It was earlier this month; Sunday, August 2nd through Thursday, August 6th; that Vermilion County Clerk Robyn Heffern participated in the Edgar Fellows Program. This is a leadership program, founded by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, that brings together leaders from across Illinois to learn from one another and strengthen public service. The conference, which happens annually in Champaign, took place at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center behind the State Farm Center.
Heffern was one over 150 around Illinois nominated to participate this year, and one of 40 selected. Heffern says she was the only participant from East Central Illinois; with several coming down to Champaign from the Windy City and Suburbs area. But she learned a lot of new names quickly.
AUDIO: It was a lot of different speakers. It was a bipartisanship conference. There were senators. There were state reps. There were business owners. There was just a variety of different people.
Heffern says one person who really got her attention was Bolingbrook’s Mayor Mary Alexander – Basta.
AUDIO: My big thing in this office is to get the youth involved. There was a mayor there that had came up with a program through her office; that she has internships and guest community service hours for that. So that’s one thing that I’m looking into now. I thought that was a big thing; to get the youth involved here, have them kind of follow the election process.
Heffern also says that the whole thing was kind of like joining a new club.
AUDIO: Well there are different things you can get involved in once you’re in Edgar Fellows. A dinner that they have in November every year up in Chicago is some kind of fundraiser for the Edgar Fellows. They also urge you to get involved with nominations, and different things like that. So, once you’re a Fellow, I think you’re always a fellow. You’re just invited to different events.
So indeed, now that she’s participated in Edgar Fellows, Heffern will be able to nominate someone for next year’s program.
