Sustainer Spotlight

Sustaining Member: Lisa Tomlinson

By: Marshall McFadden

How long have you been a Junior League member?

I joined the Junior League 40 years ago at age 22.

In the old days of the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC), members secretly sponsored new members. I was invited to join the JLC in 1980. I visited three members’ houses for coffee and a visit, I guess to see if I might fit in. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but they accepted me!

However, my husband, John and I were married that year and moved to Durham. I transferred to the Junior League there and was a Provisional. We moved back to Charlotte in 1982 and I started with a community placement as most do when becoming an Active.

What is your current placement in the JLC?

My current position is on the Board of Directors. This is my second year and before that I served on the Management Team as an Advisor.

I got “roped into’’ being on the Sustainer Board during the 2015-2016 League year, which was so much fun -- re-engaging with so many I knew over my Active years. It just warms my heart to take time to do fun things together and take trips! Then as President of the Sustainers the next year, I had the opportunity to recruit more of my friends and acquaintances back -- and the story goes on!

What has been your favorite placement in the League?

I had so many. They included the year I got to talk to elementary school children about the harmful effects of smoking, leading the Drug Free High School Graduation at Carowinds and an all-time favorite was talking to children of alcoholics (while parents were at AA or NA) about the disease and how it was not their fault. And I loved the Membership Development Committee and Nominating.

How has your membership in the JLC impacted your personal and/or professional life?

My experience in the League gave me the training to be a leader at my church. Christ Episcopal Church was so involved in outreach in the community, so I could recruit, manage and train leaders as we did in the JLC.

Professionally- after being President of the JLC during our 75th Anniversary year, I was recruited to work full time for a fashion company and I could use my Junior League contacts all around the U.S. to network. It is a known FACT that if you qualify as a leader in the Junior League, you can handle most anything.

How has the Junior League changed since you first joined?

The JLC has diversified. As I commented 20 years ago in the Charlotte Observer, we are not your Mother’s Junior League. This means we embrace those who want

Sustainer Board 2019

(Lisa is middle front)

Sustainer Lunch

Sustainer Cocktail Party 2019

It is a known FACT that if you qualify as a leader in the Junior League, you can handle most anything.

to volunteer and be trained. We also don’t have secret sponsors anymore.

What’s your favorite thing about Charlotte?

There are so many ways to learn and be involved. Just start with one volunteer effort and continue to grow.

I recently volunteered at Classroom Central and WOW- it was so fun to pull bags of supplies for teachers to pick up and to meet our young and fun members of the JLC.

Word Search Puzzle with Hidden Message answers

S C E L E B R A T I N P G N I E N E T Y F I V E Y I E A R E R S C N X R E C R H M M E R A V B V O E Z E X S X M W U K H I V X P A M I R B K R T C X M C P O N V D E L U Z U R B C C E R X O O D P D T F H Y I D N T C J L A I A A O W T S T O V L L D E A U T U E E Q W U T Y C Q L U B U Z A N L X S R Q A A V R W A T N I D M G I R I S P P G M Z W N N K N B I C D Q S S E R D E J V A Z U F B H R R J W Z P W U O N J M O O G P F I V E E C O W R S H X F U V

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