It was a cool summer night on August 4, 2010.
That night, Ignite Charlotte became a reality.
A group of hopeful volunteers set out to make a difference in the Charlotte community: their goal was to create a venue where quick talks, creative ideas, and passionate members of the community shared a stage.
The place? Neighborhood Theatre. The drinks? Plenty of them. The speakers? Nervous, excited, and maybe frightened.
Bridget B. Sullivan and Sam Fagan teamed up and thought that Ignite Charlotte could happen. They thought their team of volunteers could introduce something brand new into a city that is steadily climbing into the national limelight.
Well, August 4th came and it was time to see if they were right.
The 16 speakers were thrilled to see 250 people pack in the Neighborhood Theatre for the inaugural Ignite Charlotte (to be honest, the volunteers were probably a little more ecstatic than anyone else).
And the speakers rocked it! Patrick McLean, the very first speaker of Ignite Charlotte, explained where ideas came from. Bermon Painter talked about being a jack of all trades, and a master of many. And to cap it all off, David Wells spoke about using social media for the social good.
And the legacy continues…
