seven half-day sessions in the program and two of them are on Saturdays.
Skip Keating, who volunteers for the chamber, said everyone gets the experience of serving as a leader in team-building exercises.
“In business, working with people is always the biggest challenge,” he said. “In Leadership you’ll have to deal with folks and become a better leader. ... If you have 30 classmates, you might end up with 30 best friends."
Cantillo said Leadership was worth the investment because he met future and current business leaders and it “opened up new ideas” not only for business networking but also for helping the community.
His service project was to clean up and organize the Family Renew Thrift Shop, and the group he is forming with Foreman plans on similar projects.
“We’ll be painting, cleaning, whatever we have to do,” he said. “We learned the real needs of the community.”
Dina Maru, now working as a health insurance agent, went from not liking Florida to enjoying living in Ormond Beach.
A transplant from Colorado, Maru said she had no idea of the recreational and cultural opportunities in the area until she took the tours and seminars provided in the seminar.
“I didn’t realize there is so much to do and so much nature,” she said. “When I found out how many parks there are, I was quite surprised. I love the outdoors.”
She now feels like a member of the community. She learned about fundraising in her community project, which has helped in her volunteer work, and she values the contacts she made.
“We developed a good connection and make referrals to each other,” she said.
Visit ormondchamber.com.
