Just like that... our Mentorship Program 2025 has come to an end! On July 10th, we celebrated the incredible accomplishments of our mentorship program graduates at Taylor Hyundai in Perrysburg — and what a celebration it was! Surrounded by proud mentors and beaming graduates, the event marked the culmination of months of hard work, growth, and meaningful connections. The atmosphere was electric with pride as participants shared stories of lessons learned, goals achieved, and the powerful impact of guidance and community. Special thanks to the team at Taylor Automotive for graciously hosting the event and providing such a warm and welcoming space. It was a memorable day that reminded us why mentorship matters. Congratulations to all our graduates — your journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see where it takes you next! Check out the mentor's wrap up statements, as well as pictures from the event, below:  Photo credits to Taylor Automotive/China Koch.

Shawna Woody (HOPE Toledo):

One of the prayers that I always say is I ask for God to send me my helpers, and I ask that I can be a helper to someone or many. And so in the midst of all of this, when Riley approached me, I didn't know what to expect. I was in the process of stepping away from a board or two, taking some things off my plate. And so, when Riley did this, first of all, I can't say no to Riley, but I said, “Hey, yeah, I'll do this.” It sounded exciting. I've been a mentor before, but this sounded a little bit different. And then I met the mentees. The EPIC Five is what we call ours, and yes, I'm their mentor, they are my mentees; I am, hopefully, of some help to them, but what I realized is that they are also a help to me. So in the midst of all of this craziness and taking things off my plate, who knew that my father would pass unexpectedly, and so I wanted to, number one, fulfill my obligation, but I couldn't leave them. Riley was just so wonderful in saying, “Oh, we're not worried about it. You'll get it.” And we had our one on ones, and they all just had great things to talk about, and they were so wonderful. I was watching the beginning or the middle of their process and their leadership journey, and so I just wanted to be there and connect and continue with them. They were so graceful, and they are just so wonderful. I could be their helper, but they were my helpers as well. This is just a wonderful program, and you all played a wonderful part of it, especially this group. And I know you want to thank the mentor, but I have to thank my mentees. It's just a token of my appreciation for what a wonderful experience that I had and that I will continue to have, because they're not getting rid of me easily. We started it here, but it's not ending here.
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