Leadership Geauga Presents $19,119 check to Non-Profit Next Step

Representatives from Leadership Geauga County presented a check for $19,119.00 to Andrea Pollock, Executive Director of Next Step and recipient of the Leadership Geauga 2022 Emerald Leader Award, on Friday, March 25, 2022.

The check represented half of the proceeds from the “Call to the Heart” portion of the live auction at Leadership Geauga’s sold out Emerald Ball fundraiser on March 5. The other half of the proceeds will support Leadership Geauga’s programs and services to the community.

“It is a great day at the office when you get to gather with the volunteers who helped organize the Emerald Ball and hand a $19,000 check to one of the most deserving organizations in Geauga County,” Leadership’s Executive Director Meredith Ashkettle said.  “I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the results of the 2022 “Call to the Heart” from the Emerald Ball! It was the largest” Call to the Heart in the history of Leadership Geauga and speaks to the amazing work Andrea is doing at Next Step and the extreme generosity of our wonderful Geauga County.”

Since 2001, LGC has honored outstanding community leaders, whose dedicated service has significantly enhanced Geauga County’s quality of life, by recognizing each as an “Emerald Leader” at the organization’s annual gala, the Emerald Ball.  The video in support of Andrea and her work with Next Step was produced by students from the Auburn Career Center under the supervision of Rodney Kozar, instructor of Interactive Multimedia Technology.

This is the fourth year that proceeds from the “Call to the Heart” portion of the Emerald Ball live auction have been donated to a local organization. “We are thrilled with the huge donation,” remarked Andrea Pollock. “It will certainly help us to continue to serve young adults in the county. They come to us hopeful that we might be able to provide them with something better. They don’t really believe they deserve it but it is our job to tell them otherwise, to teach them that they can accomplish anything with support and care from our great community.”

Previous recipients have included the Geauga County 4-H Clubs, the Geauga Hunger Task Force, and the Geauga County Veterans Food Pantry.