Leadership Carbon, a program of the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce, will host a dinner event to celebrate the graduating class of 2010.

The chamber said the dinner is open to the public and will be held at the Blue Ridge Country Club, Palmerton, on Thursday, May 13.The class will unveil its group project, Youth Leadership Carbon, during the event.The main speaker will be Keith R. McCall, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and a founder of Carbon County's Leadership program.In order to graduate, class members completed a nine month program on Carbon County. Topics of the monthly sessions were government, history, leadership skills, economic development, education, culture/diversity, health care, business, environment, and recreation.The also participate in a group project.The class of 2010 has nine members. They are Sharon Cimino of Tamaqua, RoniSue Ahner and Brenda Koons of Lehighton, Carleen Ladden, John McGuire and Terri Lynn Rock of Jim Thorpe, Patty DeSousa and Adam Weaver of Palmerton and Amy Rhyder of Nesquehoning.The Leadership Carbon Program was created by the Carbon County Partners for Progress to help develop a new class of local leaders for the future.To date, participants have included government officials, interested community leaders, and individuals who live or work in Carbon County.More than 60 individuals have completed the program which is now in its fifth year.Dinner reservations are required by May 3. The cost is $40 for adults and $10 for children (12 and under.To reserve your place or to receive more information, call Sandy at (610) 377-4063 or email

leadershipcarbon@carboncountychamber.orgSponsors of this year's dinner include Pencor, Inc., PPL and the Carbon County Economic Development Foundation.