Residents Complete Blandin Community Leadership Program Retreat

       REDLAKE – Twenty-four representatives from 5 Northern Minnesota Indian Reservations completed a five-day leadership retreat on October 18-25, 2003, the first segment of an intense eight-day training that comprises the Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP). This team will participate in two more workshops coming up in February and May 2004.

       Since 1985, BCLP has provided experiential leadership training for over 3,800 community leaders from more than 200 rural Minnesota communities. This time the program has been offered in 5 Northern Minnesota Indian Reservations. Participating teams, chosen by a local selection committee, are representative of the community’s ethnic and cultural diversity, varying levels of involvement, occupations and life situations. Representatives from Red Lake at October’s BCLP retreat were: Joe Johnson, Evon Spears, Alice Benaise, Rodney Prentice and Thelma May.

       The goal of the Blandin Community Leadership Program is to develop and train a broad base of local leaders to work collaboratively in their communities to anticipate change, manage conflict, build consensus and create a positive future. Topics covered during retreat sessions included: defining community problems and opportunities, communication, conflict management, community power, leadership skills, community analysis and goal setting.

       “Rural people are passionate about where the live, and that’s certainly the case here,” said Jim Krile, Director of the Blandin Community Leadership Program. “The enthusiasm and hard work demonstrated by these participants is truly impressive.”

       BCLP training programs are supported entirely by the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation whose mission it is to strengthen rural Minnesota communities. The program is made available free of charge to participants because of an $88,000 Blandin Foundation expenditure which covers all costs for food, lodging and tuition at the retreat and workshops.