This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Leadership Novato's New Class Debuts in Style

Outdoor barbecue banquet kicks off the new season at Pacheco Ranch Winery.

Imagine a community program designed to identify and develop community leaders to help guide Novato for decades to come.

Leadership Novato, offered annually by the , is just that program, and its Class of 2012 celebrated the new Class of 2013 with a barbecue Aug. 29 at .

Each year, Leadership Novato’s most recent graduated class — usually about 20 people — hosts a welcoming barbecue to meet, greet and encourage the new class as well as honor past graduates. The new Leadership Novato candidates are brought together for a retreat/first class in September and continue to meet one full day a month for eight months, with graduation in May.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Leadership Novato encourages new and future community leaders to take active roles in civic organizations and causes. The program has graduated nearly 400 students since 1991, many of whom are generously sponsored by their employees, leading businesses and public agencies. Together, students and their sponsors fulfill the program's vision of nurturing community leaders throughout Novato and Marin.

 Nearly 100 Leadership alumni met under the Pacheco Ranch Winery oaks to welcome the 2013 candidates. Use of the venue was generously donated by winery proprietors Herb and Deb Rowland, members of one of Novato’s oldest families.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 The Novato Fire Chili Company, comprised of local firefighters and supported by the Novato Fire Foundation, cooked up some award-winning chili with an impressive setup that included a tricked-out booth with lights and siren. 

The event's in-kind donors were Pacheco Ranch Winery, Trek Winery, Whole Foods Novato, and Moylan’s Brewery. Additional sponsors included Ashe Management Group, John Zikmund of Atria Tamalpais Creek, Bank of Marin, Cameron Coffey & Kaye Professional Corporation, Cameron Tile & Stone, Inc., Costco, Jan Goldberg of Delicious Catering, Janis Garrigus of Garrigus Events, Homa Rassouli Mortgage Broker, Novato Patch, Sonoma Bank, Sophie Pouteau of Tutor Doctor, Veolia Water, and Leadership Novato’s Class of 2012.

Stay Patched in! Follow Novato Patch on Twitter | Like Novato Patch on Facebook | Sign up for the daily e-mail with links to the latest news.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?