Sep 21, 2018

Service Above Self

Is there a difference between a leader and a boss? The answer over here at Pixl is a resounding YES. Leaders inspire instead of manage. They listen first instead of talk. They pull instead of push, they’re warm instead of cold, and they say “we” instead of “I.”

We would know, because Pixl’s top brass—Michelynne McNeeley—is not our boss, she’s our fearless leader. But, true to form, she gives credit where credit is due. She insists that her skills are not her own; they’re the product of a journey that began long ago at a special camp called RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award).

The Rotary Club is over one hundred years old, and was created by a group of businessmen who discovered that sharing solutions to their business problems could help the community at large. They decided to rotate their meeting sites to their respective offices every week, and thus the “Rotary” was born. Fast-forward a century, and it’s now the largest independent giving organization in the world. Their motto: service above self.

 

Besides offering networking opportunities, leadership and business development, continuing education, and an extensive and openhearted community, the Rotary also offers service opportunities—one being the chance to volunteer at Camp RYLA as a counselor and mentor to the future leaders of the world.

It’s probably no surprise that Michelynne has been doing this for over 15 years, making Pixl and its partners very proud. But this past summer, one of Pixl’s newest partners, John Warder, also donated his time and talent. The product of his labor: a fantastic video that highlights everything that is good and right about a camp solely dedicated to teaching kids that giving your gifts away is always a net gain.

The RYLA program is open to all high school students completing their junior year, and the participants are selected by their local Rotary Club and funded by scholarship. Once chosen, they’re off to Midlothian , Texas – to Camp Hoblitzelle —where they’ll spend the week team building, motivating, communicating, listening, and best of all: learning to lead with love.  Service above self.

Pixl believes in that, and we believe in RYLA.

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