Perspectives Winter 2018

Perspectives

MAGAZINE OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CINCINNATI

WINTER 2018

An Update from Program Development Six semi-finalists chosen! Learn about the work already done, and what comes next in the JLC’s search for a new community partner PAGE 4

Practice It! Find out how League members practiced skills from the new human-centered design curriculum, while giving back to the community PAGE 13

Tour of Kitchens Our 7th Annual Tour of Kitchens invited guests to explore historic Over-the-Rhine, while enjoying tasty treats and supporting the JLC’s community partners and projects PAGE 15

In this issue 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

President’s Perspective An Update from Program Development: Six Semi-Finalists Announced Catching Up with Sustainer Carol Philpott Servant Leadership in the Junior League of Cincinnati JLC Sustainer Forum V Leadership Incubator Update Celebrating the League’s Emerging Leaders

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A Busy Season: Photo Review Centennial Celebration Preview CandO in Action Tour of Kitchens an Overwhelming Success Connecting with New Americans in the Community Member Milestones Our Year by the Numbers

Your Perspectives Team

Managing Editor Chelsea Zesch

Assistant Editor Kailen Nowik

Writer Raquel Cannon

Writer Charlotte Eichman

Writer Alexis Hartman

Thank You The Perspectives Committee would like to extend our gratitude to the many women who volunteered their time, knowledge, opinions, and experiences to make this issue possible.

Writer Laura Hicks

VP Communications Haley B. Elkins

Photographers: Vicki Marsala Calonge, Katie Hayden, Lisa Hubbard, Kellie Kruger

The Junior League of Cincinnati is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

Perspectives is the magazine of the Junior League of Cincinnati, published multiple times throughout the year. Past issues and advertising rates can be found online at www.jlcincinnati.org.

For more news and events, follow us on social media.

JLCincinnati

JLCincy

JLCincy

Junior League of Cincinnati, 3500 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226 • 513.871.9339 • www.jlcincinnati.org

President’s Perspective Dear Friends, As I write this on the eve of our March General Membership Meeting, I can barely believe we’re already looking towards the spring season. Winter can be a time of hibernation, but not for our members — one look at our Photo Review on page 10 will tell you all about our busy winter. We’ve all been hard at work to support our mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community in which we and all our neighbors live, work, and play.

Our Program Development team has been continuing interviews, collecting data, and narrowing many applications to six semi-finalists, which I hope you’ll take a moment to read about on page 4, as all of them are doing important work that’s more than worthy of community support and recognition.

Thank you for being on this journey with us this year to advance our Strategic Plan Priority of Cultivating Civic Leaders through our overarching human-centered design curriculum carried out through our “Learn It – Practice It” model at our General Membership Meetings.

We hosted four ‘Practice It’ Community Roundtables in February. During these roundtables, we challenged our assumptions, which opened our circles and our minds.

These conversations added context and depth to the challenges our community faces. The more we learn, the more informed we’ll be when we vote in April for our new League project. We want to make sure the projects we invest in enhance existing efforts and help tackle the root cause.

At our March General Membership Meeting, we learned all about prototyping community solutions as an educational foundation for an informed program development vote on at our April meeting. I’m also excited to announce that our membership passed an important amendment to our policies and procedures: allowing both New and Sustaining Members to vote on our next JLC program acceleration! New and Sustaining Members must be present at the April GMM to vote, so I hope to see you all there for this exciting milestone.

As we prepare for our next program acceleration, we’re also harkening back to the incredible history and legacy of the JLC with planning for our Centennial year in 2020.

Our Centennial Celebration Preview on page 12 includes interviews with Centennial Steering Committee Chairs that will give you a sneak peek of all the dedicated work so far, and how you can plan to engage with our Centennial Celebration planning!

All the JLC’s 98 years of programming is close to my heart, and I have a personal, special history with

RefugeeConnect: I served as the Vice President of Community Impact at the time our last Program Development team was developing our previous community needs assessment that revealed a gap in refugee resettlement. I was so moved by the importance of this work that I later served on the RefugeeConnect committee and have chosen for years, as many of you have, to volunteer at RefugeeConnect’s direct service opportunities.

So it is with great joy that I close this letter to you today by announcing that as of January 1, RefugeeConnect has transitioned into the community as a standalone nonprofit organization after a five year period of incubation with the JLC — and has been offered a generous donor match for each dollar raised through March, up to $50,000. Gifts of support can be given online at refugeeconnect.org/birthday.

Because we want to offer as much support as possible during its launch, RefugeeConnect will still maintain a home at Columbia Center, volunteer events will still count towards member’s commitments, and the RefugeeConnect JLC Committee will still offer support through the remainder of the year. We hope you will continue to volunteer and consider contributions not just through this year but also beyond.

I look forward to seeing you this spring at our numerous CandO volunteer events, our next General Membership Meeting on April 3, our Annual Member Meeting and Dinner on May 15, and, of course, RefugeeConnect’s World Refugee Day Cup on June 23.

Loyally, Vicki Marsala Calonge JLC President PS — Congratulations to our incoming leadership slate who was approved at our March General Membership Meeting! Read the whole slate and learn more about what our Leadership Development team is doing on page 9! #JLCincy | 3

An Update from Program Development: Six Semi-Finalists Announced

By RAQUEL CANNON

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he Junior League of Cincinnati is seeking a community member or organization with a focus on strengthening childhood environments, building better communities, and educating and empowering women and children to achieve their full potential, to be the recipient of funding and active partnership. For this Program Development cycle, the JLC is using a Request for Proposals approach, beginning with collecting copious amounts of research and data from the community by analyzing various publications and conducting interviews with community partners. After sorting through the information, we narrowed our scope to four major issue areas representing the largest gaps in our community: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), lack of support services for youth aging out of social services, basic needs, and the heroin and opioid epidemic. The Request for Proposals approach allows us to build a bigger table for community partners, and hear from a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

The process of selecting and narrowing down proposals is a rigorous one. The Program Development Committee, along with Leadership, has had many honest conversations surrounding the goals and future of the JLC and how it can be an influential change-agent. Using this feedback, they carefully crafted a scoring rubric to

make sure that the proposals selected will meet the needs of both the JLC and the community. Using this scoring rubric to evaluate the written proposals, the Program Development Committee selected six semi-finalists in January 2018. Next, the Program Development Committee will partner with the semi-finalists to coach them through the next stages of presentations. The semi-finalists will first present to the Program Development Committee and Leadership, who will again score them based on a separate presentation rubric. In February the Program Development Committee will select up to three finalists who will present to the JLC Membership as a whole, with a final vote as part of the General Membership Meeting on April 3.

The Program Development Committee has dedicated significant time and effort in order to select semi-finalists for whom the JLC could be a strong partner, in areas where our resources could be maximized as a transformative community organization. Providing a wide array of volunteer opportunities to allow JLC Members to fully connect with the initiatives developed under the new program is a key part of any future partnership. It is the goal to see this program grow its impact in years to come, and hopefully parallel the incredible resources the community has seen from current and past projects like RefugeeConnect, GrinUp!, MindPeace, Prokids, Fernside, and more.

C ongratulations to our SemiFinalists!

Cincinnati Youth

Immigrant and Refugee

Sweet Cheeks

Collaborative

Law Center

Diaper Bank

Mission: Empower vulnerable children and young adults to overcome obstacles and succeed in education, career and life.

Mission: To provide free legal services to immigrant and refugee families in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Website: www.cycyouth.org

Website: www.irlawcenter.org

Mission: Eliminate the existence of diaper need in our community so that all babies have a chance to be healthy, happy, and safe.

Website: www.sweetcheeksdiaperbanks.org

First Step Home Mission: Assist women as they break the cycle of addictions and abuse, enabling them to become selfsufficient, productive members of their communities while providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children.

Website: www.firststephome.org

Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation

WordPlay Cincy

Mission: Advancing Madisonville through comprehensive community development to improve quality of life for all.

Mission: Helping children find their voices through literacy and creative expression while developing the skills, knowledge and character necessary for them to succeed.

Website: www.mcurc.org

Website: www.wordplaycincy.org

Actives, Sustainers, and New Members alike are invited to attend the April GMM to vote on our next project! #JLCincy | 4

Catching Up with Sustainer Carol Philpott

By CHARLOTTE EICHMAN

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unior League of Cincinnati Sustainer, Carol Philpott, is a prime example of how the League’s members work collaboratively with communities through their service inside and outside of the League.

Carol’s entry into voluntarism began, perhaps unsurprisingly, with the Junior League of Cincinnati. She joined the League over three decades ago as a way to contribute to the community while meeting women with similar interests. She began singing with the Nightingales, a former committee within the League which sang to children in orphanages. She reflected that the League was an ideal organization to volunteer for because it exposed her to populations she would otherwise not work with, like parentless children, while also training her on how to be an effective volunteer.

That training proved indispensable when Carol began to volunteer with CISV International (formerly Children’s International Summer Village). She became involved with CISV International when her eldest daughter wanted to participate in the program nearly twenty years ago, and she has been volunteering on a large scale ever since.

CISV International is a global organization, founded in Cincinnati, which seeks to educate and inspire peace by building cross-cultural friendships, cooperation, and understanding.

skills. It is particularly gratifying to observe the growth in students who arrive with limited English fluency. Carol explained, “It’s so cool to watch kids come in the first day [with limited English] and they just say their name, and by the end they’re hanging out with someone from another country, and they’re talking together.”

As involved as Carol is with CISV International, she still creates time to serve in multiple volunteer capacities at her church, Knox Presbyterian, in Hyde Park. She is presently nearing the end of a three-year commitment on a committee orchestrating the renovation of the church following a flood several years ago. Every Sunday she teaches confirmation classes and acts as a youth advisor as well. This past summer, in her role as a youth advisor, Carol traveled with youth group members in grades nine through twelve, for a weeklong camp at the Montreat Conference Center in North Carolina.

Carol’s career in voluntarism reflects how leadership skills developed and honed in the League can foster effective action and facilitate co-creating solutions with our community.

The organization began by creating a program of delegations, called villages, composed of eleven-year-old children from ten to twelve different countries who would come together for a four-week, camp-based program in the summer. Today CISV International continues to host villages all over the world, along with six other programs that bring together all different age groups.

During Carol’s continuous work in CISV International, she has served as a planner of summer villages upwards of six times. Most recently she planned a successful Cincinnati village in the summer of 2017. Carol’s role as the planner began in September 2016, and she had to secure a location for the village, retain a chef and kitchen staff for meals for the children, and create several excursions in Cincinnati, among many other responsibilities.

As a Cincinnati native, Carol appreciates that her participation in CISV International has broadened her worldview and enabled her to meet and make longlasting friendships with people from all over the world.

Her village from last summer hosted students from fifteen different countries. Carol also finds it rewarding to see the eleven-year-olds transform throughout the four weeks as they build new friendships and language #JLCincy | 5

Servant Leadership in the Junior League of Cincinnati

An Interview with Co-Chair of Leadership Development Committee, Kelly Barber

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By ALEXIS HARTMAN

he mission and spirit of the Junior League can be summarized, at least in part, by two words: servant leadership. Association of Junior Leagues International trainer and nonprofit expert Vicki Clark focused on the concept of servant leadership during a presentation to Junior League of Cincinnati members regarding building the capacity of organizations at our September General Membership Meeting and Leadership Workshop. Clark described servant leaders as missiondriven and member-focused, and noted that serving others comes by helping them to achieve and improve.

The philosophy of servant leadership is an important tool to develop individual members into impactful leaders and philanthropists in our community.

Kelly Barber, who serves as Co-Chair of the Leadership Development Committee, shared her perspective on servant leadership within the JLC.

How would you define servant leadership as it applies to the Junior League?

I have thought a lot about this over the years, and this is something really important to me. To me, it comes back to our “Why?” Why did we join the Junior League? Yes, to make friends. Yes, to network. Buta big YES to wanting to better the community of which we are all a part. I believe that everything we do in the League is in effort to better ourselves and therefore better our leadership and philanthropic skills. That, in turn, develops us into better community members. Servant leadership means being empathetic to surroundings and using your strengths and resources to try and make things a bit better than how you found them.

What types of qualities or characteristics exemplify servant leadership?

I believe that people who are strong servant leaders are first strong listeners or strong observers. They ask questions and get to know their team. They are motivators and collaborators and lead by taking our neighbors’ hands and walking alongside them for the journey. They use “We” instead of “I”. They are passionate for change and are willing to get their hands dirty.

How does the Junior League embrace and practice servant leadership?

I love how we have evolved our GMMs this year to the new “Learn it, Practice it” model. Each GMM is designed to highlight a set of skills useful to servant leaders. Then we get an opportunity to try out those newly learned skills. We’re #JLCincy | 6

in the midst of developing an almost 1,000-member tribe of servant leaders ready to tackle challenges facing our city. I especially liked the session around empathy, as I see that as a truly foundational skill for servant leaders. And it’s just as useful in career and personal settings as it is in charitable situations.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about servant leadership in your JLC experience?

Building on the empathy skills - I was fortunate enough to sit in with families and neighbors this year during RefugeeConnect’s annual Thanksgiving potluck. You could see so many microcosms of activity, different languages, varying level of interests in trying new things, varying levels of wanting to interact with people outside of their family. On that afternoon, our job as JLC members wasn’t to judge or push or change - it was to be available. To try and see what it meant to be in their shoes. To be open. And it was a beautiful and humbling experience.

Is there anything additional that would like to add?

you

All of us can decide to be servant leaders. You don’t need a certificate or a stamp. It’s really more about a mindset. It’s a tool we can use at our discretion, and it’s a tool that will get sharper and better with practice.

JLC Sustainer Forum V

Planetwalker: The Power of One Man to Make a Difference

By AMELIA CRUTCHER Each year the Junior League of Cincinnati Sustainers plans and executes a forum, bringing together Sustainers and Actives alike to learn about current issues and the movers and shakers around the world who are spearheading progress. Amelia Crutcher met John Francis, Ph.D., on a visit to Washington DC and was fascinated by how one man could have such an impact. Today he has written two books, Planetwalker and The Ragged Edge of Silence. He currently leads trips for National Geographic, has lectured around the world, served as a consultant for oil spills and other environmental disasters, and represented the United States as an Ambassador for the National Parks. Needless to say, Crutcher invited him to come to Cincinnati to speak to the JLC and meet with students at Miami University.

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he first question one might ask when learning about Francis is, “Why would someone stop riding in cars?” The answer to that became simple when listening to him speak at the Sustainer Forum V: for the same reasons that the Junior League of Cincinnati seeks to “improve communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.” Francis just took it literally for 22 years of his life after the 1971 oil spill that dumped 800,000 gallons of oil in San Francisco Bay. He thought that others would follow him and stop riding in cars and walk more—this was his way of protecting the environment, one person at a time.

he did not start out with the intention of walking for twentytwo years or being silent for seventeen of those years, it was through his silence and walking that he learned to listen, and his pilgrimage across the country on behalf of the environment and world peace began.

His story as the “Planetwalker” is an inspirational story of a young man’s call to public service and his decision to make a difference. As he said during his speech, “How we treat each other is our first step to learn how to treat the environment.” As women committed to promoting voluntarism, there were many valuable lessons to learn from Dr. John Francis, who spent nearly two decades in silence practicing the skill of empathic listening, a technique many in the League have been honing this year as part of our training curriculum.

But when they did not stop riding in cars and, in turn, insisted that he ride, he decided to start listening to people instead of trying to defend himself to his friends. He shared, “I realized I had not been listening to anyone—I thought I knew everything. I didn’t. And I realized if I listen to people I could start learning.” While

#JLCincy | 7

Leadership Incubator Update

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n the latest installment of the ongoing Leadership Incubator training series, the Leadership Development Committee hosted a Mid-Year Leadership Retreat at the Columbia Center on January 17. Here, the Executive Management Team, Committee Chairs, and Vice Chairs came together to review each Council’s progress against their Annual Plan created during the Leadership Planning session in June. Leaders brainstormed ways to use the remainder of the year most effectively toward accomplishing their goals, participated in exercises to better get to know one another on the Leadership team, shared best practices on what is working within their teams, and worked to ensure that the work of their committees continuously advances the mission of the League -- not to mention the fun (superlative appreciation awards!).

The Leadership Development Committee also provided a refresher on the human-centered design curriculum training modules. Training modules are additional content complementary to the message delivered in the most recent General Membership Meeting, and serve as a key touchpoint in the “Learn It, Practice It” framework.

Committee members: look for these training modules incorporated in your next Committee meeting!

New! Montessori 18 month-old program and full-day toddler program!

VISIT THE SUMMIT Montessori Information Sessions (18 months - K) March 6 and April 12 • 8:30 a.m.

Schedule a visit today for Grades 1 - 8 RSVP required. Please call (513) 871-4700 ext. 261 or email admissions@summitcds.org

Now Acceptin g Applicat ions for 2019 ! #JLCincy | 8

Catholic • Independent • 18 months - Grade 12 2161 Grandin Road • Cincinnati, OH 45208 513.871.4700

www.summitcds.org

Celebrating the League’s Emerging Leaders

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By RAQUEL CANNON

he goal of the Emerging Leaders Program is to celebrate our emerging leaders through further developing their skills and connecting them with experienced leaders in their area of interest. The program supports participating members by providing them with a network of peers to grow alongside of, and with whom they can develop lifelong relationships. It also helps members identify which leadership path in the Junior League of Cincinnati will be the best fit for them and for the League.

Emerging leaders have a chance to bond and learn from each other and from Sustainers, all while learning more about what it takes to grow as a leader both within as well as outside of the League.

In October 2017, the current leadership team nominated thirtyfive women to be a part of this yearlong program. Nearly all of these women are new to the program, and all are extremely excited to be a part of this select group of leaders.

The kickoff celebration took place on November 4, when the emerging leaders received an overview of the program, networked with their peers, and participated in a panel with current and past leaders who shared their leadership experiences within the League. Upcoming events include a social with the Executive Management Team (EMT) and the Board, a book discussion, and a volunteer opportunity as a group of Emerging Leaders. By the end of this year, the goal is that each woman will feel inspired and prepared to apply for leadership positions within and outside the League, and empowered to better support the growth of our community.

Several Junior League members shared their first impressions of the program: Rebecca Bryson, commercial real estate underwriter and second-year Active, shared “I was really excited, and surprised, to learn I was nominated. This is a really unique opportunity to network and get to know a group of talented, successful, and diverse women. I believe my biggest contribution will be sharing what I’ve learned about leadership thus far in my career. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in a leadership role in my job and I’ve had some successes and some failures. I think it’s important to share those failures and lessons learned, while also sharing what’s worked for me. One of the biggest reasons I joined the League was because I wanted to play a role in serving our community. I have goals of serving in leadership roles both inside and outside of the League. I recently joined a junior board, so this leadership program is very timely. I’m looking forward to learning more about leadership and

using what I learn in the program in my board service.”

Kacey Vaught, attorney and second-year Active, said that, “When I found out that I had been nominated, I felt honored that someone had taken notice of me and saw leadership potential in me. I think the biggest impact this program will have in my life is expanding my network of JLC women by mingling with members from across placements and by providing us the opportunity to connect and create bonds throughout the year. I am interested in one day serving on a nonprofit board, and I think the Emerging Leaders Program will help me get there by inspiring confidence that I would be able to contribute to the nonprofit. I currently serve on multiple committees at the Cincinnati Bar Association, and I think my participation in Emerging Leaders will also boost my confidence in taking on leadership roles within those committees.”

C h a r l o t t e E i c h m a n , magistrate and second-year Active, shared, “I feel honored and delighted to be included in this group of formidable and ambitious women. I look forward to gaining leadership skills from them throughout this year. I thoroughly enjoyed the first event in the program: we had the opportunity to engage in a panel dialogue with multiple esteemed leaders in the League. It was helpful and inspiring to hear their stories on how they came to be in leadership positions at the League and how they met the challenges that came along with that responsibility.”

The Emerging Leaders program is a key component of the League’s commitment to leadership development, and will continue in years to come.

Congratulations to our Incoming Leaders, who were approved by membership vote at the March General Membership Meeting: President-Elect: Meredith Comin Board-of-Directors (Member At-Large): Megan Stacey VP Communications: Chelsea Zesch VP Finance: Kei Lawson Nominating Vice Chair: Jamie Williams Nominating Committee: Lindsey Dye, Aleicia Ennis, Frances Keller, Anne McKenna, Kelly Pear, Sarah Pharr, Jen Schuster, Leslie Touassi, Deanna Sicking, and Pamela Wise. #JLCincy | 9

Another busy winter and holiday season for the JLC! 7th Annual Tour of Kitchens Attendees explored unique kitchens and entertaining spaces in the Downtown and historic Over-theRhine districts, and enjoyed small bites and delights prepared by top chefs and caterers from the Greater Cincinnati area. With the generous support of the community, members, and our sponsors, we surpassed both our fundraising and attendance goals! #TourOfKitchens

November “Practice It!” Meetings League members practiced the Empathetic Interviewing and Understanding Skills learned at the October GMM while giving back to our community at the Brighton Center, Bethany House, Stepping Stones, Linden Grove School, and many more. #PracticeIt

Sustainer Forum V JLC Members and friends gathered to dine and hear the story of the fascinating John Francis, Ph.D. in Environmental Studies, who spent twenty-two years walking across the U.S. and seventeen years in silence. #LearnedItinJuniorLeague

RefugeeConnect Thanksgiving Potluck Members celebrated the second annual RefugeeConnect potluck at the Columbia Center, where members and New American families alike gathered over a Thanksgiving meal. #LearnedItinJuniorLeague #JLCincy | 10

Thank you to all who have contributed photos from this season’s events!

Give, Share & Be Merry Holiday Party JLC Members and guests enjoyed a fun and festive evening at the Mercantile Library, connected with friends old and new, and gave back to the community by donating gifts for RefugeeConnect. #JLCincy

January GMM Design Impact’s Michelle Sucher led JLC Members through an exploration of two parts of the Human-Centered Design process: Discovery and Ideation. Members then practiced these skills in small groups, generating ideas to creatively connect with the community for the upcoming February roundtables, and identified potential barriers to discovery and perspective-taking, such as childcare and transportation issues. #LearnedItinJuniorLeague

Mid-Year Leadership Retreat 2017-2018 VPs, Chairs, and Vice Chairs came together to catch up, review progress against the Annual Plan created in June, and strengthen ties as a leadership team. #LeadershipEmpowered

RefugeeConnect Birthday Party Many refugees who come to the U.S. can’t prove, or don’t know, their date of birth - so they are assigned a birthday of January 1. The JLC hosted a birthday celebration for our RefugeeConnect families with January 1 birthdays, complete with food and drink, gifts, and an opportunity to make new friends. #RefugeeConnect

Email your favorite photos to the Perspectives Committee for inclusion in future issues! perspectives@jlcincinnati.org

#JLCincy | 11

Centennial Celebration Preview

Interviews with Centennial Steering Committee Co-Chairs Judy Dalambakis and Susan Shelton

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By KAILEN NOWIK

hen the Junior League of Cincinnati was founded, women did not yet have the right to vote. Sustainers Judy Dalambakis and Susan Shelton, Co-Chairs of the Centennial Steering Committee, are hard at work ideating a Centennial framework that celebrates both how far we’ve come, as well as what our future holds.

“Our goal is to engage and re-engage our members — including bringing back those who might have left the League—and really educate the community on all that the JLC has done in and for Cincinnati,” says Judy, adding that “As part of this, we’re making sure we connect with all our past projects during the Centennial year in meaningful ways.”

Susan explains: “Equally as important as our last hundred years is our next hundred - we want to highlight the new project launching next year, and how the JLC is staying relevant and finding new and different ways to help our community.”

The Centennial will launch in May 2019 with a special onetime combined Annual Meeting + Sustainer Luncheon, bringing generations of civic leaders together to celebrate

as One League. In Autumn 2019 there will be a second kickoff for the broader Cincinnati community, highlighting stories of the JLC and our members. To aid in preparation, the Cincinnati Museum Center has graciously offered the JLC their partnership in the form of expertise and training on storytelling and archiving. There are also plans for a Gala.

The Centennial year will conclude in May 2020, when Cincinnati has received the honor of hosting the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) Conference.

The Centennial Steering Committee was formed to “get things rolling with the big ideas,” and Judy and Susan emphasize that all work is happening within the structure of the League, feeding into each Council. The Centennial subcommittee leadership has been intentionally constructed by pairing Active and Sustaining Members together, strengthing the mentorship bonds and drawing on a wider range of ideas and experience. There will be lots of ways, big and small, for those interested to get involved - so stay tuned for these volunteer opportunities!

From the Archives The Junior League’s 50th Anniversary took place in the spring of 1970 and the Committee was led by Chairwoman Mrs. Allen W Reynolds. The celebrations included The Golden Anniversary Ball at the Cincinnati Country Club and the 50th Anniversary Conference, a community conference on urban issues, featuring keynote speakers including the then Mayors of New Haven, Connecticut and Cincinnati.

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CandO in Action

By LAURA HICKS League women have been working hard toward putting what we learn into motion within Cincinnati and have been making a huge difference in the process. The JLC is proud of the more than two-dozen community partners we work with to provide capacity-building volunteer support to their important programs, and our CandO committee will continue to plan “Done in a Day” volunteer opportunities to engage our members. This fall, the CandO Committee orchestrated twelve “Practice It” Opportunities to facilitate practicing the skills learned in this year’s curriculum. In addition to the events recapped below, the committee also coordinated events with Bethany House Fairmount Shelter, Homeward Bound Youth Shelter, Dress for Success Suiting Program, and the Children’s Theatre Cookies with Santa event.

The committee kicked off its 2017-2018 year with volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, assisting with its snack time on October 9. Snack time supplements the Ronald McDonald House Taste of Hope Program by providing desserts for evening meals as well as a quick breakfast or lunch option for the guest families of the house. The volunteers toured the facility then helped make breakfast casseroles and quiches that could be easily refrigerated and eaten by guests at their convenience. They also made cookies and brownies that were set out as a sweet treat that night for the seventy-eight families that were staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

The JLC’s Family Volunteer Day in November was a huge hit with members and their families. Children first learned about the needs in our city, then had the opportunity to immediately take action and make a difference. Two children began the lesson about hunger by reading the book “Maddie’s Fridge,” a story about two friends who help each other through poverty and food insecurity. Through this story, the children learned that being a good friend is like being a good community member.

After discussing how hunger affects the community, the Executive Director of Community Matters was invited to speak to the children about their mission and how the project would make an impact in the Lower Price Hill community. The children then decorated and assembled over 400 snack packs to be given to children in the Lower Price Hill community, who rely on school meals for breakfast and lunch. The snack bags nourished the children of this community during Thanksgiving break.

The event collected over 3,000 items for donation to the Lower Price Hill community.

The Children’s Theatre Family Gala occurred on October 21. The Gala was a special familyfriendly event inspired by Peter Pan Jr., the first production of the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s 2017-2018 season. After the performance at the Taft Theatre, everyone gathered at the Scottish Rite ballroom next door to enjoy dinner for children and adults.

The volunteers assisted with the meal, children’s games, a photo booth, and prize table throughout the event. It was a fun and bustling event that is particularly close to the JLC’s heart, as The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati grew out of the Junior League Players program begun in the 1920s!

On October 30, League volunteers dressed in costume and hosted a Halloween party for the patients on the Residential Unit at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center College Hill Campus. The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s residential program provides a safe and nurturing environment for children and adolescents alike who need a longer period of treatment than can be provided in an inpatient setting.

On November 1, volunteers played Bingo and spent one-on-one time with senior residents at the Brighton Senior Center. The Brighton Center manages three independent living facilities which provide care to individuals who have no family support system age fifty-five and older.

These facilities enable residents to continue active and meaningful social lives, and reduce isolation. #JLCincy | 13

On November 13, JLC members participated in a “Practice It” event at the Boys and Girls Club of Cincinnati. Seven JLC volunteers taught the children who attended about flossing, tooth decay, and animal teeth by leading three different dental stations the children could rotate through. Each child who participated received a goody bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

On November 11, volunteers spent the day at Stepping Stones for an Ohio State University football game viewing party. Stepping Stones is a nonprofit United Way Partner that helps people with disabilities find pathways to independence that will improve their lives and enable them to be more fully participating members of their communities. Alongside members of the Stepping Stones adult program we cheered OSU to a blowout victory over the Michigan State Spartans, and made new friends over a shared love of football.

On December 16, Junior League volunteers partnered with the Linden Grove School’s Girl’s Group for a daytime adventure with students.

The Linden Grove School provides specialized learning for students K-8 with autism and related learning needs and its Girl’s Group serves girls ages ten to fourteen with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s.

The one-on-one mentor program focuses on teaching social skills and pairs each girl with a volunteer to serve as a role model. Its purpose is to provide social opportunities for the girls and foster friendships.

During the event, volunteers attended a sensory-friendly showing of “Ferdinand” and then explored the Cincinnati Children’s Discovery Center together.

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7th Annual Tour of Kitchens an Overwhelming Success!

More than 500 Tour attendees experience Over-the-Rhine while raising support for the League’s Mission

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By CHARLOTTE EICHMAN

he Junior League of Cincinnati’s 7th Annual Tour of Kitchens was a resounding success, surpassing last year’s attendance with over 500 attendees. The high volume of attendees was accompanied by impressive fundraising results, raising $25,000 to support the JLC’s projects, GrinUp! and RefugeeConnect. Tour of Kitchens Chair, Frances Keller, reflected on the success of the Tour, remarking, “We are really excited about the turnout and the amount of money raised for our projects.”

the JLC, by members of the general public. A long list of generous supporters and sponsors pledged their support for the Tour, including Silver Sponsor Truepoint Wealth Counsel and Executive Chef Sponsors Amy Youngblood Interiors, Bartlett, Cincinnati Housetrends Magazine, Kathryn Hayden Photography, and Megan Stacey and Keller Williams Realty. The Tour also partnered with several businesses: Funky’s Catering Events, Symphony Hotel, Vestry, Four Entertainment Group, and 3CDC.

Beyond fundraising, this year’s Tour invited participants to the revitalization transforming the historical Over-theRhine (OTR) district in Cincinnati. OTR boasts the largest and most intact urban historical district in the United States, showcasing a wide variety of architecture, such as Italianate, Queen Anne, Venetian, Gothic, Beaux Arts, and Art Deco styles. The area is also home to historical nonresidential buildings, such as Memorial Hall, the Transept, and the recently renovated Music Hall.

Keller also shared that the Tour of Kitchens Committee was passionate about continuing last year’s “walking format that allowed access for everyone” participating in the Tour so that Tour attendees could “get a feel for the neighborhood.” Along the self-guided Tour route, attendees were treated to scrumptious fare and beverages at eleven unique kitchens and three entertaining spaces.

The sample-sized morsels ranged from barbequed pork, pumpkin soup, and lobster macaroni and cheese to sweet treats like cake pops, macarons, and mini Bundt cakes.

The Tour of Kitchens Committee made a special effort to include local OTR and downtown Cincinnati restaurants, such as Court Street Lobster Bar, Eli’s BBQ, KAZE and 3 Sweet Girls Cakery. Following the Tour, homeowners and sponsors were invited to a special cocktail hour reception at the Vestry. Save the date for next year’s Tour, scheduled for Saturday, November 3, 2018.

The OTR community—including vendors, local businesses, and homeowners alike—embraced and promoted the Tour.

The public enthusiastically supported the Tour as well, with more than thirty percent of tickets being purchased outside

Sous Chef Sponsors Alison Bushman Vicki Marsala Calonge

Cooks in the Kitchen Hostesses Patricia Bryan Rebecca Bryson Raquel Cannon Chef de Partie Sponsors Melanie M. Chavez Mary Ivers Sarah Clark Saralou Durham Regina Daly Haley B. Elkins Frances Keller Brianna FrappierTara Noland Schirmang Kylie Hartman Hospitable Homeowners Joan Ireton Alice Hague Lytle 3CDC & Rachel Russ Christine Masur Julian Brown Marjorie McCullough Motch Katy Crossen Margarita Munda Bill Draznik (Realtor) Ginny Myer Michael Hines (Realtor) Alexandra Ollinger Shelley Poffenberger Karen and Brad Hughes Nicole Portal-Velarde Victoria and Todd Leavitt Buffie Rixey Robert Sherwood Keke Sansalone Julie Niesen Kristian Scarpitti Kara Sewell Linda J. Smith Alicia Taylor Jamie Williams & Emily Thobe Brandon McIntosh Dionn Tron Abbey Wood Juliana (J.J.) Wales Susan Westerling #JLCincy | 15

Connecting with New Americans in Our Community

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By LAURA HICKS

reater Cincinnati is home to approximately 25,000 refugees. An estimated 200-300 people resettle in the area each year. Cincinnati’s New Americans come from many countries, among them Bhutan, Burma, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Somalia, and Syria.

Because of the high volume of people coming into Cincinnati, the Junior League of Cincinnati and RefugeeConnect saw an opportunity to create a mentorship program.

The RefugeeConnect Mentorship Program is designed to match JLC volunteers with New American women seeking basic skills assistance and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) lessons. The program consists of six one-hour engagements where participants come together for different activities while developing mentor and mentee relationships.

Training began on October 30 at the Columbia Center, where volunteers learned about the different populations with whom they’d be working.

They then learned about each woman’s individual goals, and brainstormed how they would support her in meeting those goals. Some of the New Americans had goals to study for their citizenship test, others were working toward improving their conversational English, and some were just learning English for the first time.

transition it is for a newcomer to feel at home in American culture. While many of their children are attending school and are fluent in the English language, they may be starting from scratch. Not only are they in a new country, they are also trying to raise a family in an unfamiliar culture with an unfamiliar language where they have to quickly find employment to ensure their family’s needs are met.”

New Member Victoria Gayotin learned different ways to connect people to the community whether it is through education, professional development, or guiding them to local services and resources - and through this, how to be a more effective mentor and community ambassador.

New Americans and Members alike benefitted from the experience and the volunteers are hopeful that the women who participated know the Junior League of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati community is here to support their acclimation to American culture.

The mentorship will start again in March and will include additional mentorship sites, including a site in Northern Kentucky! Stay tuned for more opportunities to volunteer.

The six mentorship engagements were held on November 13, November 27, December 4, December 11, January 8, and January 29. At these sessions, volunteers spent oneon-one time with the New American women, practicing reading and writing. Participants connected by learning about one another’s favorite foods and traditions, played language-building games like Simon Says, and did crafts all while working towards women’s individual goals.

Chelsea Manning, Vice Chair of the RefugeeConnect Committee, shared that the most eye-opening thing she learned from the mentorship program was, “that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach for mentoring relationships due to variables like child care, transportation, and cultural differences.” Beyond helping New Americans with tangible needs, it’s essential that newcomers feel accepted and welcome in our community - something which cannot be accomplished by a one-time volunteer event, but over consistent touchpoints that build trust and a sense of belonging.

RefugeeConnect Committee Member Danielle Levy said her biggest takeaway from the program was, “how difficult of a #JLCincy | 16

JLC Members participate in trainings to learn to best serve the Cincinnati Refugee community. They later connect with New Americans through events like the Annual Thanksgiving Potluck and Birthday Party.

Announcement

Join the JLC member group on Facebook!

Looking for another way to stay up-to-date with the League’s latest events? Forget where to meet for a volunteer shift?

Want a place to communicate with your fellow League members? Look no further!

Request to join the “Junior League of Cincinnati Member CLOSED GROUP.”

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Member Milestones

Tory Flynn, “35 under 35” Recipient Tory Flynn was honored with “35 under 35,” recognizing Kappa Alpha Theta alumni with notable achievements. Tory received the “Outstanding Service on Behalf of Crime Victims” award as well as being noted for launching a volunteerism program for Hillenbrand, Inc.

Beth Berkowitz

Charlotte Eichman

Rachel Foster

Beth Berkowitz, and her husband Judge Josh Berkowitz, proudly welcomed baby Abigail on October 24, 2017. She joins her big brothers George and Peter, who couldn’t be more excited to have a baby sister.

In November Charlotte Eichman was sworn in as a magistrate judge at the Clermont County Court of Common Pleas. She now serves as a magistrate by presiding and adjudicating over civil cases.

Rachel Foster recently said “YES” to fiancé Mike Maley! The couple will be married on October 12, 2019.

Kellie Kruger

Eliza Moffat

Lauren Pfister Bridges

Kellie Kruger and Jeff Voelpel got engaged on December 16, 2017. The proposal took place in a horse-drawn carriage as they rode in front of a beautifully decorated tree adorned by colorful Christmas lights near Fountain Square.

On October 12, Eliza and Gary Moffat welcomed their son, Tripp, into the world at 8 lbs 5 oz. He is the second grandson for proud grandmother, Sustainer Ellie Moffat.

Lauren Pfister married Joshua Bridges on December 2 in Key West, Florida.

Sarah Pharr

Pirjin Tayip

Kate Wenning

Sarah and JP Pharr are pleased to announce the arrival of their daughter, Caroline Nisbet Pharr, born on August 12, 2017.

Pirjin Tayip and Robert Laser were married on October 6, 2017 at the historic East Ivy Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.

Kate and Todd Wenning are happy to announce the birth of their daughter, Alden Virginia, on September 5, 2017. She joins proud big brother Noah.

Submit Your Milestone

Nancy Aichholz, Anne Bangert, and Katy Crossen named to the Hamilton County Commission on Women and Girls Nancy, Anne, and Katy were appointed to the Commission responsible for making recommendations to the local government, nonprofits, and businesses around the rights of women, their education, and opportunities to fill leadership positions. #JLCincy | 18

We love to celebrate your milestones!

Share your promotions, retirements, awards and nominations, new babies, engagements, weddings, and other milestones!

Submit your milestone by logging into the JLC member site online at members.jlcincinnati.org.

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Our Year B y the Numbers

200

members attended our New Members welcomed to the Junior September GMM as we launched our new League of Cincinnati Human-Centered design curriculum

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proposals submitted during Program Development’s RFPs

teenage girls piloted RefugeeConnect’s teen empowerment program

6

12+

semi-finalists chosen

3,000+

30

145

mentors and speakers covering career opportunities, selfactualization and more

$25,000

items donated at the volunteer shifts for League raised by Tour of Kitchens to support first-ever Family Volunteer Day with volunteers at the November the JLC’s projects “Practice It!” meetings (20% increase from last year)

400+

snack bags assembled for children in Lower Price Hill

12 direct service opportunities (so far!)

500+ Tour of Kitchens tickets sold (45% increase from last year)

Music and Movement Classes Birth to 24 months • Parent and child classes

Music ignites all areas of child development. Activities in these classes are designed to stimulate your baby’s mind and body and can be replicated at home. In this special class aimed at the youngest musician, you and your child will strengthen your everlasting bond while exploring age-appropriate instruments, songs, stories, movement and dance.

Class Options

Register www.summitcds.org/igknight Call (513) 871-4700 ext. 261.

Class sizes are limited, so sign up today!

All classes are parent and child classes. Parents can choose from ONE of the following three class meeting options. Classes will be held in The Summit Country Day School Lower School:

Session III - Let’s Play in May! • Fee: $90 • Registration opens March 19 Monday 8:30 - 9: 15 a.m. - April 23 - May 21 Monday 9:30 - 10: 15 a.m. - April 23 - May 21 Wednesday 9 - 9:45 a.m. - April 25 - May 23

www.summitcds.org/igknight

Catholic • Independent • Age 2 - Grade 12 2161 Grandin Road • Cincinnati, OH 45208

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