One of the key programs of the Greater Hollywood (Florida) Chamber of Commerce is Leadership Hollywood, an interactive program where participants get to view up close, work together and acquire a unique knowledge of resources and services available in Hollywood, Broward County and the State of Florida.
Each year, approximately 35 leaders from the Hollywood business, non-profit, education and healthcare communities participate in Leadership Hollywood. It is, in fact, one of the state’s longest-running leadership programs.
The nine-month program is comprised of an organized curriculum of power-packed workdays that include personal growth and leadership skill training and visits to city workplaces and service organizations, all providing a chance to get to know and learn more about the current leaders and programs in our community.
The biggest part of the Leadership Program is the Community Service Project. Throughout the year, the class is broken up into smaller groups who create, promote and execute a project designed to support a non-profit organization in Hollywood. One of this year’s projects was the Hollywood Youth Triathlon, run at and in conjunction with the Hollywood YMCA.
On Saturday morning, June 15th, about 40 kids, aged 5 to 12, ran, biked and swam around the streets of Hollywood. They were so focused, that they didn’t even realize that they were learning about health, fitness, goal-setting and water safety!
The Leadership Hollywood team helped to raise awareness for the event and find sponsors, and was on hand to guide the kids, serve as timekeepers, cheer the kids on and present the awards as they finished. Layla Alo Caballero, our very active Shallow Water Blackout Prevention Ambassador in Miami, Florida, was an exhibitor at this event. Layla distributed information about shallow water blackouts, and discussed the dangers of prolonged breath holding along with the other rules for water safety that we promote. According to Layla “The event was a huge success and many people, both children and adults, learned about shallow water blackouts and the dangers of prolonged breath holding.”
The Leadership Hollywood experience is one that stays with and benefits participants throughout their careers. They grow as leaders and get to know like-minded people who will always be their allies in the community, and make friendships that will last a lifetime.
Shallow Water Blackout Prevention extends it deep appreciation to Layla for her ongoing commitment to helping us save lives by raising awareness about shallow water blackouts.
Thank you, Layla