Senior Parole Officer Jennifer Baird recently completed Leadership Scotts Bluff, Class XXX. This is a community leadership development-training program provided through the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce. The premise of the 9-month program is to learn about all the entities that make up the entire community and how each is a leader in their own right. The program culminated in the Class XXX members organizing, from start to finish, a benefit to raise funds for four local non-profits of their choosing.
Officer Baird represents the Division of Parole Supervision and has served the Scottsbluff Regional Parole Office for many years as a parole officer. “The reasons I wanted to be a part of this program and class are because I wanted to broaden my community relationships and resources,” said Baird. “I learned so much throughout this class and met so many people that I now consider my friends. From various avenues of industry and commerce, their abilities and skills are invaluable to me.”
The event organized by the class members was “Hoops for Heroes” which coincided with March Madness, the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. A total of $25,000 was raised which was then donated to the selected non-profit organizations in the community—Life Change Connection, Festival of Hope, Disability Rights Nebraska, and the Scottsbluff/Gering Soup Kitchen. As Officer Baird reflects on her experience, she knows she can reach out to any of the members of Class XXX and ask for help or guidance and they will be right there to assist her in any way that they possible can.