leaders within the community. However, the original direction of the program focused mainly on Culpeper’s governing aspects. Scott Found of Found & Sons Funeral
Chapel was one of the first attendees, graduating in 1996. Back then, the first Lead Culpeper groups met mostly at the old Aberdeen Barn once a month, and held discussions over tea. “I remember at the very end of the
program we had to do an extensive presentation. We picked an issue that was in Culpeper and affected local politics. I was able to get Judge Frank Summerville to come in and talk about juveniles in the court system. Te biggest complaint back then was kids skateboarding on the streets. So, they built a skatepark,” Found said. Tese first groups were able to stay at the
Longlea Conference Center for a weekend retreat to work on their projects. “It was certainly beneficial. We spent a
lot of time at town and county meetings, board meetings and planning meetings. A lot of folks that I went to class with went on to be in the town council,” Found recalled. Keith Farrish, a 2014 graduate and
owner of Saddle Ridge Farm, said, “Simply
Lead alums Jeff Say, Joe Short, Wes Mayles and Stephen King.
REBECCA MELTON
put, Lead Culpeper is equivalent to having the mayor give you keys to the town. It exposed me to all facets of the inner workings and the people behind what makes Culpeper operate.” Today, Lead Culpeper has evolved to
encompass so many aspects of the workings of Culpeper as a whole, including the local government and beyond. Tis leadership development course educates participants in the opportunities and challenges of Culpeper’s economy by providing tours of local industries and engaging them in businesses of all sizes, schools, nonprofits, agribusinesses and more.
“It is a really good way to learn about
everything that comes together to make the county work,” said John Christiansen, Executive Director of the Museum of Culpeper History. “All the different support services we have, all the different cultural organizations, and how government ties in with that. All those things help make Culpeper a community.” Christiansen graduated with the class
of 2024 and has been able to use the connections he has made to plan for future collaborations that could help the museum bring life to local history. Many alumni continue to benefit
from the connections made during their time in Lead Culpeper. While some were able to grow their own business from the experience, others were able to grow their careers. “I learned a lot about the community
that I would not have learned otherwise,” said Wes Mayles, a 2016 graduate. “It also helped set the pathway for me to get more involved with the Chamber of Commerce and the community, eventually leading the Chamber for a few years and making the connections that I still have today.”
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