FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 22, 2022   |  Contact: Leo Priddy (540) 382-3020

Leadership NRV Chooses Friends of the Huckleberry for 2022 Legacy Project

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership New River Valley (Leadership NRV) Class of 2022 has selected Friends of the Huckleberry as the recipient of the Legacy Project. Leadership NRV is a 10-month nationally recognized leadership program which meets monthly to enhance leadership and change management skills in the context of community. The Class of 2022 will utilize skills developed in the program to present ways to build capacity for the Friends of the Huckleberry.

Leadership NRV will work with the board and President Beth Lohman to apply leadership principles and the concepts of the book, Switch, to increase the capacity for their project and examine how they can enhance Friends of the Huckleberry.
“With the previous President, Bill Ellenbogen, stepping back from a leadership role, the organization is at a fork in the trail,” President Lohman said, “We are asking ourselves, what comes next for Friends of the Huckleberry, and what does our role in and relationship to the trail look like going forward?”

The Legacy Project provides an opportunity for Friends of the Huckleberry to work with a group of aspiring community leaders and explore where Friend’s focus should be while ensuring they establish the organizational capacity to meet their new goals. They believe building relationships with the business community and other nonprofits will be key for success, and there is no better way to build those kinds of relationships than to work on a project together.

Friends of the Huckleberry is a 30-year-old organization that has worked in partnership with local communities and governments to promote, fund, construct, and maintain the Huckleberry Trail. As advocates of the trail, they hope to connect people and communities while improving their wellness, economic health, and experience of the trail. 

“We're honored to be selected for this year's Legacy Project, and grateful for the opportunity to get to know and work with a diverse group of leaders,” President Lohman said, “We're looking forward to the feedback from program participants and the opportunities that may present themselves this year.”

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce serves Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County, supporting approximately 600 local businesses through business advocacy, education, marketing, and networking opportunities.  For more information on Leadership NRV, visit the chamber website at www.montgomerycc.org, or call The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce at 540.382.3020.