Inside Scoop Fall 2022
Make A Splash!
The 2022-2023 League Year is off to a strong start. Thank you for diving in with me as we strive to make a splash this year! We have been hard at work, and we are just getting started. I’m honored to be serving you as President this year. You all continue to inspire me with all the amazing things you do!
opportunities. Be sure to support our largest fundraiser in any way you can! Heather Peña and Allie Smith have been hard at work planning this year’s event with some fun and exciting twists as we celebrate our 35th year of Holiday Mart. I’m excited for our new Member Speak Out GMM in October. We want to hear from you on the topics that matter most to you. I hope you will join us and actively contribute to the conversation! Be on the lookout for more details on how to participate!
We kicked off this year with a focus on Connection. After a couple of crazy years in the world, we are focused on energizing and engaging our members. All through Believing, Connecting and Inspiring.
In December we will focus on the “Believe” component of this year’s theme as we announce the next slate of Board Members. Now is the time to be thinking about applying for the Board. It is an amazing and educational experience.
I I hope that you are finding many ways to connect. In addition to connecting with each other, which is so important, I hope that you can connect with our community legacy, connect with our mission, and connect with our fundraisers.
Thank you for your service, commitment and leadership in the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri.
In addition to our Strategic Plan, the Board works on an annual plan each year, but this year we want to bring you along for the journey as well.
I challenge each of you to dive into the League year to build on past experiences and find new opportunities to energize and inspire each other. Make a difference in the community. Grow and learn as leaders. And Make a Splash.
At the August GMM, we set the foundation of where we are and the aspiration for where we would like to be this time next year both with our finances and our membership. As part of that, we focused on our fund development efforts. Holiday Mart is almost here! It is no secret that I heart the Mart! Holiday Mart leadership was one of my most inspiring League
Fundraising Focusing on the Mission of the League We are excited to be launching a new fundraiser in early November – Junior League Week. This weeklong fundraiser will be a campaign designed to spread awareness of the League’s mission and the work done in the community.
We need you to support the efforts. During the event, members will post “Why I League” to their social media accounts in hope to raise funds for the League. The goal of the “Why I League” is to raise funds to support the League’s
Susan Moss President 2022-2023
mission of advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. During our In-Home Meetings last year, we heard your voices telling us that the Little Black Dress Initiative did not directly align with the work we do in Kansas City. We listened to you. The Junior League Week campaign is replacing the Little Black Dress campaign using the same social media approach, but with the twist of being more mission focused. During this weeklong event, there will be two small events for Sustainers, Actives, and New Members to toast the work the League has done in the past and what we are working on in the present.
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Holiday Mart Co-Chairs
Celebrating 35 Years: Great Shopping for a Great Cause! By Heather Peña and Alexandra Smith It’s hard to believe that Holiday Mart is commemorating its 35th year! Did you know that 68 percent of our Active members weren’t even born at the time of the first Holiday Mart (including both of us)?! This just shows how powerful a tradition Holiday Mart has become in our community, and we look forward to continuing that tradition again this year. The world has clearly changed over the past two years, and with it, we have made notable changes to Holiday Mart to ensure that it continues its lead as Kansas City’s premiere shopping event. Our retailers have been especially impacted by factors affecting so many small businesses, including gas prices, staffing issues, and inflation. Because of these challenges, we have worked diligently to create changes to the show that will benefit our merchants. For example, we significantly reduced booth prices to make participating more affordable, particularly for those small businesses looking to expand their market. We also reduced our show hours to make staffing needs more manageable. Instead of running all day Thursday through Sunday, the show will operate Friday through Sunday with an Exclusive Preview Party on Thursday night. Spotlighting the Preview Party, we are excited to introduce this inaugural event! Attendees will be privy to a first look at all our retailers while enjoying some fun perks. We promise this will be an event you do not want to miss! Gather your dinner club, book club, or best JLKC pals and plan your next big outing for Thursday, September 29, from 4:00-8:00 pm. $35 tickets include: • Complimentary hors d’oeuvres • A complimentary drink ticket • One entry to our jewelry giveaway • Complimentary baggage check • Complimentary gift wrapping for two gifts • Multi-day admission $50 VIP tickets (limit 100) include all the perks of the $35 option plus: • A welcome glass of champagne (valid Thursday only) • Complimentary valet parking • Two entries to our jewelry giveaway • Complimentary gift wrapping for five gifts Our Holiday Mart Signature Candle is back! Poured right here in Kansas City by Pickwick & Co. Candlemakers, this distinctive addition to the HM lineup offers a festive, warm, and joyful scent reflecting the atmosphere of Holiday Mart and the spirit of our League. Candles can be purchased for $25 at the Junior League Holiday Mart booth, at Junior League Headquarters, or online at JLKC.org. We would like to thank and proudly recognize our Holiday Mart Committee members! None of this big job would be possible without their hard work and dedication. We can’t wait to see and personally greet each of you at Holiday Mart this year! We are truly grateful for your support and commitment to the League and for making each of our fundraisers a success.
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Member Meetups: Connecting with League Members By Victoria Lynch, Director of Membership
At our first Membership Council meeting of the year, members shared the reasons that they joined the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri. While some of the answers varied, there was one thread connecting them all: the people! Members love opportunities to work alongside other League women to build relationships and serve our Kansas City community. As part of our goal to “make a splash” this year, we want to continue to engage our members in traditional fan favorites and also new ways. To kick off the year, we met at Thompson Park with a few families to literally make a splash at the playground and enjoy each other’s company. Stay tuned for more events from Connections, our committee designed to provide informal but impactful mentorship opportunities, and other chances to meet new women throughout the year.
fabulous restaurants, there is something for everyone! This year’s chairs are Amanda McRae and Marguerite Armitage. They have been a part of the same in-home Dinner Club for eight years, and their group has become some of their closest friends. As Amanda shared, “It is a great way to get together around a table (in-home or at a restaurant) and share good food, good drinks, and make GREAT memories!” While groups are formed in August, anyone can reach out to Amanda or Marguerite with more questions about Dinner Club. We are looking forward to another great year of membership engagement as we work – and play – together!
Perennial favorites are back as well – Book Club and Dinner Club! The evening book club is open to all League women and upcoming meetings are always posted on the League calendar. The chairs ask that you sign up on the calendar for any session you’d like to attend. Bethany Hanson and Kaiemi Teel organize the events, and as Bethany says, “Book club is something consistent each month. I’ve met so many women that I may not have known through my placement. We of course discuss the books but also catch up on what’s going on in our lives!” Dinner Club is one of the League’s longest-running traditions. With groups meeting in homes and around Kansas City at
Snap A Pic!
At a Junior League event? Capture the memories and text it to 816-844-3649 to be feature on JLKC social channel
2022-2023 Book Club Picks
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison September 28th at Loose Park, KCMO
Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming League Events
September Book Club September 28th Holiday Mart Preview Party September 29th Holiday Mart September 30th – October 2nd Past Presidents Forum October 12th October Book Club October 19th October General Membership Meeting October 26th Junior League Week November 7th-14th November In-Home Meetings November 14th – 18th November Book Club November 30th December General Membership Meeting December 8th December Book Club December 14th
The Perfect Marriage: A Completely Gripping Psychological Suspense by Jeneva Rose October 19th at Transport Brewery, 11113 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS The People We Keep by Allison Larkin November 30th at KC Wineworks, 1829 McGee St., KCMO Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan December 14th at Jr. League Headquarters
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9215 Ward Parkway Kansas City, MO 64114-3307
2022-2023 Board of Directors Susan Moss, President Ericka Ducker, President-Elect Celeste Greenlee, Executive Director Abigail Swafford, Director of Community Amanda Braun, Step-Up Director of Marketing Amber Hacket-Crosby, Direct of Marketing/Secretary Ash Parulekar, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Heather Callaway, Director of Finance/Treasurer Caitlin Fore, Step-Up Director of Fund Development Danee Greenwald, Director of Training Lillian Coye, Director of Fund Development Monica Curls, Step-Up Director of Finance/Assistant Treasurer Savannah Kannberg, Step-up Director of Community Victoria Lynch, Director of Membership Yvette Miceli, Director of Sustainers
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