As part of Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe’s fourth quarter report to the county council Thursday, representatives of We Lead Kosciusko shared information about the initiative.
“We are pleased to have launched another HELP (Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program) program. Our first program that we launched was the Food Insecurity Program. That will be next month,” Roe said, reminding the council that last quarter they heard about the Hispanic community development program. “... This group, they are officially launched and this project came out of the HELP Strengthening Local Economies Pathway, and the premise was that for all of these home communities, nonprofits, community boards, etc. to continue to grow into the future, that younger folks, between 20 and 50, needed to get involved.”
Roe said they were attempting to figure out what something would look like to address that need. Former Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer spoke up at that meeting and suggested doing a Call Out Event. The team worked on putting that first event together and from there got several people involved in different activities.
Mikie Stogsdill, president for We Lead Kosciusko, said, “Partnering with (HELP), We Lead Kosciusko came to fruition from a white paper project presented to us during Kosciusko Leadership Academy (KLA). Building off HELP’s playbook, we were able to formulate a sustainable direction for the future of We Lead Kosciusko. At the conclusion of KLA, groups present project proud to a panel of judges to be awarded prize money towards said project. We Lead Kosciusko 2.0 ended up winning the 2024 Project Proud and was rewarded with the largest sum of award money ever given for the Northenor Award.”
She explained We Lead Kosciusko is an acquisition market campaign highlighting five pillars that engage the community. As a team, they put together a call-out event - now annually - for individuals 20 to 50 years old interested in volunteering and leading in Kosciusko County.
“Without community engagement, our county will not continue to prosper. If we do not continue to pass the torch to the next generation, we will become stagnant as a community,” Stogsdill stated. “Our plan is to highlight how engaging is not only beneficial for those involved and prosperous for the county, but for the employment and retention purposes, as well.”
She continued that they will present multiple areas where a person’s presence can make a difference within the community they live in, which are elected office, service clubs, community boards, nonprofit organizations and KLA.
“Our vision is to create a lasting positive impact, resulting in better engagement, better community and a better future for all of Kosciusko,” Stogsdill said.
Along with her as president, the We Lead Kosciusko team, who also serves as the board of directors, includes Paige Troyer as vice president, Elizabeth Star as treasurer and C. Austin Rovenstine as secretary.
“We knew to make this vision possible, we would need to be sustainable. Finding generous sponsors year after year would be difficult without having a true funding source. We figured the best way was to turn the vision into a nonprofit 501(c)3 to be able to receive taxable donations and to be able to apply for funds through the Community Foundation,” Stogsdill continued. “Working together with a local attorney, we filed the necessary paperwork with the state and federal government to be granted nonprofit status. Moving forward, we look to secure reoccurring sponsors that want to join in on our collective vision to make a more prosperous Kosciusko County through strong close-knit values that represent Kosciusko.”
Troyer told the council that volunteerism doesn’t just strengthen communities, it also has a profound impact on individuals and businesses.
“Research shows that when employees apply their professional skills to nonprofit work, they develop stronger leadership and broader professional abilities. In fact, a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 92% of HR executives agree volunteering enhances leadership development. Additionally, 70% believe it boosts employee morale, leading to a more engaged and productive workforce,” Troyer said.
Beyond workplace benefits, she talked about how volunteering positively affects individuals’ well-being. Employers who support volunteer initiatives by offering paid time off for services see major returns - turnover rates drop by 50% and productivity rises by 13%.
“These findings make it clear: Fostering a culture of volunteerism isn’t just good for communities, it’s a smart strategy for businesses as well,” Troyer said.
Stogsdill continued, “We strongly believe employees engaging in service and volunteering help develop strong ties with the community while simultaneously providing employers ways to retain talent and employment in Kosciusko County.”
The blueprint for their Call Out Event was having resources conveniently under one roof.
“Annually, we bring together local leaders and residents for connections, learning and information sharing about our community and public service opportunities. Attendees have the opportunity to engage a lineup of leaders covering our five pillars that engage community,” she said. “... Collaboration from this event will hopefully spur long-lasting mentorships that propel the next generation forward. A multitude of different organizations and service clubs were present in person at the 2024 event to encourage people to get involved and we encouraged everyone to sign up for the community board bank to be considered for various boards to sit on.”
Pointing to successes they have already had, she said two attendees from the 2024 event joined the Rotary Club and one joined the Baker Youth Club board. Rachael Rhoades attended the event and was inspired to get involved and ran a successful election campaign for one of the three at-large county council seats.
“Additionally,” Stogsdill said, “once we become more established as an organization, we would like to host workshops for learning opportunities. Some of these could be, but not limited to, nonprofit and community board training and a congress of counties more tailored to Kosciusko. Hopefully, you believe in our cause and will encourage individuals to come join our mission.”
After their presentation, Rhoades told them, “I’m very grateful for everything that you guys have done, and I will say that it’s a true success. It’s well worth encouraging people to go to, and just the passion that’s behind it is conveyed so beautifully. I was excited to put my name in and invest in my county after attending, so thank you for all that you’re doing.”
Council Vice President Kathy Groninger asked what would be the best way for someone to get involved. Stogsdill said a person could reach out to them and they have a social media page on LinkedIn, as well as a page on the KLA website.