I’ve been fortunate to be hooked up with Leadership Fort Collins this year.  It’s an exciting opportunity to get connected with a lot of pivotal activities in the city – and more importantly, a bunch of people who are out there DOING important stuff.

Sometimes I tire of all the conversation going on in the newspaper, Facebook, and meetup groups.  It can be great stuff – don’t get me wrong – but I find too many instances where talking is taking the place of doing.

LFC is more interesting because we’re digging in a lot deeper than I ever would normally.  For example, a couple of weeks ago we spent a day visiting Beattie Elementary, Front Range Community College, and a couple of CSU schools.  We spent a whole day learning about the array of educational opportunities, and digging into what issues are affecting them.  That can make a very real difference to how I vote, and what groups I get involved in.

One of the assignments we’re given in LFC is to form small groups who each define and execute a project during the year.  My group got so inspired by the needs of the homeless and disadvantaged in Fort Collins that we’re hooking up with The Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope and Homeless Gear.  These are organizations which are actually, really, saving peoples’ lives.

The homeless are largely invisible in this wonderful city, especially when we pass ordinances trying to severely limit panhandling.  No, I don’t like panhandling either, but we have to realize that for some people, this means actual survival.  Being able to have SOMEthing to eat that day.

It humbles me to be a part of a group that’s actually making a difference to help our fellow man.

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