Organization’s fundraising breakfast sets tone for the year
TOLEDO – It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For Leadership Toledo, it might just be the most important meal of the year.
The nonprofit’s 20th annual Community Fundraiser Breakfast will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel. Doors open at 8 a.m., and breakfast and the program begin at 8:30 a.m. While attendance is free, there will be opportunities to make donations, and the event includes several sponsors.
Anna Toney, Leadership Toledo’s executive director, said the roughly 500 people expected to attend will learn about the organization’s role in the region. “The theme is ‘Power of Community,’” she said. “It’s a platform for us to talk about the work we are doing in the community.”
That work includes programs for youths and adults. “The breakfast supports our youth program and scholarships for our adult programs,” Toney said. She said highlights will be opportunities and challenges, and attendees will “discover how they can be part of the solutions to issues in the community.”
Youth Leadership Toledo is a nine-month program for high school sophomores. Toney said this year the tuition-free program includes 60 students from more than 30 high schools, largely in Lucas and Wood counties.
“It’s about helping them to develop and discover more about their community leadership skills,” she explained. “We want them to become more confident leaders, connect to their community, and grow in self-awareness and identify meaningful service.”
The signature, tuition-based adult program brings together a diverse group of people to facilitate meaningful conversation for action in the community, Toney said. Each of the 10 months the group is together features a different topic, such as education, public safety and cultural arts. “We bring in speakers to talk about what’s happening in the community,” she said.
Leadership Toledo is bringing in speakers for the fundraising breakfast to talk about the organization and how the attendees can help. They are:
Dan Dower, regional president of KeyBank, Leadership Toledo board president.
Gena Collier, training and development analyst for the City of Toledo, Leadership Toledo adult program alumnus.
Kim Finch, manager, community engagement and events, Buckeye Broadband, Leadership Toledo adult program alumnus.
Nina Clark, Ottawa Hills High School junior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Arjun Jayaraman, Anthony Wayne High School junior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Jacob Lesick, University of Cincinnati senior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Toney, who has been the nonprofit’s executive director since 2017, reflected on the area the organization serves. “The Toledo community has lot of pride. People are dedicated and celebrating everything that we have. We are small enough, yet large enough where there is a lot happening that we should be proud of.”
She said Leadership Toledo has had natives and transplants alike say they have “found a place here where they can ‘plug in.’ If you can find a passion, we want to help you go all in.”
She said she’s seen positive energy in Toledo, and that “it’s a great place to live, work and play. That’s what we’re doing at Leadership Toledo, highlighting reasons why Toledo is a special place to call home.”
Breakfast attendees are to register in advance by visiting leadershiptoledo.org.
