Perspectives Winter 2019

MAGAZINE OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CINCINNATI

Perspectives WINTER 2019

Tour of Kitchens The Eighth Annual Tour of Kitchens in Hyde Park and Mount Lookout raised unprecedented proceeds for the Junior League of Cincinnati PAGE 4

Practice It! Learn how CandO volunteers contributed over 2,500 volunteer hours in November to the women and children of Greater Cincinnati PAGE 6

From the Archives Diving into the history of JLC: A look at Fernside Center for Grieving Children, one of the League’s longest-running programs PAGE 13

In this issue 3 4

President’s Perspective 2018 Tour of Kitchens Generates Historical Proceeds 5 Sweet Success for Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank 6 Servant Leadership Embodied in CandO’s ‘Practice It!’ Series 8 Another Lens into the Refugee Crisis 9 2019: New Year, New Little Black Dress Initiative 10 A Season of Giving: Photo Review

12 News on Dues: Why Renewing Your Membership Matters!

13 Fernside Center for Grieving Children: A Path to Healing 15 The Sound of Music Never Gets Old 16 Member Milestones 18 JLC Office Updates 19 Kicking Off the Centennial: Celebrating 100 Years of Service

Your Perspectives Team

Managing Editor Kailen Nowik

Assistant Editor Charlotte Eichman

Writer Andrea Buschmiller

Writer Raquel Cannon

Writer Elizabeth Longaberger

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.

VP Communications Chelsea Zesch

Contributors: Haley Elkins, Kei Lawson, Carrie M. Starts Photographers: Katie Hayden Gamber, Chelsea Zesch

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 JLC Members and friends, As the calendar year turns, we’re more than halfway through our 99th JLC year. At every turn this year, we’ve talked about harnessing the power of women, and this issue of Perspectives demonstrates some of the many ways we are doing that this year. In the pages of this issue, you’ll find stories about some incredible accomplishments, both for the League and our individual members.

Rather than striving to do more for the sake of more this year, we’ve instead been asking questions like, “How might we make this easier for the next woman in this role?” “How can we make this more effective or impactful?” “What can we take away so that the things that really matter have the chance to truly shine?” I’m ever cognizant that while we are wrapping up the first 100 years for the JLC, we hope there will be many hundreds more to come. This year’s New Members are our future committee leaders.

Our committee leaders are our future Executive Management Team members. Our Vice Presidents are our future board members and Presidents. And all of them are our future Sustaining members, who will spend the next many years supporting the League and furthering our mission.

to come back to (and one that all of you who have been here the whole time are still proud to call your own).

We all have a lot of choices of where to spend our time and money, and we’re choosing to be part of the JLC. At our Leadership Kickoff this year, I asked our leaders to focus on making this a year worth giving our time to. Part of doing that is by creating meaningful experiences for members and feeling connected to our mission.

But it’s also about building into the future of the League so that the women who have these positions after us have an easier time. It’s about investing in the community and each other so that in thirty years, our daughters will be leading an organization that is even stronger than it is today.

So as we roll into the Spring, which will bring so many exciting League events, my For that reason, a lot of the work we are doing sincerest thanks to you for all this year is for the League we hope to see in five, that you’re doing for the League this ten, or even twenty years. Projects like revising year. Whether that’s running a Council our by-laws and focusing on our membership retention issues deliver small, short-term or simply paying your dues, you are a critical part wins, but their real pay-off won’t be felt for a of this organization and without you, we would few years. We’re investing in our fundraising not be as strong. Thank you for the part you’re and recruitment capacity to remove some of playing in making this year possible. the ongoing frustrations that our volunteers consistently feel. We’re engaging in tough but important conversations about what we want Warmly, our League to look like in the future and what we need to do now to make that happen. We’re also welcoming home some of our members Tara B. Noland who haven’t been around for a while, and we’re JLC President doing our best to make this a place they are glad

#JLCincy | 3

2018 Tour of Kitchens Generates Historical Proceeds

By CHARLOTTE EICHMAN

T

he Junior League of Cincinnati’s Eighth Annual Tour of Kitchens, held on November 3, 2018, was a major success. The Tour surpassed last year’s ticket sales with nearly 600 sold and proved to be the highest fundraising Tour to date. The enthusiastic attendance generated exceptional fundraising results, raising over $28,000 in net proceeds to support the League’s mission and program partner, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank. Tour of Kitchens Committee Vice Chair, Katey Mueller, attributed this year’s unparallelled success to the tremendous support of League members, who opened their homes for the Tour, donated their restaurant and catering services, and generously provided sponsorships.

thank you to our tremendous SPONSORS SPONSORS SPONSORS

Silver Sponsor

Executive Chef Sponsors

Beyond fundraising, this year’s Tour exposed participants to the historic charm of Cincinnati’s Hyde Park and Mount Lookout neighborhoods, where many League members reside. Unlike last year’s Tour, this year’s attendees followed a drivable route, allowing them to cover a larger geographic range and tour more homes than ever before. Hyde Park was established in 1892, and its homes feature colonial, foursquare, and bungalow styles, with a hint of Tudor Revival and late Victorian influences. Mount Lookout is a hilly eastern community established in the late 1800s. Its homes showcase a variety of architectural styles, including Arts and Crafts bungalows, Tudor Revival, Cottage, and late Victorian Vernacular.

In the weeks preceding the event, Cincinnati Magazine, the Cincinnati Enquirer, Hyde Park Living, and WCPO all featured the Tour, generating community interest.

Katey shared that, “Local vendors were very supportive of the Tour. We had a lot of restaurants and caterers who returned after doing the Tour previously. We also featured new vendors who were eager to show off their food and drinks to the nearly 600 guests we had on the Tour. In addition to vendors, local businesses were willing to hang up marketing material in their store fronts. This was a great asset in getting the event out and into the community.”

The self-guided Tour route began at Fueled Collective where participants received a copy of Cincinnati Seasoned, entered themselves into raffles for enticing prizes, and socialized. The participants were directed to Hyde Perk and fourteen different homes. At each house attendees enjoyed light bites and refreshments from restaurants and caterers in Cincinnati, as well as Indianapolis and Dayton.

The tasty selections ranged from hot ravioli, to fresh sushi, to gourmet bagels, and more. Afterwards, sponsors, homeowners, and vendors gathered at Toast of the Tour—a celebratory event held at Fueled Collective and catered by CityBird and Urban Cheese Stead—for a champagne toast to celebrate the Tour’s success. #JLCincy | 4

Allison Allison Bushman Bushman Allison Bushman Mary Mary Ivers Ivers Mary Ivers

Save the date for next year’s Tour Saturday, November 2, 2019 in Indian Hill

Sweet Success for Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank

By CARRIE M. STARTS Our partnership with Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank has been a huge success to date—we are celebrating several milestones and there are big plans.

SINCE THE PARTNERSHIP BEGAN...

The JLC has donated over

2,900 volunteer hours translating into

{

76,000 diapers distributed monthly (+15% vs. pre-partnership)

32 Partner Agencies.. with 30 more on a waitlist! (+60% vs. pre-partnership)

Increased community

connections

Because of the partnership, Sweet Cheeks was able to hire a part-time employee and offer this part-time employee maternity leave, something very important to the organization. With the help of this employee and the help of two committee members, Sweet Cheeks has been able to submit eight grant requests. The JLC hosted the most successful Bottoms Up For Babies event to date. In addition, Sweet Cheeks launched its membership in the Alliance for Period Supplies and has expanded distributions to include food pantries.

As for the future, Sweet Cheeks is now searching for a 10,000+ square foot warehouse space and is hoping to be moved into a new location by the end of April, 2019. It is an aura of sweet success for Sweet Cheeks as we look forward into 2019 and approach the one-year mark of what is sure to continue to be a successful partnership.

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SERVANT LEADERSHIP EMBODIED IN CandO’S PRACTICE IT! SERIES

By CHARLOTTE EICHMAN

The first event in the Practice It! series was led by Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House, which keeps families close to each other while their children receive medical care. On November 6th, seven JLC members went to Ronald McDonald House to employ their culinary talents by making oatmeal protein balls and chocolate banana muffins, which were easy for guest families to eat while traveling to treatments. After learning about the organization’s history, volunteers prepared and packaged approximately one hundred total snacks. CandO Committee Member and volunteer Lauren Klonne found that the Ronald McDonald House staff was “very organized and great to work with!”

The League’s program partner, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, is the only diaper bank serving the entire Greater Cincinnati area to fill the diaper need gap in the community. There are over 16,000 diaper-wearing children in the Greater Cincinnati area experiencing diaper need each month. JLC members volunteered at Sweet Cheeks on November 6th and 15th, where they sorted, counted, and wrapped diapers in preparation for pick-up from the various Sweet Cheeks partner agencies that deliver the diapers to families in need.

ACTION Ohio hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner at the Columbia Center on November 10th. ACTION Ohio works with partners and sponsors to host early Thanksgiving dinners for foster care teens and alumni. The evening before the dinner, several JLC members assisted with making festive centerpieces for tables. The day of the dinner JLC volunteers set up, registered attendees, travelled for extra supplies, served food, and cleaned up once the repast was over. Each volunteer brought a dessert to share for the dinner. The 140 attendees were treated to a splendid meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, stuffing, salad, rolls, and a wide array of desserts. Additionally, the event featured a raffle full of generous donations.

Dress for Success Cincinnati provides suits to women returning to or entering the workforce. On November 17th, six JLC volunteers worked one-on-one with clients as their personal shoppers. Before clients arrived, volunteers displayed jewelry and scarves and assisted in organizing the store. Volunteers then helped fourteen clients select professional attire and accessories and provided support and encouragement to the women as they prepared for their upcoming interviews.

Annie Carroll, CandO Committee Member, found that the women were, “excited about their outfits and feeling confident about the way they looked.” She also shared that, “It was great to see smiles on their faces.” #JLCincy | 6

Throughout the month of November, the Junior League of Cincinnati’s CandO Committee organized ten standalone volunteer events for its second annual Practice It! series. In place of having a General Membership Meeting in November, the Practice It! series provides an additional opportunity for JLC members to spend time in the community volunteering with organizations that serve women and children in need. Throughout the ten events, over ninety League members volunteered—more than twice the typical number of volunteers at monthly CandO volunteer events! Together, these members contributed 2,520 hours to the League’s program partners.

Emily Ryan, Chair of the CandO Committee, shared that the Practice It! series was created to, “provide members with hands-on exposure to our mission as a League.” This year’s series featured opportunities at several new organizations that were semifinalists last year in the League’s search for an organization to receive funding and active partnership. Emily reflected that, “Similar to last year, the series was very well received by members. Every event hosted was well-attended, and the CandO Committee received positive feedback about the new organizations that we supported as well as those long-standing partners that the League has supported for years.”

At Girls on the Run girls are inspired to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them unique. Through a tenweek program, girls in third through eighth grades develop essential skills to help them navigate their worlds and establish an appreciation for health and fitness. The program culminates with the girls performing a service project and a 5k event.

On November 17th, over 1,300 girls ran in the Girls on the Run Greater Cincinnati Fall 5k Event that took runners from from Sawyer Point in Cincinnati through Northern Kentucky. Thirteen JLC members, along with some family members, attended to form a cheer line in the cheer zone.

They had pom-poms and cowbells as they cheered the girls. After the race an organizer remarked that the girls loved the cheer zones, especially the noisemakers and high-fivers. CandO Committee Member and volunteer Courtney McAbee reflected, “It was wonderful to see girls of all ages, families, and friends running and walking the 5k.”

On November 12th, ten JLC members went to La Soupe to assist with food preparation for food insecure families. La Soupe bridges the gap between food waste and hunger by rescuing perishable food, transforming it into delicious and nutritious meals, and sharing with the food insecure and its supporters. After learning more about La Soupe, JLC volunteers spent two hours preparing food for the next day’s meals by cutting squash and removing seeds so it could be roasted. Other volunteers packed crackers and cheese into bags to be distributed to children in an after-school program.

Linden Grove School has facilitated a group for girls aged ten to fourteen with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s since 2014.

The group focuses on providing social opportunities and fostering relationships through monthly social events. On November 18th, eleven JLC members supported the event held at Main Event in West Chester where a group of fourteen girls participated in bowling, arcade games, and laser tag. JLC volunteer Allison Papathanas believed that, “The highlight of the event was seeing the girls get to interact with one another and the girls had a blast playing laser tag and bowling.”

Cooking for the Family is an organization that was built to empower families with the knowledge of how to feed themselves healthy meals with limited income. Students learn eight basic cooking skills, create a full meal, and receive fresh produce and a cooking kit to keep at the end. On November 29th, JLC members volunteered at St. Anthony Center to set up for the class, prep vegetables, prepare take-home bags of food, assist students in the class while cooking, and clean up after class.

#JLCincy | 7

Another Lens into the Refugee Crisis

By ANDREA BUSCHMILLER

J

unior League Member, Emily Thobe, traveled to Greece as part of a joint event coordinated by Give Back Cincinnati (GBC) and RefugeeConnect. RefugeeConnect was the League’s program partner until last year, when it became an independent nonprofit. Emily has been involved with the League since 2014. She served on the RefugeeConnect Committee for two years, and now is the Chair of the Major Gifts Committee. Emily has also been involved in GBC since 2007. Her first trip was part of the Freedom Project with the Underground Railroad Freedom Center’s Young Professional (YP) Team. Beyond travelling to Greece, Emily previously volunteered in Guatemala, Romania, Peru, Nepal, Appalachia, Tanzania, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

Emily and her group were in Greece from October 3, 2018 to October 16, 2018. Thirteen YPs from Cincinnati were part of the trip, working with Cross Cultural Solutions (a non-governmental organization), that permanently staffs the Ritsona Refugee Camp. When Emily arrived, the scene was markedly different from Cincinnati. The camp, a former military base, had been there for several years. The group was tasked with operational activities, which are typically staffed by volunteer teams week-over-week or by stretch assignments for the permanent staff. The volunteers worked in the women’s center (Female Friendly Space), laundry, clothing store, and warehouse, and helped with the milk and tea preparation and distribution.

There was a ton of need, and the Give Back team was able to assist over 1,000 refugees at the camp. The volunteers served in multiple capacities, ranging from washing laundry to supporting the women in the Female Friendly Space with a place to practice English, do arts and crafts, or even have their hair colored! They also assisted in the “caravan” (house) with obtaining weekly milk and tea, shopping, and finding clothing for the women and their families during their monthly store trip or upon arrival to the camp.

This is an experience that Emily will not soon forget. When asked how this would change her as a person she responded, “For me it was important to see where people were staying and have a more proximate view of this global humanity crisis. I was tired of hearing perception from others and wanted reality. Having an opportunity to live and spend time in discussion with those at the camp allowed some perspective on what it took for them to make the journey to

#JLCincy | 8

where they are now… and the journey they still plan to make to get to a safer ‘home’ as they don’t have ‘home’ to return to in most cases.”

Looking toward the future, Emily said that while GBC does not have plans to go back to Greece, there are plans for additional service events next year. Among these are a trip to Puerto Rico in spring/summer 2019 with a focus on hurricane recovery, and another to Dakar, Senegal in fall 2019 to work in an elementary school. Beyond 2019, the goal is to continue with at least one trip per year.

Certainly there is more work to be done. We are so extremely grateful for these volunteers who chose to get out of their comfort zones to help in a crisis situation.

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2019

New Year, New Little Black Dress Initiative

By ANDREA BUSCHMILLER

T

he Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) is a global initiative and week-long fundraising campaign to raise awareness of the impact of generational poverty on women and children, and was launched in February 2014 by the Junior League of London. This year, the Junior League of Cincinnati will continue to join the more than forty other Leagues worldwide who have launched this campaign. Participants wear one black dress (or outfit) for five consecutive days to illustrate the effects poverty can have on a woman’s confidence, access to resources, and the opportunities available to her. Participants also wear a pin that reads, “Ask Me About My Dress,” which invites dialogue among colleagues, friends, and strangers about the LBDI. By wearing the same dress for five days, participants seek to spark awareness and meaningful conversation about the often-invisible limits poverty places on women.

It also raises awareness among JLC members and the public about poverty and the work the JLC does to help eliminate it and its effects in Cincinnati.

Participants harness the power of their social media platforms to further drive donations and awareness.

In addition to the conversational piece, participants and other JLC members involved in the LBDI are encouraged to invite friends, family, and colleagues to participate in community activities. They are also invited to contribute to a collection drive, and make monetary donations to support the JLC and our partner organization, Saint Vincent de Paul, which also works within the Cincinnati community to help alleviate poverty.

This year’s initiative has several differences from the LBDI in 2018, but they are all positive improvements! The New Members were sorted into committees modeled after the structure of the JLC at large and each committee is being “chaired” by an Advisor or member of the New Member Leadership Team. The New Member Committee has updated the New Member Binder to include an entire section dedicated to the LBDI and to provide more guidance than in years past. The leadership team has shifted some of the responsibility from the New Members by having the Advisors and New Member Leadership lead the Sub Committees, each of which will cover a different area such as publicity or event planning.

I met with Megan Busam to discuss how this year’s project was coming along! Megan met with the Communications Council to map out the timeline and expectations, with the goal of refocusing the LBDI to be more social networkdriven. The New Member Committee also hopes to have monetary donations driven through the website to increase traffic and knowledge of the JLC while creating an easy tracking system. Chelsea Zesch, VP Communications, hosted two training sessions to better acquaint New Members with the Communications Council and how to best collaborate crossteam within the JLC—skills which will no doubt have legs beyond New Member year, as New Members transition to committee placements during their first Active year.

The New Members have just started their work on the LBDI and they were recently assigned to their committees. At the December New Member Meeting, New Members had time to work within their committees so that they could make progress on the LBDI. The beneficiaries of the LBDI this year are St. Vincent de Paul and the JLC; monetary donations will remain inhouse at the JLC, and in-kind donations will be collected for SVdP’s Thrift Store. The fundraising goal will remain $1,500 and the team hopes the exceed the goal as they did last year. With the new changes to the initiative, the team aims to consider increasing the goal in the future.

Megan shared, “Overall, I would say that the goal of LBDI is three-fold: to provide New Members with insight into the League’s operations through committee work; to generate awareness, invite dialogue, and illustrate the effect of poverty as it relates to women and children in Cincinnati to the general public; and to fundraise and solicit in-kind donations to benefit both the JLC and SVdP.”

The LBDI was held February 25–March 1, 2019 It included an in-kind donation drive, CandO opportunities, and a Celebration and Fundraising event. Stay tuned for more details on training, volunteering, and fundraising opportunities to benefit the LBDI!

#JLCincy | 9

A Season of Giving CandO Diaper Wrapping and Potty Training Kits The CandO Committee provided several opportunities for Members to volunteer at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank. Volunteers sorted, counted, and wrapped diapers and packaged potty training kits in preparation for pickup from the various Sweet Cheeks partner agencies that deliver the diapers and kits to families in need. #SweetCheeks

Sustainer Forum VI Sustainer Forum VI was held on November 13, 2018 at New Riff Event Center in Newport, Kentucky.

Members and friends of the JLC gathered for the first public reveal of New Riff’s Rye Whiskey, where they enjoyed a bourbon tasting and barbeque buffet dinner while learning about bourbon. #JLCincy

Applying the Science of Influence & Persuasion in Everyday Situations The Leadership Development Committee hosted an inspiring and interactive event at the Columbia Center on November 27, 2018.

Brian Ahearn, Chief Influence Officer at Influence People, spoke to League members about developing influence and coaching skills essential to achieving professional success and personal happiness. #LearnedItIninJuniorLeague

December GMM At the December GMM, the League revealed which members have been nominated for board positions for the 2019-2020 year. Members also heard a thought-provoking presentation from Valerie L. Newell, JLC Sustainer and Principal & Managing Director of Mariner Wealth Advisors, on the topics of female power, ambition, and leadership. #LearnedItIninJuniorLeague

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Give, Share, and Be Merry Holiday Party JLC members gathered for the annual holiday party for an evening of fun and holiday tidings. Guests enjoyed libations, as well as several pop-up shops and a surprise visit from Santa.

Attendees also brought donations for Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank and could wrap diapers at a diaperwrapping station. #JLCincy

January GMM The January GMM was held at Community Matters’ beautiful Sanctuary in Lower Price Hill. Members heard from a panel of local experts on Cincinnati’s childhood poverty epidemic, got a midyear update on Sweet Cheeks from CEO Megan Fischer, and voted on the 2019-2020 slate. #LearnedItIninJuniorLeague

Emerging Leader Kick-Off Held by the Leadership Development Committee, League members invited into the Emerging Leader Program were able to test their teamwork through challenges. They also engaged in an insightful panel discussion, showcasing some of the League’s current leaders as panelists. #LeadershipEmpowered

Family Volunteer Day For Family Volunteer Day, thirty JLC members and their families gathered at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, the League’s program partner, to wrap diapers for families with diaper need in the Greater Cincinnati area. #SweetCheeks

State Representatives Panel

New Member Poverty Simulation

The Advocacy and Education and SPAC Committees hosted the League’s first panel with local state representatives. The panel focused on how to effectively advocate at the state level. #CultivatingCivicLeaders

New Members gathered at St. Vincent De Paul in Cincinnati to participate in a poverty simulation, designed to help participants understand the struggles of a typical low-income family trying to survive monthly. The simulation elucidated the daily realities of low-income people. #LBDI

February GMM Members gathered to learn about the League’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. Nicole Portale-Velarde, VP of Programs at AJLI, spoke about power and privilege and how the League can work to become more diverse and inclusive to welcome and support women of varied and identities into the organization. #LeadingChange #JLCincy | 11

News on Dues

Why Renewing Your Membership Matters!

By KEI LAWSON, VP of Finance Fundraising Dues Endowmen Miscellaneo Grants

0.39 0.3 0.14 0.1 0.06

MEMBERS ARE OUR BIGGEST ASSET, AND HERE’S WHY

Each year, members of the Junior League of Cincinnati pay dues in April and May to serve in the organization.

Presently, Provisional and Active Members pay $195 per year, and Sustainers under the age of sixty five pay $126 per year.

Of these dues, the JLC pays $43 per member to The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). This is a required payment assessed by AJLI to each of the 291 Junior Leagues worldwide. According to AJLI, the payment is used for organizational development and branding, as well as community and civic leadership development. “AJLI incubates us as a nonprofit the way we incubate other nonprofits,” Haley Elkins, Managing Director of the JLC explained. “They publish extensive resources for every council, from Community Impact to Training and Development, that each VP has access to through the AJLI website—all sorts of guides, sharing of data and information, examples from other Leagues—and they maintain very serious records on our behalf, so that when our data has a hiccup, we can reach out to them to get a lot of it back. The fee we pay to them allows us to accomplish so much as an organization that would be a challenge to achieve if we were on our own.”

#JLCincy | 12

6% 10% 39% 14%

Revenue

Fundr Fundraising Dues Dues Endowment Endow Misc

Misce

Grants

Grant

30%

Per the 2018–2019 JLC budget, total dues amount to approximately 30% of budgeted revenue. The remainder of the budgeted revenue is made up primarily of fundraising (39%), endowment (14%), miscellaneous activities (10%) and grants (6%).

The JLC utilizes member dues for community projects and administrative costs. JLC fundraisers, such as Tour of Kitchens, Fashion Show, the Centennial Campaign and the Annual Fund, are expected to be self-sustaining, meaning that member dues are rarely, if ever, used for the primary expenses of the fundraisers. These expenses are expected to be covered by donations, sponsorships, and the funds raised by the event.

Revenue is allocated between administrative costs and community projects. Administrative expenses include maintaining JLC headquarters, as well as costs

associated with, but not limited to, membership training, program development and marketing while community partnerships include our donor support to organizations such as Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank.

As members, we have a fiscal responsibility to the JLC so we can continue to develop strong female leaders in the community. As a leadership team, we believe in being flexible and not allowing money to stand in the way of JLC involvement.

The bottom line is we need the support of our members so that we can continue to be a Mission-driven and member-focused organization.

Please contact Kei Lawson, VP of Finance, at finance@jlcincinnati.org, with additional questions

Fernside Center for Grieving Children A Path to Healing

By ELIZABETH LONGABERGER

F

ernside Center for Grieving Children is the nation’s second-oldest children’s grief support center.

Fernside began as an idea of Rachel Burell and her husband Paul after their son was killed in a biking accident while in college. The Burells had sought grief support but found that there were no grief support groups for their surviving three children. In 1985, Rachel heard Peter Jennings speak about The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon, which provided support to grieving children. The family took a visit out West and returned inspired to start their own center right here in our community; however, they realized that they needed help from an external organization to form a board of directors, assist with fundraising, and recruit volunteers. They felt that the Junior League of Cincinnati’s goals aligned with the vision that they saw for the new center.

Cyndi Smith, 1994-95 Fernside Committee Chair; Ginger Hamm, Fernside assistant director; Rachel Burrell, Fernside founder and director; and A. Maris Bernard, Junior League member and interior designer

The Junior League of Cincinnati incubated Fernside as a Signature Project and helped it open its doors the following year, in 1986. Hyde Park’s Knox Presbyterian Church kindly offered its facilities to house the center for many years, after which it moved to a home donated by Zion United Church of Christ in Norwood. The home in Norwood provided a more permanent space for the children and the volunteers, and one of the League’s members at the time, interior designer Maris Bernard, turned the rooms into happy and comfortable spaces for the children.

Fernside eventually relocated to Hospice of Cincinnati in Blue Ash in the early 2000s, where it is located currently.

The JLC maintained Fernside as a project for eleven years, during which time the League raised over $66,000 and provided over fifteen volunteers each year, who took the eight-week training course to become facilitators for the grief support groups. Long-time member Priscilla Ungers shared her experience, explaining that as a volunteer at Fernside, “it was the most uplifting place...these children and their parents had the weight lifted off their shoulders... for the first time [they] had people who understood what they were going through.” Fernside not only provides support for the children, it also provides sessions for the parents who accompany their children to the center.

Fernside featured in a 1989 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer

Today, Fernside remains a national leader in providing grief support services, outreach, and education to the community. It has expanded its services and provides support to schools, camps, and retreats with workshops, training, and consultations. For more information about Fernside, please visit www.fernside.org.

#JLCincy | 13

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The Sound of Music Never Gets Old

By CARRIE M. STARTS

M

usic can take us back in time and bring up fond memories of magical scenery and intimate moments with the special people in our lives. The serene sound waves never get old, nor does The Junior League of Cincinnati’s Choral Group, the longest running project of the JLC. The Choral Group was established in 1963 and exists today as a combination of JLC members and community volunteers. The Choral Group started as an outreach to seniors in the area, as the group performs every year in retirement communities, nursing homes and senior centers. From December to May, The Choral Group typically does twenty-six performances around the city, performing once a week. The performances include a theme each year and are comprised of music, acting, dancing, costumes, props and a lot of personality. There are typically three acts and the performances last about forty minutes. Afterwards, the group will mingle into the crowd, engaging in conversation and laughter with the audience.

A large portion of the magic of The Choral Group can be directly attributed to its longtime musical mastermind, choral director, Pat Matchette, who is currently ninetythree years old and retiring after this season.

Year after year, Pat has dedicated significant time and preparation to bring about masterpiece after masterpiece of sound and entertainment. Seniors swayed, as Pat was able to bring to life an era of music most familiar to them.

Pat’s dedication over the years has been admirable and unprecedented. Her heart for music and seniors will have a lasting impact in our community for years to come.

Members of the group speak fondly of Pat’s leadership and how she was able to capture the audience year after year.

Pat will be missed so dearly and remembered warmheartedly as she enters retirement after this season.

One of the most unique things The Choral Group members have loved about the group is the ability to have an impact in the community week after week. The members (there are currently twenty-eight) relish the ability to touch individual lives every single week, while at the same time benefiting themselves from the pure joy that fills the room during each performance. The group members reflect on the need for seniors to be remembered and touched, as the group has often gone into the crowd to engage the audience in handshaking, conversation and dance. Many times, the seniors have been so touched by the performance, tears are shed.

Indeed, some songs have had military veterans standing up and saluting.

There is there is no question that the weekly impact, vision of blissful faces and heart pumping emotion over the last fifty-five years as a result of The Choral Group has been felt throughout our community. There are no words to express our admiration for its success and impact. There is no doubt that the group created lasting memories that will be cherished for years to come.

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Member Milestones

Rachel Foster, Culture Driver Award

Queen City Young Professional Accolades Rachel Foster was recently awarded the Queen City Young Professional Accolades’ Culture Driver Award. The award is given to those who have made exceptional contributions to the Greater Cincinnati area.

Raquel Cannon

Meg Cooper

Tara French

Kylie Hartman

Lisa Nolan

Raquel and Danny Cannon welcomed a baby girl, Julia, on October 2, 2018.

Julia weighed 7 lbs. and 11 oz. and was 20 inches.

Meg and Grant Cooper joyfully welcomed their son, Theodore Emerson, on August 23, 2018.

Tara French was promoted to Sr. Tech Writer-Cloud, GE Digital. She also serves as the Chair of the Volunteer Committee and on the Professional Development Committee for the Women’s Network.

Kylie and Mike Hartman welcomed Hannah Kate on October 13, 2018. She was born at 8:19 p.m. weighing 7 lbs. and 5 oz. and was 19.5 inches long.

Lisa Nolan, Evan Nolan, and big sister, Grace, welcomed a baby girl on September 23, 2018.

Welcome to the world, Lyla Carrol!

Kailen Nowik

Kimberly Perros

Kelly Saylor

Kacey Vaught

Hannah Volz

Kailen Nowik was promoted to Director at Nielsen. In her new role she will lead a team of 20+ associates and the Marketing ROI relationship for an S&P 500 Global CPG manufacturer.

Kimberly and Anthony Perros announce the birth of their first born, Charles Fredrick James Perros.

Their child was born at the University of Cincinnati hospital weighing 6 lbs. and 13 oz.

Kelly has taken on a new contractor position as a Billing and Revenue Accountant with 84.51, a management consulting firm headquartered in downtown Cincinnati.

Kacey Vaught was named partner by her law firm, Graf Coyne Co., LPA, where she concentrates her practice on estate planning as well as trust and estate litigation and administration.

In September, Hannah Volz, Special Events Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association, doubled her fundraising goals for both events for which she is responsible in her role.

Submit Your Milestone We love to celebrate you! Share your promotions, retirements, awards & nominations, new babies, engagements, weddings, and other milestones!

Submit your milestone by logging into the JLC member site online at members.jlcincinnati.org. #JLCincy | 16

Remembering Emily Lee On October 18, 2018, the Junior League of Cincinnati lost Emily Shaur-Shyuan Lee. Emily joined the League in 2015 and quickly became a beloved member of her New Member class.

Shortly after becoming an Active Member, Emily was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, which forced her to take a leave of absence. Although she was no longer an Active member of the Junior League, Emily remained actively involved with her JLC friends, who loved her dearly. Emily was many things to many people: a daughter, a sister, an aunt, an attorney, a yogi, a baker, an adventurer, a lover of life, a fighter, and most importantly to those of us in the JLC, an incredible friend. Though her time on Earth and in the League was short, her impact was great and lasting.

Leaders of Character Start Here

To schedule a private tour, please call 871-4700 ext. 261 Catholic • Independent • 18 months - Grade 12 2161 Grandin Road • Cincinnati, OH 45208 • 513.871.4700

www.summitcds.org #JLCincy | 17

JLC Office Updates From HALEY ELKINS, Managing Director

I

want to tell you a secret: “developing the potential of women” is my favorite part of our mission statement. An important part of “developing the potential of women” is making sure we’re providing our members with the tools and resources to do the job we’re asking them to do. And that concept was a key driving force behind retooling our small-but-mighty staff roles this summer.

I’m passionate about making sure our membership has a clear understanding of League operations. My late mother used to say, “It’s not a job, it’s an ADVENTURE,” and adventures aren’t worth having if you can’t bring other people along. As we prepare to close our third quarter, I want to share some of the operational progress we’ve been making—in ways both big and small—and the ‘why’ behind some of our decisions:

Finance

The Columbia Center

Administrative Operations

The simplified version of the budget members vote on is actually more than 130 different account codes, which has made basic bookkeeping a large task in the office. Our Finance team has been working hard to refine our chart of accounts, and in the office, we’ve made an enormous transition: migrating to our own Quickbooks system, which not only cuts bookkeeping time in half, but also allows us to process invoices and receipts faster, better inform individual committee budgeting processes, and provide much clearer transparency to both JLC leadership and you as members.

We’re re-defining Columbia Center as a resource and safe space for every member, regardless of whether or not they’re doing “official” JLC work. We’re evaluating how we process room reservation requests and keep our calendars, to make sure your committees have the room and tools to work—and, most importantly, feel welcome and valued when they arrive.

We’re drafting operational guides, templates, and tools to make office support more seamless for committee work, including an Office Resource Guide. We’re digging deep into administrative costs, finding savings in some operational areas, like the complicated business of bulk mailing that saves significant postage costs for the League. And we’re continuing to focus on your interactions with the office being warm and welcoming, as we continue with our regular work of helping to process member transfers and status changes, membership renewal paperwork and donation processing.

We’ve repurposed our balcony office space into a Mother’s Room and we’re continuing to evaluate other spaces (like our extensive basement areas) to ensure they’re fulfilling their best possible purpose. We’ve revamped our rental processes, and are working with our Columbia Center teams to further strategize rentals as a revenue source and improve our openness to other nonprofit community organizations at discounted rates.

We’re asking for your patience and your grace during this transitional period, we’re also confident about the direction we’re heading. JLC women have been sailing into the wind for almost a century now, doing Hard Things, setting Bold Goals, opening their circles and their minds all along the way. You’ve got this—and we’ve got you.

SAVE THE DATE:

PLANNED GIVING SEMINAR

The Columbia Center Saturday, March 30, 2019 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. #JLCincy | 18

Please join the Major Gifts Committee, Don Lane (attorney with Droder and Miller), and Erin Savage (JLC member and financial planner with Kehoe Financial) for a discussion around planned giving, impacts of new U.S. tax policy on giving, and ways you can further engage with the JLC Annual Fund!

This event is for JLC members and Sustainers, as well as community members engaged in the nonprofit sector who would like some additional guidance on tax implications for giving which they might share with their donors, staff, and board members. It’s perfect for JLC Board Bank grads getting their feet wet as civic engagement leaders as well!

RSVPs on the JLC calendar are appreciated; community members can RSVP directly via email to donations@jlcincinnati.org. Thanks for your interest!

Kicking off the Centennial: Celebrating 100 Years of Service

By ELIZABETH LONGABERGER

A

s we kick off the start of 2019, the Centennial Committee is working hard to execute a year-long celebration of the Junior League of Cincinnati’s founding date that is fast approaching.

The celebration will begin at the Centennial Kick Off event, a firstof-its-kind celebration combining the Annual Meeting and Sustainer Luncheon events on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at the new Summit Hotel from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

In an effort to welcome back previous members, the Committee has organized a “Welcome Home Initiative.”

Letters have been sent with personal notes to over 500 previous members to invite them to renew their membership with the Junior League of Cincinnati.

We invite our current members to reach out to past members of the League, encouraging them to renew their membership to experience this truly special year of events.

Our Archivists have been working closely with the Cincinnati Museum Center to gather memorabilia from our past 100 years to build an exhibit at the Museum Center. In addition to preparing for the exhibit, the Museum Center has generously provided extensive support and training on how to properly archive our history. If you have any special treasures from

the past such as pictures, costumes, tapes, keepsakes etc., please reach out to Lisa Dye, Co-Chair of the Centennial History Committee. The exhibit will debut at the Museum Center in late summer of 2019 and will run through June 2020.

Next spring, the Junior League of Cincinnati will hold a Gala on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at our city’s famous and recently restored Music Hall. It will be a night filled with celebrating the last 100 years of the Junior League in Cincinnati. Guests will enjoy festive cocktails, a lovely dinner and lots of fun dancing! Please hold the date and get ready for a good time with lots of exciting surprises—it only happens every 100 years!

We have the honor of hosting the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) Conference from Thursday, May 14, 2020 to Sunday, May 17, 2020. With many Junior Leagues across the country celebrating their 100th year of service, the Junior League of Cincinnati was overjoyed to garner the chance to host our fellow League women in our beloved Queen City. Much like the JLC, Cincinnati has undergone a transformation time and time again and there’s never been a better time to show off the significance and beauty of our city!

UPCOMING EVENTS Centennial Kick Off The Summit Hotel Tuesday, May 7, 2019 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Centennial Exhibit

The Cincinnati Museum Center Late summer 2019–June 2020

Centennial Gala

Music Hall Saturday, March 7, 2020

2020 Annual AJLI Conference Cincinnati, Ohio Thursday, May 14–Sunday, May 17, 2020

If you are interested in being involved in any of the committees preparing for our Centennial year, please contact Judy Dalambakis or Susan Shelton.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR INCOMING LEADERS

WHO WERE APPROVED BY MEMBERSHIP VOTE AT THE JANUARY GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING President-Elect: Sarah E. Rieger Board of Directors (Treasurer): Meredith Edwards Ficks VP Community Impact: Brooke Olson VP Fund Development: Kathryn DeNicola VP Training & Development: Kasha Wiley Recording Secretary: René Robers Nominating Vice Chair: Nicole Portal

Nominating Committee: Megan Busam, Emily Emeneker, Rachel Foster, Katie Hayden Gamber, Gina Germana, Kylie Hartman, Monica Hitchcock, Jamie Humes, Deborah Livingston, Eliza Moffat, and Jamie Stinson

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