FALL 2020
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.”
- Abraham Lincoln
President’s Letter
The year has proven to be unpredictable, but the League’s impact continues to be unstoppable. I’ve been impressed with the way the members of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County (JLGHC) continue to welcome challenges and turn them into opportunities. As a volunteer organization, I assumed the pandemic would cause our members to retreat and disengage, but it has been the opposite. In fact, this pandemic has seemed to bring out the best in our membership, including their continued demonstration of resilience and commitment to supporting the community we serve. Our dayto-day operations and volunteer opportunities may look a little different, but our presence and our purpose continue to be felt.
I realize the COVID-19 pandemic is not the first time our membership has been faced with difficult uncertainties. JLGHC has historically grown through challenges - even just in the last 20 years. I think back to 2001 when terrorists attacked our country creating a “new normal”; or in 2005 when a hurricane forced families to be displaced into new communities, including Gainesville-Hall; or most recently, this “Signature” year known as 2020, when a global pandemic occurred simultaneously with a presidential election and pivotal social change; creating yet again, a new terrain to navigate. The world will constantly change and “normals” will continue to be new, but the mission and impact of JLGHC remains steadfast.
Our goal for the League year is to be good stewards - of goals, of people, of finances, and of the legacy and commitment of the League. I want to thank each of you for your support during this “Signature” year. While we are about to sign off on 2020, I encourage you to sign up for 2021, volunteering, advocating, and leaning into what we can count on with certainty: the mission, the purpose and the members of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County.
ANGIE KENNEDY, 2020-2021 JLGHC PRESIDENT
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF GAINESVILLE-HALL COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS
JLGHC HOSTED THE
1st EVER
VIRTUAL GA SPAC CONFERENCE
91 JL LEADERS
ACROSS THE STATE FOR GA LEAGUES UNITED VIRTUAL CONFERENCE WE JOINED
10,600
DIAPERS DONATED DURING OUR SEPTEMBER DIAPER DRIVE
TO COMPLETE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR RENOVATION PROJECTS AT THE BEULAH RUCKER MUSEUM WE JOINED
40+
VOLUNTEERS
$50,000+
SIGNATURE GRANT FUNDS TO BE DONATED THIS YEAR
714
FAMILIES SERVED THROUGH A FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION WITH HISPANIC ALLIANCE GALA ALIANZA
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED WAY OF GAINESVILLE - HALL COUNTY WE MADE KITS FOR
225+ MASKS
2020-2021
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
SECRETARY
EXECUTIVE VP
Megan Smith NOMINATING DIRECTOR TREASURER
MEMBER AT LARGE
MEMBER AT LARGE
MANAGEMENT TEAM
SUSTAINER DIRECTOR
Angie Kennedy
Suzanne Cindea
Chelsea Sullivan
Jennifer Mullis PRESIDENT-ELECT
Ashton Meeks
Anna Lyle
Wendy Watson
Callie Flack
Chelsea Sullivan EXECUTIVE VP
Darby Shank EXECUTIVE VP ELECT
Kaitlin Pharr FINANCE DIRECTOR
Amy Connell COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR
Rachel Miller MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Britt Sawyer COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Julie Sawyer FACILITIES DIRECTOR
NEW FORMS OF
communication
It’s not all Zoom and Gloom
We created a tool to help us with communication during this pandemic. It is our JLGHC Member Resource Portal. It provides a one-stop-shop for major updates, resources and news regarding Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County. The goal is to make information more easily accessible and provide more transparency into the status of the League. This new platform will continuously change and be improved with your feedback. Right now, we are striving for progress over perfection as we increase our communication efforts with you all.
NEW COMMUNICATION TOOLS
» Member Resource Center
» Virtual Google Drives
» Generic Email Accounts for Leadership Roles
» League-Wide Zoom Account
» Quarterly President’s Update Email
The JL Member Resource Portal is for active members and sustainers to stay connected and aware of Leaguewide updates. QR codes give you quick access to websites without having to type or remember a web address. You can use the Camera on your Phone or iPad to scan a QR code.
How to Scan A QR Code
1.Open the Camera app from the Home screen, Control Center, or Lock screen.
2.Select the rear facing camera. Hold your device so that the QR code appears in the viewfinder in the Camera app. Your device recognizes the QR code and shows a notification.
3.Tap the notification to open the link associated with the QR code.
Have a question or need help with the QR Code? Email president.jlgh@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to help get you connected to our JL Member Resource Portal
ANDI SAVAGE
Hometown: Winder, Georgia
Occupation/Employer: Office Manager, Brenau University School of Occupational Therapy
Interesting Fact: I love pickles and peanut butter!
“I’m excited about getting to know others in the Hall County community and helping others at the same time!”
LAUREN HUNTER
Hometown: Buford, Georgia
Occupation/Employer: Multimedia Reporter at Jacobs Media
Interesting Fact: I have an one-and-a-half year-old yellow lab named Duck Reagan, who I won at a Duck’s Unlimited auction
“I’m looking forward to meeting and working more with so many incredible women who are leaders in our community!”
APRIL BREEDEN
Hometown: I grew up in Royston, Georgia and currently reside in Flowery Branch, Georgia.
Occupation/Employer: Associate Attorney with Bart Patterson and Associates
Interesting Fact: I studied drawing and printmaking in Cortona, Italy for a semester in college.
“I am excited to serve my community alongside other community-minded women!”
SARAH TRAHAN
Hometown: Alabaster, Alabama
Occupation/Employer: Attorney at Coleman, Chambers & Rogers, LLP
Interesting Fact: I’ve never had a McDonald’s Hamburger.
“I’m excited to meet new people and invest my time and energy into the Gainesville community. I think JL will be a great platform for me to learn more about ways to get involved and help those in need.”
DIANA LINARES
Hometown: Gainesville, Georgia.
Occupation/Employer: Mellow Mushroom
Interesting Fact: I love to paint.
“I am excited to give back to the community I grew up in. I am also excited to learn more about the community and how we can all continue to improve it.”
SERVING OUR PURPOSE. LIVING OUR MISSION.
WANT TO BE A SIGNATURE SPONSOR?
ignature
PRIMARY LOGO - SOLID
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Dec. 9 @ noon
Auction Opens & Silent Bidding Begins
Dec. 12 from 6 - 7 pm
Live Auction
LiveAuctionwillbestreamedonJuniorLeagueofGainesville-HallCounty’s FacebookLive,andallLiveAuctionBiddingwilloccurfrom6-7pmviathe Auctionwebsite.RaffleWinnerswillbeannouncedduringtheLiveAuction.
Dec. 12 @ 7:30 pm
Auction Ends & Silent Bidding Closes
RICH BLACK BRONZE METALLIC DON’T FORGET TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS!
We have five incredible items we are raffling off including a Peloton Bike, a Big Green Egg, a Family Photography Session with Loveleigh Co., a Louis Vuitton Neverfull Purse, and a 2021 JL Pool Membership. Raffle Winners will be drawn and announced during the Live Auction from 6 - 7 pm on December 12. You do not have to be logged onto the Facebook Live Stream to win.
1 Ticket $20 | 6 Tickets $100 | 15 Tickets $250 | 16 tickets per item (80 total tickets) $1,000
SCAN THIS QR CODE TO VISIT THE SIGNATURE AUCTION SITE OR VISIT: HTTPS://ONE.BIDPAL.NET/SIGNATURE2020/
THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 CORPORATE SPONSORS
The Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County has been an active force in making our community a better place for women and children since 1951. We are an all-volunteer organization of women committed to promoting volunteers, developing the potential of women, and improving our community. Through the volunteer efforts of our members, the women of Junior League have made great contributions to our community.
Our programs are largely supported by volunteer service and fundraising events, but they are even stronger because of the support of community partners. In order to continue to meet the needs of families in our community, we continue to seek community support from area businesses like yours. We hope you will consider partnering with us this coming year as a sponsor of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County in our efforts to continue to make a significant impact on the lives of women and children in our community.
If you are interested in becoming a corporate sponsor, please contact info@gainesvillehalljuniorleague.org