Leadership Gillespie County Class Project

LGC Class 2025

By: Jim Mikula

Risk-taking is widely regarded as essential to effective leadership, especially in today’s rapidly changing and competitive environment. Multiple sources emphasize that leaders who take calculated risks are more likely to drive innovation, foster growth, and adapt successfully to new challenges. Further, effective risk management is a core responsibility of leadership, shaping not only organizational resilience but also long-term success. Leaders play a pivotal role in identifying, assessing, and responding to risks, and the approach he or she takes sets the tone for the entire organization.

Each year the Leadership Gillespie County (LGC) class selects a community project as part of the class curriculum. The 2024 class worked with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Gillespie County to design and build their website to share the history of the church plus assist with fund raising. Sometimes ideas for projects come to life after a class has completed their year, an example is the Fredericksburg Parks Foundation which was formed by members of the LGC Class of 2022 In 2023. To date, the Leadership Gillespie County classes have completed thirty-one community projects.

The 2025 Leadership Gillespie County class selected a community project to raise funds for the Star Bright Foundation and Advantage Care Services, which has served our community for nearly 20 years. The mission of the foundation is to “remove financial barriers for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, enabling access to enriching camps and recreational activities. We provide emergency assistance for essential needs when other resources fall short, fostering inclusion and independence for those we serve.”

The Star Bright Foundation supports Advantage Care Services, which has an office in Fredericksburg that serves Gillespie County. Advantage Care Services takes a Kenpersonal approach to every aspect of their services. From initial conversation with prospective families to the execution of our programs, the Advantage Care staff work closely with families to make sure every individual meets their maximum

potential.

Back to risk taking and leadership. The Leadership class of 2025 demonstrated the importance of taking risks to achieve a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal). The class decided to produce a fundraising banquet for the Star Bright Foundation/Advantage Care Services and to hold the event at our town’s newest hospitality amenity, The Albert Hotel. The risk for the class was that collectively the members of the

class had to take financial responsibility for the event. I think we all know how this type of responsibility can create focus and action.

The class put a plan in place that mitigated risk and maximized a return for their efforts. Last Thursday April 24, the event exceeded expectations. The event sold out weeks in advance. The class’s hospitality at the event put everyone in a charitable mood. The result is that nearly $50,000 was raised for the Starbright Foundation to support the Advantage Care Services team here in Fredericksburg. This is a sizeable and timely donation for a lesser-known charity.

Each year there are two volunteers, most of whom are LGC graduates, who mentor the class which continues the tradition of aspiring to excellence that each class exhibits. Ending her two year term as a class mentor is Julie Herbort. On behalf of the Leadership Gillespie County classes of 2024 and 2025 I extend our appreciation and gratitude to Julie for her service to these classes and our community! Thank you also to this year’s other mentor Teri Schepens who plans to continue in the role for the next class.