On May 15, employees and board members representing various organizations from across La Porte County gathered in the La Porte County Family YMCA’s Harvey B. Shick Gymnasium for the dodgeball event of the third annual La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) Olympics. Each participating organization had its own co-ed team, and several members were joined by their relatives on the court. Although there was plenty of healthy competition, opposing teams did not hesitate to congratulate one another often.
LEAP was formed from the partnership between the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce and the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation.
LEAP seeks to promote commercial growth in La Porte County and help foster strong connections between the county’s organizations. The LEAP Olympics were first held in 2022 with the intention of bringing members of various organizations together for a series of fun and community-building events.
Besides dodgeball, this year’s LEAP Olympics features bowling, euchre, cornhole, and trivia. Lindsay Kneifel, director of marketing and communications at LEAP, considers the LEAP Olympics to be an important occasion for the La Porte County community for several reasons.
“I enjoy watching the team-building that takes place when everyone comes together for the LEAP Olympics,” Kneifel said. “It's fun seeing them interact within their own departments, and it gives them a chance to interact with new people. We’re always trying to promote health and exercise here in La Porte County, and we thought that dodgeball would suit our event roster well. It’s such a fun sport to watch, and it's really nice to see the companies’ teams come together and cooperate to win the games.”
This year’s participants in the dodgeball tournament included representatives from Horizon Bank, Northwest Health, the La Porte County Family YMCA, E-PAK Machinery, Howmet Aerospace, and the City of La Porte. Mayor of La Porte Tom Dermody joined his fellow City of La Porte teammates on the court in the battle for dodgeball supremacy.
There were quite a few heart-pounding moments during the tournament as each team struggled mightily for the trophy. In the end, the team representing Northwest Health would emerge victorious for the second year in a row. Amanda Cleek, director of surgical services at Northwest Health and co-captain of the Northwest Health team, views the LEAP Olympics as a unique and fun opportunity to connect with others.
“Participating in events like the LEAP Olympics alongside my colleagues is great,” she said. “We work with each other every day, but this is a nice way to get out of the office and have some fun. It’s also a great way to network because it’s a low-pressure environment that allows you to mingle and casually meet new people. There's no agenda, and you aren’t experiencing the hustle and bustle of the workplace setting.”
Seth Clinkenbeard, interim director of radiology with Franciscan Alliance, serves as the other Northwest Health team captain alongside his wife. He finds that the LEAP Olympics reflect the positive spirit of the La Porte County community.
“Being a part of the La Porte County community is awesome,” he said. “My wife and I just moved here, so it's nice to get out and interact with other community members at an event like this. The LEAP Olympics are good for partnerships, community involvement, and making connections with people you haven’t met before. It’s great to be back here again.”
After the tournament drew to a close, the Northwest Health team celebrated its win and posed for photos with its hard-won trophy. After congratulating the winners, the opposing team members departed, eager to get another chance at winning the trophy next year. The winner of the LEAP Olympics will be announced on Friday May 17, after the final tournament is complete. The winning team will receive the LEAP Olympics’ coveted traveling trophy.
To learn about the rest of the great things that LEAP does in the La Porte County community, please visit www.laportepartnership.com.