COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley’s Emerging Leaders United group hosted their annual Breakfast with the Mayors event in downtown Columbus, Georgia, this Tuesday morning. This was the fifth anniversary of the event and about 80 guests were present.

The event was for Emerging Leaders, an inspiring group of young people under the age of 40 in the community. The Emerging Leaders are individuals who dedicate their time and talents to service, education, and leadership. 

Attendees are invited to enjoy breakfast and conversation with Mayors Bubba Copeland of Smiths Station, Alabama, Eddie Lowe of Phenix City, Alabama and Skip Henderson of Columbus, Georgia, through a guided panel discussion.

Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland and Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson provided us with more information on why making sure the youths’ voices are heard is important. 

“It’s very important. The young people are our future and it’s vitally important that we listen to them a bit on the young city is key to have certain times during the year that you sit down with the youth and listen to what they want and let them help out on certain areas to grow the city, ” said mayor Bubba.

“We’re not built in Columbus for me. I mean, I’m at the age where we’re building it for the young people coming up. And I tell them anytime I talk to them, they make sure they use their voice. They’ve got a brain, a heart and a voice, and they need to let their brain dictate how their heart pumps and gets them trying to make sure that they share things that they want to see in the Columbus that they live in,” said Mayor Skip.

To learn more about United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, visit its website.