AUBURN - It can be too easy to overlook everything Auburn and Cayuga County have to offer.

Often people get so caught up in looking for something “bigger” or “better” - they miss what is right under their noses.

Opening eyes to all the wonderful potential Auburn has is in many ways one of the major missions of IGNITE (Invest, Grow, Network, Inspire, Teach, Empower). On Wednesday night, members gathered to celebrate the kickoff of IGNITE's fourth year with a program titled “Educate 2008” at the new BOCES facility on West Genesee Street Road. Jessica Harkins, chairperson of the steering committee, said that hosting the event at BOCES tied in perfectly with the overall plans for “Educate 2008.”

Through the initiative, IGNITE members will strive to educate the public about the group, sharing personal stories about returning to Auburn to start their personal lives and careers. They also will work toward mentoring future young professionals at local high schools and colleges and try to inspire and foster a common vision about the potential that lies in the community.

“This is a chance for us to share our decisions why we came back to Auburn,” said Harkin, who is also The Citizen's innovation coordinator. “A lot of us came back to work in the area after college and now we have members that are on the board for BID and Auburn Memorial Hospital and the Cayuga Museum and that are working here and taking an active role in their community.”

Bill Speck, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES district superintendent, took a few minutes to speak on the educational opportunities available at the new facility. BOCES covers a wide range of programs from graphic design to the culinary arts to technical and trade-based programs.

This kind of educational resource has potential for the area's future.

“This is an awesome building,” Speck said. “I think about that every day when I come to work. This was a real community effort and it is a great gift to the community that has a lot to offer in terms of education and building our future.”

The evening was an informal gathering with gentle acoustic music provided by local musicians Erin Brown and Martin Seaman. The setting gave IGNITE members an opportunity to share their personal stories, why they joined IGNITE and why they chose to return to Auburn.

IGNITE member Tricia McMahon grew up in Auburn, but moved away to attend college and for work. McMahon said she spent time in Connecticut before deciding to return to Auburn to be closer to family and to work for United Health Care. IGNITE has offered people such as McMahon numerous opportunities professionally and personally.

“Auburn is a place that has so much to offer,” McMahon said. “There are the lakes and the wineries and cultural things like the Merry-Go-Round (Playhouse), I grew up going there. We do a lot of things like that. And there are a lot of educational things we do like Young People 101, different discussions and seminars like that where we discuss things that you might not have learned in college and you aren't going to learn on the job.”

IGNITE has many roles, both as a social group, a place to network and a way to make people aware of the future that many see sprouting and helping that potential come to fruition.

“There is a lot of potential here,” Harkins said. “Things like the Auburn Public Theatre, the new businesses at Finger Lakes Crossing and all the development that is going on out by the mall. There is a lot of opportunity and I think a lot of people are excited about that and that is something that we want to help with.”

For more information

Visit www.IGNITE-CNY.org