MISSION S TAT E ME NT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF
CONTENTS 04
President’s Message
06
President-Elect’s Message
07
Sustainer Board President’s Message
08
Board of Directors
10
2019-2020 Annual Report
12
Selecting a Community Impact Focus
14
20
Legacy Investor Initiative We Did It!
22
Celebrating our League’s History
24
Training Opportunities
26
Membership Events and Activities
28
Community Engagement
30
2019 Designers’ Showhouse
33
JLHP During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Secretary’s End of Year Report
16
34
Meet Our New Active Members
18
Spring Community Impact Projects
The Junior League of High Point, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
Sponsors and Supporters
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Advertiser Index
*Cover artwork provided by Crystal Staley and Mara Wedekind of Stallard Studio
VISION S TAT E M E N T
Our members have a shared vision of the organization, which is to be a catalyst for community change by empowering women who are passionately focused on the health, education, and welfare of women and children.
DIVERSITY & I N C LU S I O N S TAT E M E N T
The Junior League of High Point welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of individuals, organizations, and communities. The League does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, and national origin. Year in Review 2019-2020
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THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HIGH POINT, INC.
President's
When I joined the Junior League of High Point my husband said to me, “You know that one day you are going to end up being President.” I told him how wrong he was, and that I was only looking to serve our community and make friends along the way. It didn’t take long before I could see that his prediction was coming true. Although being President may not have been my original goal, these past two years have been some of the best of my life. I have loved having the opportunity to help empower our members and strengthen our community’s women and children, all while forming cherished friendships with extraordinary women.
As you may know, when I’m not serving our community or being a mom, I am a professor at High Point University. As an educator, I have always felt that it was my calling to help others find their passion and pursue their paths. I have approached my membership and leadership of the Junior League in the very same way. Serving as Executive Vice-President in the 2016-2017 League year allowed me to immerse myself in the day-to-day operations of our League and get to know our Active membership. It was by finding what inspires and empowers our members that we were able to work together to create the engaged and vibrant League that we have today. Over the past two years I have had the distinct honor of helping to preside over our 90th anniversary, which we celebrated with a 90 consecutive hour Volunteer-a-thon, serve as President during a Designers' Showhouse, lead our organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, and initiate the Legacy Investor Initiative, which allowed us to meet our fundraising goal of paying off the remaining balance on our beloved headquarters. This is all while we were working to make our League more memberfocused, provide trainings to empower our members (such as our Get-On-Board and Empowered Women, Empower Women training series), increase the impact of our service efforts, and raise
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Message
the visibility of the Junior League in our community. I hope you are as proud as I am of all that we’ve been able to accomplish together. Like the leaders who have come before me, I hope that my efforts have strengthened and fortified our organization. As I move from President to Past-President, I am proud to pass the torch of a strong and healthy League to the next round of leadership, as well as excited to see what this next chapter of our League will do for our members and our community. Dr. Sadie Leder Elder I will always cherish my time as President of the Junior President, 2018-2020 League of High Point. I hope that during these past two years I have modeled for my daughter the importance of being a servant-leader and that one day she will follow in my footsteps as a member of our organization. Gemma was born just as I began my President-Elect year and has grown up with the League as a part of her life. It would thrill me to see her serving the community and gaining valuable skills as an Active member. I want to close by saying thank you. Thank you to my husband, thank you to our members (New Members, Actives, and Sustainers), and thank you to the League’s community partners and friends. You have shared in this vision with me for two years and together we have made our community a better place. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity and your support!
Year in Review 2019-2020
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President -Elect's Message
Our theme for 2020-2021 is CONNECTIONS. As I’ve been preparing for the year ahead, I’ve thought about my connections to the Junior League of High Point and asked myself the questions I’m sure we’ve all asked ourselves at some point: How did I get here? Why is the League important to me? The League has been there for me for the better part of my life, whether I realized it at the time or not, and these connections, expected and unexpected, are what make it important to me. My first connection was when I was a little girl and my great-aunt Norma was the manager at the Bargain Boutique, a consignment store once run by our League. While I didn’t understand what the Junior League was at the time, I have fond memories of shopping there with my dad, mostly playing with all of the toys while he was trying on clothes. In high school, I was working at the String & Splinter City Club where I met Alisha Boger and Beth Earnst. I looked up to them as examples of the woman I wanted to become as I headed off to college and later started my career. Their love of JLHP made a strong impression on me, and I was honored to be invited to join the League in 2012. I never dreamed I’d become president one day with Beth as a member of my board and Alisha as president of the Sustainer board.
Rebecca McCarter
A few years after I joined the League, I lost my dad. As a relatively new member, I hadn’t made many close connections at that point, but my fellow members showed up for me. They made time to come to the visitation and funeral. They sent beautifully-written cards that lifted my spirits. The board of directors gifted me a tomato plant - my dad’s favorite. These small acts meant the world to me during the most painful time of my life. Like many of our members, I joined the League looking to connect with like-minded women. What I was lucky enough to find was a best friend and one of my closest confidantes, Jessica Moore. Even though we never served on a committee together or sat beside each other at a meeting, our connection through the League gave us the confidence to say “hello” when we saw each other at Blue Rock one night and the rest is history. Her encouragement is the reason I accepted the opportunity to become president. She believes in me when I find it hard to believe in myself. In the year ahead, as we dive into a new Community Impact focus, honor the legacy of our organization, and further develop our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, I encourage you to explore your connections to the League: How did you get here? Why is the League important to you? How can we use our connections to achieve our goals? As you answer these questions, I challenge you to open yourself to vulnerability. Our differences make us who we are. What you give, you will receive ten-fold. I look forward to leading this organization over the next two years and discovering more connections along the way.
Rebecca McCarter
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
President-Elect
Sustainer Board of Directors President's Message THE GIFT OF TIME
In our last newsletter, I shared all the happenings of the sustainers and how we had enjoyed many opportunities to connect with one another. Everything we had done up to that point in the Junior League year seemed to relate to the connection of "home." From the Designers’ Showhouse, decorating the Briles House for Christmas, to cooking treats in our kitchens for the Bake Sale or enjoying homemade goodness from our Soup Sale, the word "home" became central in describing our Junior League year thus far. Little did we realize how important our homes would become. Normally, the sustainers wrap up the League year with the Provisional Tea and the Junior League Annual Dinner. Unfortunately, both events were not able to happen as planned; however, we look forward to when we can appropriately celebrate! Instead, over the past few months we have found ourselves spending much more time at "home." With quarantine and social distancing in affect, some of our homes turned into 2nd grade classrooms with weekly spelling tests and math lessons to interpret. Other homes turned into new office space where daily Zoom or WebEx meetings were led. Whatever our home became and however we spent our time, it looked a bit different than in the past.
Alisha Boger
For me, I came to truly value and appreciate the time spent in my home. The slower pace provided opportunities to reflect and to simply be in the moment with family. Conversations weren't hurried as we didn't have the busy schedule that usually filled our calendars. I certainly missed the dance recitals, final matches/games and school graduations; however, I gained so much more with the gift of time that I was provided and for that, I am grateful. Our Junior League year may have ended differently than how it began; however, I'm hopeful that you've been able to embrace this gift of time, as it has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters.
Alisha Boger
Sustainer Board President
Year in Review 2019-2020
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Thank You to our 2019-2020 Board of Directors President Sadie Leder Elder President-Elect Rebecca McCarter Executive Vice-President Amanda LeFever Secretary Hannah Weant Treasurer Tracy Dixon Board Members Elizabeth Lynch and Zafeira Paradis Not Pictured Ashley Lansford - Nominating Chair Cindy Jarrell - Sustainer Advisor
Welcome to our 2020-2021 Board of Directors
President Rebecca McCarter
Executive Vice-President Zafeira Paradis
Board Member Carter Chaney 8
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Secretary Judy Sweger
Nominating Chair Beth Earnst
Treasurer Carissa Osborne
Sustainer Advisor Courtney Best
WHY THE JUNIOR LEAGUE? WE PROMOTE VOLUNTARISM. Since 1928, League members have provided countless dollars and volunteer hours to support our community!
WE DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS. League members gain valuable skills from guest speakers, League-wide training opportunities, and hands-on experiences.
WE IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY. League members improve our communities through ongoing projects and "Done-in-a-Day" volunteering – and we have fun doing it!
Join us! WE ARE THE
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HIGH POINT
Thank You to our 2019-2020 Management Team
Carter Chaney, Membership Team Leader | Alison Kelly, Community Impact Team Leader Grace Lackey, Fundraising Team Leader | Amanda LeFever, Executive Vice-President Carissa Osborne, Assistant Treasurer | Crystal Staley, Communication Team Leader
Thank You to our 2019-2020 Sustainer Board of Directors Alisha Boger, President | Edith Brady, President-Elect | Nancy Warburton, Secretary Susan Samuel, Treasurer | Holly Davis, Board Member | Rebecca Atwell, Board Member Nancy Laney, Board Member | Susan Culp, Board Member | Rena Norcross, Board Member Shay Edwards, Board Member | Cindy Armfield, Past-President
Year in Review 2019-2020
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2019-2020
ANNUAL REPORT
195
one hundred & fifty
Five Before the Feast event before Thanksgiving
Baby Basics Closet
Children’s toys collected/donated as part of the
Baby care packages supplied to the YWCA
4,335
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Snacks donated
to Back Pack Beginnings to help feed children during the time of school closures
ten
Pints of blood
Meals made/donated
thirteenth annual
donated to the American Red Cross saving up to
30 lives
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Training opportunities
10
offered this League year
as part of our Dinner with the League program to the homeless men of Open Door Ministries staying at St. Mary's Church
“Kids in the Kitchen” event with 63 children
from the YWCA and Salvation Army's Boys and Girls Club at the Millis Regional Health Education Center
one thousand
600+ Views of our
Virtual Story Time Collection stories
Children took part in the Kid Zone organized and hosted by the League at the Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride FamFest
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
thirty-six
forty
Youth from YWCA, Big Brothers
Big Sisters, and Boys and Girls Club of Greater High Point hosted in the HPU suite as part of the Youth Empowerment Day at the High Point Rockers stadium
722
Books collected for the “Schools Out” program (and so far distributed to 95 children from Johnson Street Global)
sixty
Gift cards given to the High Point Police
Department and High Point Fire Department as part of our Hometown Heroes project
Community Partnerships I N C L U D I N G : Allen Jay Elementary, American Red Cross, ARC of High Point, Backpack Beginnings, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club of Greater High Point, Boy Scouts, Carpenter’s House, Communities in Schools, Family Justice Center, Friendship Elementary School, Girl Scouts, GoFar, Greater High Point Food Alliance, High Point Arts Council, High Point Community Clinic, High Point Fire Department, High Point Police Department,High Point Preservation Society, High Point Public Library Foundation, High Point Rockers Baseball, High Point University, Labonte Foundation, LEAP, Leslie’s House, Millis Regional Health Education Center, Open Door Ministries, Out of the Garden Project, Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls Club, Sedgefield Hunt Club, Theatre Art Galleries, United Way of Greater High Point, Uptowne High Point, YMCA, YWCA, Westchester Country Day School
Why JLHP? WE PROMOTE VOLUNTARISM. Since 1928, League members have provided countless dollars and volunteer hours to support our community!
WE DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS. League members gain valuable skills from guest speakers, League-wide training opportunities, and hands-on experiences.
WE IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY.
members Active and Sustainer
League members improve our communities through ongoing projects and “Done-in-a-Day” volunteering – and we have fun doing it! Year in Review 2019-2020
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Selecting a Commu
In the 2019-2020 League year our Active members were tasked with selecting a Community Impact focus for the years ahead. The charge was led by Amanda LeFever, our Executive-Vice President. She worked directly with AJLI and the major stakeholders in our community to complete a needs assessment and narrow down our search to the three most pressing needs in the High Point area. The needs identified were: food insecurity, literacy, and health/wellness. In order to educate our members about community needs and the resources already available through our community partners, we held trainings at our monthly General Membership Meetings. In October, we focused on food insecurity and were visited by the Greater High Food Alliance, Open Door Ministries, and Out of the Garden Project. In November, we focused our training on literacy and heard from Communities in Schools and High Point LEAP. In January, our GMM focused on health and wellness, with speakers from the Community Clinic of High Point and the Guilford County Family Justice Center.
Kristy Milholin from Out of the Garden Project, Sadie Leder Elder, Carl Vierling of the Greater High Point Food Alliance, Steve Key and Don Shaw from Open Door Ministries
Active members Stephanie Young and Amanda LeFever at our September GMM
Rebecca McCarter, Catherine Johnson of the Family Justice Center, and Sadie Leder Elder
Rebecca McCarter, Molly Jordan of the Community Clinic of High Point, and Sadie Leder Elder
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
unity Impact Focus
Members utilized our Small Group Meetings in February to discuss the information presented at the GMMs throughout the League year. The goal was to select a Community Impact focus that would allow our organization to make a unique contribution to bettering the lives of community members. We also wanted to find a focus that would create the most inspiring and empowering experience for our members.
In March, this strategic, year-long process of researching, exploring, and assessing the major needs in High Point, resulted in a membership vote to pursue the focus of education and literacy. We are thrilled to move forward in the years ahead cultivating new partnerships and programs that will allow us to serve our community by promoting education and literacy.
Our Chosen Focus: Education and Literacy
Rebecca McCarter, Claire Robinson of High Point LEAP, Catherine Niebauer of Communities in Schools, and Sadie Leder Elder
Year in Review 2019-2020
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JLHP DURING THE
In the spring of 2020, our world changed. We found ourselves in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, a “stay at home” order mandated individuals to remain at home except for essential tasks and business. As a result of the pandemic, schools (including High Point University) ceased in-person meetings and transitioned classes to a virtual format, cancelling much anticipated celebrations like proms and graduations. All college and major league sports teams cancelled or postponed their seasons, including the cancellation of the ACC Tournament. And the High Point Furniture Market was cancelled for Spring 2020, which was the first missed Market since 1942. For months, restaurants were closed and people could not go to gyms or salons. Even as this magazine is being prepared, people are encouraged to wear masks in public and maintain social distancing of at least six feet.
Needless to say, this greatly impacted our 2019-2020 League year. The last in-person meeting we were able to hold was our March General Membership Meeting, and after that time, all initiatives were either cancelled, postponed, or transitioned into a virtual format using Zoom to maintain a sense of community and connection. This meant that we were unable to have our 2020 Past-Presidents Lunch, our Provisional-Sustainer Tea, Annual Dinner, and several in-person community impact and fundraising events, like our Women’s History Month Documentary and Discussion in partnership with High Point University’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program, our Crockpot Cooking Class, our school assembly and book distribution with Allen Jay Elementary, and our Spring Fundraiser, Trucks, Taps, & Tunes. 14
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COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Of course, where there are caring and dedicated individuals, there will be a way to serve. Our League members rallied to answer the call of the COVID-19 crisis in many ways. First, our League launched our Virtual Story Time Collection to promote literacy and enhance reading skills during the time of school closures. These recordings were available for free on YouTube and featured League members reading children’s books. Families could read along with their favorite stories, making reading a fun activity by connecting youth with community members and by promoting imagination that could transport readers who may be quarantined at home to new and exciting places in their mind. We were thrilled to have our Virtual Story Time Collection featured in both the High Point Enterprise and the High Point Discovered Blog.
We also launched a Feeding the Frontlines initiative where the League provided meals to feed doctors and nurses who were working around the clock to keep us safe. Not only did this initiative celebrate the bravery and extraordinary efforts of our frontline workers during a pandemic, but it also helped to support local restaurants who were experiencing significantly less business because they were unable to open their doors to in-person dining. The League also created masks and distributed them for free to those who were without, working to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our League and community members. Other partnerships developed to help during the COVID-19 pandemic included providing food to our community partner, Backpack Beginnings. Our efforts yielded over 4,000 healthy snacks donated and distributed to children of Title IX schools who were on free and reduced lunch programs, but experiencing food insecurity with school closures. We also hosted our Dinner with the League program to feed homeless men through a partnership with Open Door Ministries and provided books to the children of Johnson Street Global School through our School’s Out Project to help combat the “summer slide” where students lose reading skills between the academic years. Year in Review 2019-2020
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Meet Our Newest
The Junior League of High Point is delighted to introduce our newest Active members. These talented women dem We are grateful for their passion, and we eagerly look forward t
Jamiss Baker
HOMETOWN: High Point, NC COLLEGE: ECPI EMPLOYMENT: River Landing, Nurse WHY JLHP? To give back to the community I was born and raised in!
Emma Ruggery
HOMETOWN: Duncansville, PA COLLEGE: B.S. from Junitat College, M.A.T. from Mary Baldwin University EMPLOYMENT: Middle school science teacher at Westchester Country Day School WHY JLHP? I joined JLHP to build new friendships, to learn about the community I chose to live and work in, and to help build a better future for High Point.
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Sam Berg
HOMETOWN: Newton, MA COLLEGE: HPU EMPLOYMENT: Alternative School Teacher WHY JLHP? Not being from here I wanted to gain a sisterhood experience, gain new friends, and give back to a community that was similar to the one that shaped me.
Kostantina Sarrimanolis HOMETOWN: High Point, NC COLLEGE: UNCC EMPLOYMENT: Elementary school teacher WHY JLHP? I joined to gain connections and give back to the community.
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Katie Borza
HOMETOWN: Rochester, MI COLLEGE: Oakland University EMPLOYMENT: Assistant Director of Greek Life at HPU WHY JLHP? I loved my college experiences so much, that it followed me into my career. When I moved to a new place, I was looking to gain a sisterhood experience as an adult, and continue to be a part of a philanthropic experience that shaped me into the woman I am!
Molly Smith
HOMETOWN: Kernersville, NC COLLEGE: ECU EMPLOYMENT: Kernersville Chamber of Commerce WHY JLHP? To get connected with the High Point community and be a part of a group that gives back!
Cassie Burton
HOMETOWN: Thomasville, NC COLLEGE: UNCG EMPLOYMENT: Account Manager at Insurance Service Corporation of America WHY JLHP? I joined to gain new friendships and commitment and to give back to the community.
Erin Stone
HOMETOWN: Jefferson, MD COLLEGE: UNCG EMPLOYMENT: Director of Sales Operations - Key Accounts and Hospitality at Home Meridian International WHY JLHP? I joined because I'm not from here originally but I chose to plant roots here and I want to give back to this community that gave me this life.
Active Members
monstrated their passion for serving the High Point community with their New Member Project, Leslie’s Blessings. to seeing the impact they will have on our League in the future!
Christiana Conrad
HOMETOWN: High Point, NC COLLEGE: B.A. from Meredith and M.A from UNCG EMPLOYMENT: Teacher at Westchester Country Day School WHY JLHP? I joined JLHP to build new friendships and serve my community!
Ashley Varnadore
HOMETOWN: Lexington, SC COLLEGE: Appalachian State EMPLOYMENT: HR Manager for Pike Electric WHY JLHP? I joined the league to build genuine friendships, be around women who support one another, enhance my skills to better serve our community and to learn about this great place called High Point.
Caroline Georgiadis
HOMETOWN: London, England COLLEGE: University of Humberside, (BA Hons) European Audio Visual Production EMPLOYMENT: CFS Registered Financial Assistant at Allegacy Investment Group WHY JLHP? I joined the League to learn more about my community and find opportunities to serve, collaborate and grow (myself and others).
Mara Wedekind
HOMETOWN: Sykesville, MD COLLEGE: HPU EMPLOYMENT: Graphic Designer WHY JLHP? I joined JLHP to connect with other people in my community and to help build a better High Point for all!
Kathryn Cushwa Gerace
HOMETOWN: High Point, NC COLLEGE: B.A. from Meredith and M.Ed. from UNC-CH EMPLOYMENT: Developmental Specialist at Wake Forest Baptist Health WHY JLHP? After moving back to my hometown I wanted a sense of community to connect with and give back!
Macy Maness
HOMETOWN: Greensboro, NC COLLEGE: UNC-CH EMPLOYMENT: Account Specialist at Ralph Lauren WHY JLHP? In college I was in a sorority and was very involved in our philanthropic activities. After graduating and moving to a new city I didn't know many people, but wanted to continue supporting the community and serving others. After meeting Active members in the JLHP I saw their passion not only for the community and volunteering, but their commitment to empowering each other and knew this was an organization I wanted to join!
Katelyn Welch
HOMETOWN: Farmington, CT COLLEGE: B.S. from Quinnipiac University, PA-C, M.H.S. from Drexel University EMPLOYMENT: Physician Assistant, Neurosurgery WHY JLHP? Not being from here, I really wanted to experience all the area has to offer while participating with others who have the same passion as I do to help those in need. It was a great opportunity to meet lifelong friends/ sisters while helping the community.
Year in Review 2019-2020
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Leslie’s Blessings
The fifteen ladies of our 2019-2020 New Member class were charged with developing a service project that allowed them to use the skills, networking, and training they acquired from the League to serve our community. They spent the first few months of the League year learning about community needs, before deciding to work with Leslie’s House to empower their female residents. Leslie’s House provides a safe haven for homeless women where individuals receive encouragement and support to help them get their lives back on track. Our members focused their efforts on our shared mission of women’s empowerment and decided to raise funds and collect personal care products to help the women of Leslie’s House better their lives. As part of the Leslie’s Blessings project, our New Member class hosted two events, a Hand-Letting Class and a Paint-and-Pop event. The Hand-Letting Class invited League and community members to partake in a calligraphy course. In total, this event and donations raised over $3,000. The proceeds were used to create and stock a Blessings Room at Leslie’s House filled with personal care products to be given to the residents when they successfully transitioned from the shelter to an independent living situation. The Paint-and-Pop event was held at West End Ministries and allowed our members to spend time with the residents of Leslie’s House, sharing common ground and offering encouragement on their journey. We are so proud of this extraordinary group of women and inspired by their drive, talent, and passion!
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Baby Basics
This spring our members assembled and delivered over 150 baby care packages to the Baby Basics Closet at the YWCA’s Women’s Resource Center. Care packages were lovingly filled with baby care essentials including wipes, lotion, diaper rash cream, and baby soap, as well as a note of encouragement to the new moms. The Junior League of High Point helped establish the YWCA’s Women’s Resource Center in the early 2000s and is proud to continue supporting this important resource and our community’s families.
Dinner with the League
This spring we hosted our fourth annual Dinner with the League event. Through a partnership with Open Door Ministries, we fed twenty men experiencing homlessness. As in the past, this Community Impact initiative provided hearty, home-cooked meals for residents in need in our community. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to join the recipients for dinner, but we were able to provide them with cleaning and personal care products generously donated by our League members.
School's Out Book Distribution
This May marked our first School’s Out Book Distribution for local schoolchildren. This new service project aligns with our recently selected Community Impact focus of education and literacy, as well as our League’s history of supporting our schools, teachers, and students. League members generously donated over 700 books that were separated by appropriate age group and then donated to students just prior to the start of summer break. Many of these books were given to the students of Johnson Street Global School as part of their backpack program. Our hope is to help combat the “summer slide” where students lose reading skills between the academic years. Year in Review 2019-2020
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We are thrilled to announce that we have reached our goal of securing the pledges and payments necessary to eliminate the debt on our headquarters - The Junior League of High Point, Inc. - Mary Strickland Froelich Headquarters - The Briles House! Built in 1907 by Lee and Bertie Briles, this home is one of the first residences constructed along Main Street and among the few remaining original homes built during that era. For nearly one-hundred years, the home remained in the Briles family until the death of daughter Ruth Briles in 2002. It was then that the home was purchased by the Junior League of High Point. After extensive renovations, the League moved its headquarters into the Briles House in 2007 and continues to operate there today.
We D
Through the very generous support of our League members and the community, the Junior League of High Point was able to restore and save this beautiful historical landmark, which is the last remaining singlefamily owned home on Main Street. However, the League continued to carry debt on its headquarters. At the start of the 2018-2019 League year our President, Sadie Leder Elder, launched the Legacy Investor Initiative, designed to eliminate the remaining mortgage and allow our League to begin a new chapter of its legacy empowering women and serving the community. The Legacy Investor Initiative sought out individuals, families, and foundations who would pledge a significant amount directly towards the mortgage to help ensure a solid future for the Junior League of High Point.
Kathryn (Kitty) Congdon joined the Junior League of High Point in 1962 shortly after she and her husband (Earl) moved their young family to High Point from Richmond, VA, when they relocated the Old Dominion Freight Line corporate office. She attributes her involvement with the Junior League and their church, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, to her ability to get involved in the community so quickly as a newcomer. Kitty remains an engaged Sustaining member today and many members of her family are also current League members.
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Did It!
Please join us in recognizing and thanking our Premier Legacy Investor, Kitty Congdon, for generously donating over $100,000 directly to our mortgage to help us raise the remaining funds necessary to pay off our mortgage debt. We would also like to thank our other very generous Legacy Investors for making significant gifts over the past two years including, Donna and Rob Blakely, the Covington Family, Sadie and Wil Elder, Sally and Ken Hughes, Ann and Jim Morgan, Rena and Mark Norcross, Karen McNeill Pond and Steve Pond, Jordan Washburn, and Doug Witcher. Thank you, as well, to the other supporters of this initiative including Sissie Burgess, Ann and Julian Busby, Roy Carroll, Alyce Hill, Dusty and Kay Maynard, and our anonymous donors. The goal of securing our headquarters for the next generation of League members would not have been possible without the vision, leadership, and passion of our Past Presidents.We are grateful to them, as well as all of our members and supporters, especially the annual support we receive from our Awesome Actives, Super Sustainers, and Sustainer Board of Directors. Together, we did this!
Our Legacy Investors
SECURING A SOLID FUTURE FOR THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HIGH POINT!
Donna and Rob Blakely
Sally and Ken Hughes
The Covington Family
Ann and Jim Morgan
Sadie and Wil Elder
Rena and Mark Norcross
Karen McNeill Pond and Steve Pond Jordan Washburn Doug Witcher
PREMIER LEGACY INVESTOR - KITTY CONGDON Year in Review 2019-2020
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Our Founding Members in 1928
Founding Members
Our League began on April 28, 1928, as the Junior Service League of High Point. It had twenty-four charter members and a focus on volunteer service. On September 30, 1952, our League was accepted into the Association of Junior Leagues of America. For over 90 years, the Junior League of High Point focused its community impact efforts on health, welfare, education, and cultural arts. Today, our League consists of over 300 members, all focused on the mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Legacy of Service
President Sadie Leder Elder representing the League as a member of the Women’s Leadership Roundtable Group in High Point.
The Junior League of High Point is honored to be one of the oldest and longest standing women’s organizations in our community. We are proud to have played a role in the development of many vital services in High Point including Mental Health Associates of the Triad, Family Service of the Piedmont, Carousel Theatre, and the Women’s Resource Center of the YWCA. We continue to honor the League’s legacy by empowering women to be catalysts for positive change in our community. In fact, many of our members use their League training to better our community by serving in leadership roles with many of our community partners.
Members and friends at our 2019 Annual Dinner
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Helen Congdon, Marilyn Nowell and Kathryn Harrell
Kelley Fenn and Liz Shaver
Joni Lackey and Grace Lackey
Helen Rice and Rachael Cusick
Nancy Ilderton, Shannon Snipes, and Ashley Stevens (member in California)
Mariana Qubein and Deena Samuel
Pat Sams and Kristin Crowe
Family Legacies
We are grateful to all of the members and supporters who have empowered us to make a positive change in our community for over 90 years. We would like to highlight some of the family legacies that have fortified our organization over the generations. These mother-daughter pairs are current League members who have made the League’s legacy a part of their family tradition.
Carol Young and Mary Powell DeLille
Our Time Capsule
Holly Davis and Sadie Leder Elder burying our time capsule in May 2020
to be opened: 2052-2053 The Junior League of High Point recently celebrated its 90th anniversary and out of that celebration grew the idea of a time capsule. This May we buried a time capsule full of JLHP documents and memorabilia to be opened during the 20522053 League year. This League year will mark both our 125th anniversary as the Junior League of High Point and the 100th anniversary of our membership in the Association of Junior Leagues International. It will indeed be a time for celebrating our legacy of sisterhood and service!
Year in Review 2019-2020
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Training Opportunities
Central to the mission of the Junior League is empowering women to be trained volunteers capable of impacting positive change on their community. This year we took that mission point to heart and offered a five-part Get-On-Board Training Series aimed at helping women hone the skills necessary to serve in leadership positions on nonprofit boards. All classes were taught by Dr. Christine Cugliari, Associate Professor of Nonprofit Leadership and Management at High Point University. Training topics included building a nonprofit board of directors and board assessment, board roles and responsibilities, strategic planning and community impact evaluation, as well as financial policies and fiduciary responsibilities. The series culminated in a panel of nonprofit board chairs and executive directors, which included Tom Blount, Board Chair of the High Point Arts Council, Wil Elder, Board Chair of the High Point Pubic Library Foundation, Molly Jordan, Executive Director of the Community Clinic of High Point, and Jane Leibscher, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater High Point. The training was one night per week for five weeks, and to accommodate our members' busy lives and schedules, each training included dinner and childcare. Over the course of the training, we were delighted to educate and empower over a dozen League and community members, many of whom were asked to serve on local boards as a result of this series!
Thank you to our generous Get-On-Board Training Series Sponsors: 24
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Our Visit from A.J.L.I.
In September we received a very prestigious visit from the President-Elect of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI), Mrs. Bett Williams. Bett lives in Columbia, SC, but is no stranger to the Triad region. She graduated from Wake Forest University with a B.A. in English and Politics.
During Bett’s visit, she provided the training for our September General Membership Meeting, where she encouraged our members to see themselves as a “volunteer battalion for good” and reminded us that we are part of a very vibrant women’s organization that has 291 local Leagues across four countries with over 130,000 members. She challenged our members to think about how we can all work to make our League stronger and even more impactful on our community. During Bett’s visit she had lunch with our Sustainer Board of Directors, visited our Showhouse, participated in our Hometown Heroes project, and had coffee with several Active and Sustainer members. It was truly a delight and an honor to have Bett with us to kick off our 2019-2020 League year!
Recognizing Our Trained Volunteers
We are proud of all of our members, but want to recognize those who have used their Junior League training in ways that have garnered community recognition. Congratulations to you all! When you shine, you make us all brighter!
Again this year, the Junior League was honored to be among those nominated for Business High Point’s Community Organization of the Year Award in recognition of our outstanding accomplishments this League year. President Sadie Leder Elder was recognized as one of the 2020 Triad Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business.
Active member Liz Shaver was appointed President of the Board of the International Society of Furniture Designers.
Active member Hannah Holcomb was named a 2019 Woman of Distinction Awardee by Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont.
Our League was also proud to be the recipient of two grants this year, including an AllState Foundation Helping Hands Grant and a Food Security Fund Grant from the Greater High Point Food Alliance. Year in Review 2019-2020
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Member
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Events
Year in Review 2019-2020
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Kid Zone
The Junior League of High Point was pleased to coordinate the Kid Zone for the Bobby Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride for the second year in a row. This free event was open to the community and we saw approximately 1,000 youth take part in our bounce houses, games, face-painting, and service projects. Other organizations, like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YWCA, and Theatre Art Galleries were invited to join us to help make this a day of community celebration of health and wellness!
Kids in the Kitchen
This League year was our 13th annual Kids in the Kitchen event focused on educating local youth about healthy eating and living. Our event included a nutrition tutorial, exercise program, and a “Chopped” style event where students were asked to create healthy snacks out of a basket of mystery ingredients. This year’s event was held at the Millis Regional Health Education Center and included over 60 youth from the Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls Club and YWCA.
Community
THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HIGH POINT IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MANY OF OUR
Youth Empowerment Day with the High Point Rockers
In celebration of International Youth Day, the Junior League of High Point hosted a Youth Empowerment Day at BB&T Point in partnership with the High Point Rockers. Over 60 youth from Big Brothers, Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater High Point, and the YWCA were given admission tickets, seats in the HPU owners’ suite, and books from High Point LEAP to promote literacy. Youth participated in games, face-painting, and service projects to celebrate this important day. We were thrilled to have League members and friends sing the national anthem, meet the umpires, throw out the first pitch, and assist the broadcasters announcing the game. We even had commemorative jerseys made that were worn by the Rockers players and then sold to the public as a fundraiser for our League. This was a wonderful event celebrating our community’s youth and the inaugural season of the High Point Rockers!
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Blood Drive
This November the League hosted our second annual Blood Drive with the American Red Cross. League and community members joined us to help save approximately three dozen lives by donating much needed blood. Thank you to all those who volunteered to help run the drive, publicize the event, and donate (particularly our many first time donors) to the cause.
Five Before the Feast
Our League loves a partnership, and this past November we joined forces with Hartley Drive YMCA for a holiday toy drive in support of their Five Before the Feast event. Our members donated approximately 200 toys for children between the ages of one and thirteen.
Engagement
COMMUNITY’S NONPROFITS TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
Hometown Heroes - Celebrating our First Responders
On September 11th, our League celebrated our local first responders, including our High Point Police Department and multiple stations of the High Point Fire Department. We delivered homemade desserts from our own Furniture City Feasts Restored cookbook along with gift cards to restaurants throughout our community. Honoring our first responders on Patriot Day reminds us of the sacrifice individuals in this line of work have given in the past and encourages us to be appreciative for their continued dedication to keeping High Point safe on a daily basis!
Year in Review 2019-2020
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The 2019 Showhouse Committee
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
The Fall 2019 Furniture Market marked the third Junior League of High Point Designers’ Showhouse. This year’s house was located at 1013 Johnson Street and featured the Dalton-Bell-Cameron house. Built in 1913, this house is believed to be the first example of the Craftsman style house in High Point. Miraculously, this home survived two fires and escaped demolition to become the beautiful showpiece that we see today. We are grateful to Sustainer and Past-President, Margaret (Bell) Lewis and her husband, Rick, for allowing us to transform this historical landmark. We would also like to thank ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME for serving as our national media sponsor. Our Designers’ Showhouse opened with a Gala on October 18th and tours ran through November 3rd, allowing for both Furniture Market and local audiences. We are grateful to the Showhouse Committee for their hard work and dedication on this nearly year-long endeavor. Because of their hard work, this project was our largest fundraiser of the 20192020 League year, raising over $70,000 in proceeds to support the mission and operation of our organization, as well as our community impact efforts. We are grateful to the many members and friends who sponsored this event, as well as those who volunteered. We couldn’t have done this without you!
Thank You to all of our wonderful Showhouse sponsors! 2019 SHOWHOUSE SPONSORED BY:
dacor • Hansgrohe • Lee
BRONZE LEVEL SPONSORS Otto & Moore • Packrite • Blakely Financial • Antique & Design Center of High Point • JH Adams Inn Carol Young and Mary Powell DeLille • Mary Drummond
CELEBRATING FRIENDS Beth and Tyler Earnst • Caryl and Ben Adams • Sallie Phillips • Susan and Michael Samuel • Susan Culp • Pinnacle Financial Partners Lee and Alf Webster • Nancy and Bruce Laney • Barbara and Paul Coughlin • Alyce Hill • Carol Young
SUPPORTING FRIENDS Kay and Kim Snow • Ann Busby • Debbie and Thomas Smothers • Lore and Marcus Farris • Marilyn and Matt Nowell Samet Corporation • Courtney and Fred Best • International Market Centers
FRIENDS Julie Delgaudio • Ginger Somers • Claire and Jeff Horney • Nan Kester • Susan Morris • Donna and Andrew Cumby • Debbie and Bobby Irvin Amanda and Travis LeFever • Mary Jane and Mark Ackerman • Ann and Charlie Lynch • Edith Brady • Jackie and Bruce Hirschhaut • Sadie and Wil Elder Lauren and Tom Picha • Laura and Houston Johnston • Ann and Bob Brinson • Emily and Matt Thiel • Henry and Katherine McMullan • Meredith and Braden Covington Hands On Massage & Physical Therapy • Ellen Whitlock • Monkee’s of High Point • Rebecca McCarter • Laine and Stephen Ruehle • Betty and Doyle Early
IN-KIND SPONSORS Spruce Builders Inc. • Lane’s Landscaping & Drainage Solutions • Marsh Kitchen & Bath • Sandhill Turf • All Seasons Landscape Solutions, LLC Weeks Hardwood Flooring • Protection Systems • Phillips Collection • Pond Professors • First Bank • Fiber Seal of the Triangle & Triad Braxton Culler • Tomasz Piotrowski
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Poinsettia Sale
This year marked our 13th annual poinsettia sale. Throughout the holiday season, our beautiful flowers were visible in homes and offices around the greater High Point community. Similar to the year before, numerous supporters purchased plants that were donated to Hospice of the Piedmont’s residents and their families. Thank you for helping us to make the holidays brighter for our community! We remain grateful to High Point University for generously allowing us to utilize their Community Center for poinsettia distribution.
Cookbook Swaps and Sales
We love our Furniture City Feasts Restored cookbook, as well as inter-League collaborations! This year we coordinated swaps to bring our members copies of the Junior League of Winston-Salem’s Stirring Performances, the Junior League of Chattanooga’s Seasoned to Taste, and the Junior League of Knoxville’s Dining in the Smoky Mountain Mist cookbooks. All are available at our headquarters for $5.00 and proceeds support the mission of our League.
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
2019-2020 End of Year Report
MARRIED Beth Burroughs
Laurie Mendenhall
STATUS CHANGE TO SUSTAINER Tracy Dixon Elizabeth Lynch Scotti Teschke
TRANSFER IN Abbigail Felton
STATUS CHANGE TO EMERITUS Anne Andrews Lois Markham
to Drew Culler to Naren Pyle
Greenville, SC
Laura Weaver Raleigh, NC
TRANSFER OUT Amy Cooper Cline Nashville, TN
Makeba Gregg Greensboro, NC
Melissa Koerner Manatee County, FL
BIRTHS Lane Butler – daughter (Allison) Zafeira Paradis – son (George) DEATHS Roma Amos Kitty Coble Betsy Collins Willodean Hoskins Joanne Sechrest
REINSTATED
Anne Andrews
Gennie Kirby
Rose Marie Boone
Vicky Leonard
Sammie Braxton
Pam Mercer
Anne Byerly
Georgia Rasmussen
Susie Farabow Willodean Hoskins Becky Hunter Sarah Jones
Beth Tuttle Patricia Wheeler Carolyn Wilson
RESIGNED Ellen Whitlock
Thank You to our Community Advisors
The Junior League of High Point is fortunate to have a Community Advisory Board that counsels the League on community needs and resources, assist in program development, and allows for networking opportunities among other organizations and community members. Each Advisor’s unique background and personal talents help us better serve our community. These individuals are ambassadors for the League providing advocacy on our behalf that increases the League’s visibility, credibility, and impact. On behalf of the Junior League of High Point, we would like to thank our 2019-2020 Community Advisors for their service to our organization!
This year’s Community Advisory Board includes:
Beachy Allen • Joe Blosser • Mary Bogest Randy Carda • Heather Cross Jeff Horney • Barry Kitley • Heidi Majors Jim Morgan • Mena Parrish Monica Peters • Gary Simon • Richard Wood Year in Review 2019-2020
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Kristin Crowe
Elizabeth Earnst
Ashley Lansford
Marilyn Nowell
Judy Sweger
Rachael Cusick
Sadie Leder Elder
Amanda LeFever
Carissa Osborne
Meredith Welch
Tracy Dixon
Kathryn Harrell
Elizabeth Lynch
Zafeira Paradis
Laura Johnston
Rebecca McCarter
Amy Robinson
Amy Adams Caryl Adams Kay Anderson Cynthia Armfield Rebecca Atwell Shea Barnett Courtney Best Molly Bibee Donna Blakely Becky Blue Laura Bodenheimer Edith Brady Beth Breece Teresa Bretzmann Ann Brinson Sissie Burgess Ann Busby
Ruth Bender
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2019-2020 Awesome Actives 2019-2020 Super Sustainers
Brenda Carr Linda Chafin Lyl Clinard Alison Collins Helen Congdon Amanda Connor Evie Cottam Barbara Coughlin Jennifer Covington Catharine Culp Susan Culp Julie Delgaudio Mary Powell DeLille Mary Drummond Mary Eliza Duckett Shayland Edwards Dorsay Eichhorn Kelley Fenn
Elizabeth Finch Kimberly Floyd Ann Fulton Marybeth Grein Malia Grimes Anne Harris Jaclyn Hirschhaut Judyth Hustrulid Debbie Irvin Cynthia Jarrell Lynn Jennette Dorothy Keever Mary M. Keever Nan Kester Gennie Kirby Joni Lackey Nancy Laney Barbra Lassiter
Lynne Ledford Marlene Levering Margaret Lewis Ann Lynch Amanda Magill Carroll Ann Miller Rena Norcross Deborah Novak Monica Peters Kay Phillips Sallie Phillips Lauren Picha Karen McNeill Pond Heidi Poth Mariana Qubein Georgia Rasmussen Marie Ray Helen Rice
2019-2020 Emeritus Donors
Wanna Blanton
Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Lavon Boone
Mary Lou Brinson
Elisebeth Rogers Emilie Rogers Kathy Rohrbeck Laine Ruehle Susan Samuel Deborah Smothers Rebecca Smothers Jeanne Spillers Judith Stalder Mary Jo Stout Emily Thiel Beth Thomas Donna Tucker Nancy Warburton Lee Webster Carol Young
Kathryn Congdon
2019-2020 Donors
Caryl Adams
Lucille Duncan
Grace Lackey
Emilie Rogers
Kelly Adams
Shelly Edgerly
Ashley Lansford
Kathy Rohrbeck
Dr. Sara Bencini
Sadie and Wil Elder
Amanda LeFever
Heather Rouse
Donna Blakely
Suzanne and George Elder
Lois Markham
in memory of Roma Amos
Susie Bland
Elizabeth Finch
Mary (Sissie) Burgess
Kelley Fenn
Cassie Burton
Kathryn Gerace
Julie Burton
Megan Hardisty
Ann Busby
Kathryn Harrell
(Past President's Fund)
Patricia Heery
Randy & Carrie Carda
Aurelia and Michael Hepler
Alison Collins Helen Congdon
Peggy Honeycutt
Donna Cumby
Marianna Johnson
Holly Davis
Shirlene Jones
Mary Powell DeLille Tracy Dixon
Gayle Kearns
Leslie Sedberry
in honor of Cindy Jarrell
Lucia Matthews
Carolyn & Don Shaw
Rebecca McCarter
Katherine McMullan
Peter Sojka and Elisabeth Stambaugh
David Murphy
Terry Sullivan
in honor of Sadie Leder Elder in honor of Ericka Best-Hunt
Sherrie Stroud
Marilyn Nowell
Judy Sweger
Gloria & Dan Odom
Scotti Teschke
Zafeira Paradis
Candice Tickle
Matthew Penley
Jack Trantham
Lauren Picha
Hannah Weant
Fay Poindexter Ed Price Barbara Rice
Katelyn Welch Dale & Debbie Williams
in honor of Sadie Leder Elder
in memory of Mary Caroline Thurber
Allstate Foundation
Blue Restaurant Group
Kepley's Bar-B-Q
Salsarita's
Alex's House
Greater High Point Food Alliance
McDonalds
Texas Roadhouse
Pinnacle Bank
Thomas Built Buses
Archdale Drug Beeson Hardware
High Point Rockers Baseball
Doug Witcher
Amy Robinson
Pizza Inn
Get-On-Board Training Series Sponsors Crescent Ford • River Landing at Sandy Ridge
GMM Sponsors
Caliber Home Loans / Jeff Benfield • Jones & Peacock / Bradley Gibson Model Insurance Group / Justin Peek • Secure Test Results / Wil Elder
Give Back Night Sponsors
Monkee's of High Point • Sedgefield Hunt Club • The Public House Year in Review 2019-2020
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Earnst Chiropractic Clinic DR. TYLER EARNST Chiropractic Physician
231 Baker Road High Point, NC 27263 Office Hours By Appointment
336.434.4600 Fax 336.434.4610 Cell 336.324.3529 www.earnstchiro.com
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
SMALL GROUP CLASSES + PERSONAL TRAINING your first class is free! visit fithubhighpoint.com to check us out and sign up for classes 120 W. Lexington Avenue High Point, NC 27262 336-823-2612 bshaw.fithub@gmail.com
C CHANGE WELLNESS 1109 N. Main St. High Point, NC 27262 336.437.2949 cece@cchangewellness.com
Advertiser Index
Blakely Financial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 36
Junior League of High Point for your commitment to making an impact in our communities!
Brain Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Caliber Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 C Change Wellness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 37 Cynthia R. Jarrell, Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 37 Earnst Chiropractic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 36 FitHub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 36
proud supporter of the Junior League of High Point | sametcorp.com | 336.544.2600
High Point Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 36 Lynch Landscape & Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 37 Otto & Moore, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 37
Proud Supporter of The Junior League of High Point sametcorp.com | 336.544.2600
Samet Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 37 Secure Test Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 38 Simon Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Young Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover Year in Review 2019-2020
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Secure Test Results PO Box 795 Monteagle, TN 37356 www.SecureTestResults.com 931-924-TEST Protecting students from unhealthy choices: drugs, alcohol, and vaping.
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Junior League of High Point | www.jlhp.org
Year in Review 2019-2020
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JUNIOR LEAGUE OF 1103 NORTH MAIN STREET HIGH POINT, NC 27262 336.889.5479 | info@jlhp.org www.jlhp.org
The Junior League of High Point, Inc.
@JLHighPoint
#JLHP #WeAreJLHP #WomenBuildingBetterCommunities
Making Dreams Come True 1345 N. Main Street High Point, NC 27262 336.887.9394