This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend the HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth) Leadership seminar at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. Over the course of three days, I was surrounded by 97 other amazing young Tennessee leaders as I sat in on leadership talks, worked on service projects, and promoted Threads Of Care!
We had amazing speakers like Jessica Harthcock, CEO of Utilize Health, a health care company that assists its patients in finding therapy facilities and making “informed healthcare decisions,” Linda Shadt, a former worker on Capitol Hill, and Erin Anderson, an artist manager. Each of these inspiring speakers taught us imperative leadership techniques such as setting SMART (Specific, Manageable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals, and working effectively in groups.
At HOBY, I also worked on a service project for the Oasis Center with my designated group. We gathered an assortment of protein, fruit, sweet, and salty snacks, and placed them inside plastic bags. Those bags were then sent to Oasis to provide food for teens in need. In total, everyone at HOBY made a little more than 500 snack bags! That’s 500 teens that will be fed in the Nashville area.
While at HOBY, I was given the opportunity to describe what we do here, and was able to recruit 33 new Founding Members (The Inaugural Class of 2017) who will join the Threads of Care family and be working with us in the upcoming months. The future looks incredibly bright for TOC!
Overall, HOBY was such an amazing experience. In just a few days, I met so many wonderful friends and passionate leaders. All I can really say now is that HOBY changed me, and helped me understand how to be a better community servant and a better citizen. I’m excited about continuing this partnership between TOC and HOBY.
“I believe every person is created as the steward of his or her own destiny with great power for a specific purpose: To share with others, through service, a reverence for life in a spirit of love.” Hugh O’ Brian