In the beginning there was darkness.  It was a world filled with professionally lead groups and referral networks that insisted on high dues, penalties for no referrals, and ringing bells to hush it’s members…
 
So there we were. Two young men hoping to tackle the business world and having no desire to sit around a table and be coerced into giving referrals to some dues-paying stranger.  As it turns out there were others who had been turned off by referral systems of the time.  Only six members strong and having way more time than money, our group of young men set out to help other charities in need by offering manpower in place of financial support.  We offered to help fundraising efforts by literally doing the heavy lifting.  We lifted tables, chairs, firewood, and concert equipment.  We quickly learned this was a way to get connected to the community and word began to spread.  We dragged ugly art around town gathering donations for IDFY.  We asked businesses to pledge donations for a to-be-constructed Kroc Center.  A new library was in need of a ‘Future Home Of’ sign that we constructed in the garage of one of our members.  We built our first Locker, and The Coeur Group was born.
 
All this activity taught us an amazing lesson: By being involved in the community you meet the movers and shakers, gain their trust and respect, and earn the respect of fellow members.  Today Coeur Group membership has grown tenfold, but the shared objective remains the same - future business leaders of tomorrow who do great things for the community today.  

-history lesson courtesy of Ben Miller