P ARISHSC OP E
The Perfect Pairs!
Studs All Sizes Available
Diamond
East-West Emerald Cut Diamond Eternity Bands
Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Hoops
FROM THE EDITOR
A new League year has begun, and fall is on the way! Fall means various exciting events are coming and, hopefully, some cooler weather! Most importantly, it is time to reunite with our fellow League members and do some good within our community,
This issue of the Parishscope is exciting as we get a glimpse into what is to come for the League year! Most exciting, this fall issue is our first introduction to the new Provisional class. They have gotten to know one another at their Provisional retreat and are excited about getting involved. I look forward to getting to know this new Provisional class, and I know they will be a fantastic addition to the League.
Fast on the horizon for this year are various fund development opportunities such as the Red River Revel shifts and Pumpkin Patch, which means opportunities to work alongside friends and meet new people. In this issue, we will give you a glimpse of what to expect with these coming events and shine a light on our Active Kids placement and all they accomplished this summer.
I am excited to take on the role of editor this year. The League year is full of many impactful and memorable events, and I look forward to sharing them with you through the Parishscope this year and connecting with members throughout the year!
JuniorLeagueSB
@JuniorLeagueSB
2023-2024
Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier facebook.com/JLSB.org youtube.com/user/JuniorLeagueSB
Executive Vice President
Devon Knecht Leon
PARISHSCOPE Staff
Editor Kristina Glass
Assistant Editor
Krystal Critton
Business Manager
Lauren Flynn
2023-2024
Board of Directors
President
Ginny Lamb
President Elect
Alex Person
Secretary Stacey Melerine
Treasurer
Julia Todd
Nominating Chairman
Maria Katherine Woodley
PR&D Chairman
Nicole Odom
Actives at Large
Rebecca S. Luster Radford
Dr. Jane Gulick Sugar
Sustainer at Large
Heather Courtney
Sustainer Advisor
Jodi Penn Rives
2023-2024
Management Team
Communications VP
Jessica Martin
Community VP
Dr. Erin Elaine Walker
Fund Development VP
Elizabeth Langley
Membership VP
Angela Hamilton
PR&D Assistant
Dr. Lindsey Tassin Brown
FDR&D Assistant
Elizabeth John
Assistant Treasurer
Kristin Marie Johnson
Designed by: grace! graphic design + marketing Printed by: Paragon Press, 901 Tatum St, Shreveport, LA 71107
Kristina
LETTER FROM THE
President
Welcome to the 2023-2024 League year! I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this amazing group for the next year. I am thankful for this incredible training opportunity, for the ability to make so many different friends, and for the opportunity to serve this community in such a unique way.
As you read this letter, our membership is well underway into planning and executing our Community Projects. Thank you to Amanda Dewitt and her committee for jumping right into our health literacy program, Active Kids, that runs through June and July. In partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, Active Kids teaches elementary school aged children about the importance of health and provides valuable safety information. In the final week, campers were treated to a Back-to-School bash and given school supplies to get their school year started on the right note.
The Red Apron Pantry continues to do its work monthly. We are pleased to say that we are back to a true “client’s choice” pantry, where our customers are treated with the dignity of picking out their own groceries. We currently serve 15 families and are always looking to expand. I am especially grateful to Tara Jones for taking on this project to ensure it is a continued success.
The Red River Revel is on for September 30 – October 8, and we will need lots of people to work shifts, as there will be three booths again this year! That’s a lot of shifts where you will have the opportunity to work with your friends selling Pepsis. Due to this being at the same time as our Pumpkin Patch and a lot of daytime hours, I am calling on our Sustainers to join us in the booth! We would appreciate any help you might be willing to give us. Wear your aprons, call up your friends, and help us with this successful fundraiser!
Speaking of shifts, the Pumpkin Patch at Provenance is back! I am thrilled at the work that this committee has already put in and truly believe it will be our best year yet! The Patch will run September 26 – October 27, so please make time to work a shift or two. All Actives must work at least one Patch shift. This fundraiser continues to be a huge success for us each year and gives the League wonderful visibility in the community.
Ginny Lamb
This doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what we have going on in the League right now externally, but it gives you an idea of how hard our members are working to strengthen our community and meet our mission of advancing women’s leadership.
What about internally? We hosted our first General Membership Meeting on August 7, and we were so encouraged by the turnout and enthusiasm by our membership, especially on a busy back-to-school week. Our second GMM was in September, held on September 12 at the Bossier Arts Council.
Internally, we are also working on increasing our Corporate Sponsorships as well as building up our 1933 Society. If you know of a business that would be interested in partnering with the JLSB, please contact me directly at 318.465.8766 or virginia.b.lamb@gmail.com.
Additionally, we recently held our Provisional Retreat at RAW Photography studio and small event space. Angela Myles and the other Provisional leaders did a fantastic job with this pink-themed retreat. We are excited to welcome all of our new Provisionals! The Provisionals received a lot of information about the structure of the JLSB, heard from myself and other board members, and got to meet and mingle with each other and their new advisors.
I would like to end by thanking you for your dedication to our League and our community. None of this would be possible without each of our volunteers and community supporters. Cheers to a wonderful League year!
Best, Ginny Lamb 2023-2024 President
SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 27
– OCTOBER
12
DEAR JLSB
Supporter
As the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier enters our 91st year, we continue to stay true to our mission of promoting voluntarism, advancing women’s leadership, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. We also continue a community-wide legacy that you contributed to, participated in, and helped to create! The JLSB would not be where it is today without your support. As we move into our new League year, I hope you will consider joining our annual giving campaign, the 1933 Society.
Your investment in the 1933 Society directly affects the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier’s impact on our community. Our League’s most meaningful impact is in delivering a consistent force of trained volunteers and leaders dedicated to improving the Shreveport-Bossier area. Throughout the years, we have adapted and changed our strategies as the needs of our community have grown.
• In June and July of 2023, our health initiative Active Kids met weekly with different themes to teach children from grades 3rd-5th at the Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls Club about healthy habits. This is truly an incredible experience both for the children and our members. The summer ended with a back-to-school party where each camper received school supplies—so they are ready for a new year!
• MAGIC (Mentoring Ambitious Girls to Inspire Change) looks forward to another great year of mentoring girls who participate in the Volunteers of America North Louisiana’s Teen Club program. MAGIC focuses on developing self-esteem and wellness in high school girls. We are also fortunate to offer a graduating senior a scholarship as she continues her education.
Ginny Lamb
• The Red Apron Pantry continues to provide supplemental nutrition to food-insecure families with monthly distributions. We house this “Client’s Choice” food pantry at the JLSB Office. As of now, we serve 15 families and are always looking to expand.
• Artist for a Day offers free daily crafts in the Children’s Area of the Red River Revel. Last year we served approximately 2,000 children in our community, and this year we are expanding to continue this project in the Spring.
These community projects, as well as our fund development projects, allow our members to cultivate new skills to meet the needs of our community and our mission. Our training is what sets us apart from other organizations and ensures that your investment will not just benefit the League this year, but it will make a lasting impact on our community for many years to come.
Please consider a membership in the 1933 Society by January 15, 2024 so that you can enjoy the full benefits of membership! You can complete and return the enclosed form or go to jlsb.org and click on ‘Support’ to renew your membership. Your membership will help us to continue to advance the League’s legacy and make an impact in our community by carrying our mission forward! Thank you for your generosity and your commitment to our League. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me personally!
Very truly yours,
Ginny Lamb 2023-2024 President
Member
Benefits
• Name recognition in JLSB Parishscope magazine
• Invitation to 1933 Society Celebration
• Four (4) tickets to Designer Bag Bingo
• If an Active member, includes one Fund Development Shift Buyout and fulfills Fund Development Financial commitment
LEAGUE ADVOCATES
• Name recognition in JLSB Parishscope magazine
• Invitation to 1933 Society Celebration
• Two (2) tickets to Designer Bag Bingo
• If an Active member, includes one Fund Development Shift Buyout and fulfills Fund Development Financial commitment
LEAGUE PARTNERS LEAGUE LEADERS
• Name recognition in JLSB Parishscope magazine
• Invitation to 1933 Society Celebration
• One (1) ticket to Designer Bag Bingo
• If an Active member, fulfills Fund Development Financial commitment
Please note: The above-listed benefits are offered to those who join the 1933 Society on or before January 15, 2024. Although anyone may join after January 15, 2024, we cannot guarantee all member benefits after that date.
Please contact Ginny Lamb at 318.465.8766 with any questions!
Sustainer Advisor
Jodi Penn Rives
SUSTAINERS, GRAB YOUR APRON . . . THE LEAGUE NEEDS YOU!
The beginning of the League year has always been an exciting time. Our children (and grandchildren) have returned to school and we, as League members, begin focusing on our volunteer opportunities in the community and the commitments we’ve made to the JLSB. The hot days of summer are subsiding and we look forward to cooler weather; for the League, that means our fall fundraisers—the Revel and the Pumpkin Patch—are right around the corner. These two fundraisers have really done well the last few years though can be challenging as they are both in October. As Sustainers, we also have an opportunity to help.
At a recent Board meeting, Heather Courtney (Sustainer at Large to the Board) and I assured the Board that our Sustainers wouldn’t mind grabbing a friend and working a Pepsi shift. It would be fun to, once again, put on our red aprons and make the trek downtown to see what’s going on at the Revel. If someone calls you and you’ve got a few hours to spare, please say “Yes.” The League needs you.
Heather and I are thrilled to be your Board voice this year. I asked Heather why she wanted to serve on the Board and her answer is similar to mine: “I hope to encourage more participation. We have a fantastic group of Sustainers, and I’d love to create a way for them to be involved by serving as advisors and utilizing the institutional knowledge they have. When a Chair or Committee hits a roadblock, it would be great for them to reach out to our Sustainers for advice.”
Heather said it so eloquently and I couldn’t agree more. We NEED our Sustainers . . . now more than ever.
I’ve had a couple of calls with Sustainers over the summer and I want to encourage you to continue paying your dues and supporting the work of our League. Most of the dues paid to JLSB are put to work in our community, and Shreveport-Bossier City needs us. The projects they are currently working on are outstanding. Please read the articles which focus on our community projects Red River Revel Artist for a Day and Active Kids.
Another area for us to think about this year is our Sustainer of the Year. We’ve not had a Sustainer of the Year since we honored Sybil Patten in 2020 . . . yes, just days before the world shut down! The SOTY packet will be available on our website on September 15 and nominations are due by December 15. Our celebration will be in late January/early February. Stay tuned for details.
You’ll hear more from us as the League year progresses. The most important thing we want you to know is that we value you, we need you, and we’d love to see you.
Sincerely,
Jodi Penn Rives Sustainer Advisor
2023
General Membership Meetings (GMM) SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 – 6 p.m.
BOSSIER ARTS COUNCIL
OCTOBER
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 – 6 p.m.
PROVENANCE CLUBHOUSE
NOVEMBER
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 – TBA
SMALL GROUP MEETINGS IN SUSTAINER HOMES
DECEMBER
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12 – TBA
HOLIDAY PARTY
LOCATION: TBD
Update PROVISIONAL
The 2023-2024 Provisional Class of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier began its year by wearing the color pink with the theme, “In JLSB, you can be anything.” The annual Provisional retreat was held on August 19, 2023, at Raw the Studio. We welcome 32 women into the Provisional class! This year’s class is incredibly diversified, including counselors, attorneys, bookworms, travel businesses, and a 40 Under 40 honoree!
Ginny Lamb, the president of the JLSB, spoke to us about the board, the League’s many functions, and the strategic plan. The Provisionals were presented with information by President-Elect Alex Person on the League track and important placements.
The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier’s history, the history of the Association of Junior Leagues International, and the commitment requirements for their Provisional year were all covered during the retreat for the Provisionals. Information about community-based programs like Red Apron Pantry and MAGIC: Mentoring Ambitious Girls to Inspire Change was also covered. They also learned about our different fund-development initiatives, such as Designer Bag Bingo and Pumpkin Patch. In addition to learning about strategic governance, they received an overview of how the League’s board of directors and management team collaborate to fulfill the League’s mission and vision and run the organization to its full potential.
We also discussed how important it is to remember your “why” throughout your Provisional year and into your Active
Angela Myles
years in order to stay motivated. Each woman shared her “why” for joining the League, as well as the experiences and opportunities they hoped to receive from being a member of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier, with us throughout the day. Many of the women expressed a strong desire to help the Shreveport-Bossier area, create lifelong friends, and develop their professional and personal skills through the League.
Along with the JLSB Board members and management team, the members of the Provisional leadership team—Provisional Co-Chair Lindey Smith, Provisional Advisors Chelsa Jackson Reese, Anna Priestley Brown, Brenda Mosley, and Olivia Broussard Hoogland—all served to make sure a welcoming environment was created to welcome the Provisionals. Our Provisional leader, Chelsa Jackson Reese, kicked off a fun and engaging game of bingo as an icebreaker with the incoming ladies of the Provisional class. Playing the game, two ladies discovered they shared the same tomato allergy. The women learned more about the various ways that bias may be shown when serving the community through an implicit bias quiz presented by former Sustainer Levetter Fuller. Levetter finished the retreat by giving a speech that was particularly appropriate for our Provisional theme, “In JLSB, you can be anything,” and which motivated women to keep demanding space in society and the workplace.
The Provisionals will also start working on their Provisional project. There will be more details coming soon.
Provisional Members
Carlotta Askew-Brown
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Career/Occupation:
Executive Director of the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission
Hobbies/Interests: I love to travel and experience different environments and cultures. I have an affinity for music and I am an aspiring guitarist! I appreciate architecture, history, time periods, and eras. I’m especially interested in innovation and advocacy. At heart, I’m a foodie and a baker with a love for a good social scene and a themed party!
Lacey Ates
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Home Health Senior Account Executive
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, shopping, and spending time with family
Ria Bluitt
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Career/Occupation:
Cybersecurity Specialist
Hobbies/Interests: Interior Design
Kristina Douglas
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Assistant City Attorney for the City of Shreveport Office of the City Attorney
Hobbies/Interests: Listening to podcasts, shopping, volunteering, and learning about strange facts in history
Shanae Elbert
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Virtual Assistant/Event Coordinator
Hobbies/Interests: Karaoke and all things involving the improvement of mental health
Golden Ellis
Hometown: Ruston, LA
Career/Occupation: Realtor
Anna Brocato Cox
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation: Chief Financial Officer (CPA)
Hobbies/Interests: Running, walking my dogs, traveling with my husband, and reading!
Hobbies/Interests: I love traveling, arts and crafts, cooking, riding my four wheeler, and all things MARDI GRAS! My interests are community services. I started a nonprofit (Golden Angels) where I teach young adults financial literacy. I volunteer as a board member for Girls Scouts Louisiana – Pines to the Gulf, I serve on the board for Shreveport-Bossier African American Chamber of Commerce and I’m an active auxiliary member for Elks Lodge #122. My passion is helping, educating, and mentoring individuals through philanthropy efforts and connections to community resources.
Cecilia Frett
Hometown: Apopka, FL
Career/Occupation:
Assistant Dean at Bossier Parish Community College
Hobbies/Interests: Reading
2023-2024
Provisional Members
Jessica Hall
Hometown: Plain Dealing, LA
Career/Occupation:
Program Director at Girl Scouts of Louisiana – Pines to the Gulf
Hobbies/Interests: Working on my doctorate degree, watching documentaries, cross stitch, and spending time with family
Kenitra Jackson
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Life Insurance Sales Coordinator
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, reading, and spending time with family
Erin Johnston
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation: I am a licensed mental health therapist and own my own practice
Hobbies/Interests: Working out, cooking, traveling, seeing live music, being with friends and family, learning about mental health so I can better help my clients
Halena Jones
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Educator/Career Coach
Hobbies/Interests: Meditation, career-focused conferences, fashion, and spending time with my god children
Latondra Kincaid
Hometown: Saginaw, MI
Career/Occupation:
Sales Development Supervisor
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with loved ones, traveling, cooking, journaling, reading, listening to music
Keisha Law
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Branch Manager, JP Morgan Chase
Hobbies/Interests: Helping others to work with development plans
Erica McCain
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Community Development Liaison
Hobbies/Interests: Volunteering, skating, working out
Kristin Montgomery
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Career/Occupation: Aviator
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, running, and travel
2023-2024
Provisional Members
Natasha Ogunyemi
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Assistant Principal
Hobbies/Interests: Poetry slams, reading and watching mystery/drama
Erica Prescott
Hometown: Alexandria, LA
Career/Occupation:
Child Protection Investigator
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family, traveling, and shopping
Courtlyn Parker
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Speech Language Pathologist
Hobbies/Interests: Painting, shopping, cooking/baking, and spending time with family and friends
Elizabeth Pickett
Hometown: Coushatta, LA
Career/Occupation:
Full-time student at Louisiana Tech pursuing my Masters of Communication Sciences and Disorders to obtain my SLP license and begin a career as a Speech Language Pathologist
Hobbies/Interests: I have a fouryear-old daughter in preschool and my hobbies pertain to her. I have the most fun spending my days listening to her. She is in T-ball and dance; our days are filled with extracurricular activities, studying, cooking homemade meals, and going to the library together.
Franchesca Posey
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation: Chief Operating Officer
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, music, theatre, volunteering and community involvement, and personal development
Shonda Reynolds
Hometown: Haughton, LA
Career/Occupation: Entrepreneur
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling
Jessica Roque
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Air Force, Development & Training Coordinator
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, fitness, spending time with family and friends, music, church, traveling, and I’m a lover of coffee
Kendria Smith
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation: Commercial Lender
Hobbies/Interests: Advocacy, basketball
2023-2024
Provisional Members
Amy Trammel
Hometown: Haughton, LA
Career/Occupation:
Anti-Money Laundering Manager and Assistant Compliance Manager at Citizens National Bank, NA
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my husband, son, family and friends, listening to music, road trips, and trivia
Dellanee Wade
Hometown: Bastrop, LA
Career/Occupation:
Presentation Design at the Lacek Group & Fine Arts Adjunct Instructor at Southern University at Shreveport
Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, singing and dancing, drawing, traveling, and listening to music
Priscilla Wade
Hometown: Monroe, LA
Career/Occupation:
Executive Assistant
Hobbies/Interests: Ministry, community service, shopping, and cooking
Adia Garrick Wells
Hometown: Newark, NJ
Career/Occupation: School Founder
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, eating, cooking/baking, and reading
Alician White
Hometown: Bossier City, LA
Career/Occupation:
Internal Audit Consultant
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, exercising, and traveling
Michaela Williams
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Career/Occupation:
Law Enforcement Officer
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and event planning
Jasmine Woods
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Social Media Manager
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, yoga, line dancing or dance, and concerts
Crystal Wooldridge
Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Career/Occupation:
Senior Vice President, Investments Branch Manager of Raymond James & Associates Shreveport Complex
Hobbies/Interests: I love to do activities with my family, husband, Marty, and nine-year-old son, Tripp. We raise beef cattle, so anything farm related and farmers markets. I am also VP of SJS PTO where my son goes to school and plays sports, so we attend as much as we can together!
Provenance PUMPKIN PATCH AT
Emory Bray & Samantha Martin
WHY WAS THE GOURD SO GOSSIP-Y? TO GIVE EVERYONE “PUMPKIN” TO TALK ABOUT!
We just can’t help but talk about the 2023 Pumpkin Patch at Provenance! The Junior League of ShreveportBossier City is thrilled to announce that the Pumpkin Patch at Provenance will be returning as one of the premier family fun events our community has to offer. The Patch will be open for business Tuesday, September 26 – Friday, October 27. This year the Patch will be closed every Monday.
The ball—or gourd, if you will—is rolling and the Pumpkin Patch committee is hard at work to ensure that there will be multiple events to serve our diverse community. Keep an eye out for the schedule that is soon to be released. Can’t wait for the schedule? Here’s a preview of what’s to come: pet costume content, story time in the Patch, food trucks
galore, and pumpkin patch mini photo sessions!
If you’re in search of the prettiest pumpkins, look no further! The Patch will have pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors! The Patch is the place to go, guaranteed to bring your porch from summer to fall, all the while supporting your local community! But what’s a pretty porch without adding a little bit of (pumpkin) spice to your kitchen? Junior League Cookbooks will also be available for purchase at the Patch.
Add the Junior League Pumpkin Patch at Provenance to your calendar because this is one thing you don’t want to miss. We can’t wait to see everyone at the Patch and be a part of the memory making experience!
2023 JLSB PUMPKIN PATCH AT PROVENANCE EVENT SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Unloading
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
The Patch is OPEN!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Centenary Gymnastics Face Painting 10am
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
Women’s Realty Council Face Painting 10am
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 Ivy B Photography Mini Sessions 5pm to 7pm
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17
Story Time in the Patch with American Medical Women’s Association 10am
PATCH HOURS:
Monday – CLOSED
Tuesday – Thursday – 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Friday – 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Saturday – 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunday – 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22 Pet Costume Contest 2pm
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 Last day for sales!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 Clean up day
Spotlight SUSTAINER
Tell me how the League has influenced you?
I moved from Ohio to Louisiana in 2012. Joining the League was a great way to meet new people, make new friends, and get involved in my new city by contributing to meaningful and rewarding projects.
Now that you are a Sustainer, looking back, what advice would you offer a Provisional?
Treasure the moments you spend with women from diverse backgrounds who all have a common goal of improving their community.
Of all the placements and experiences you had while active, what has been your favorite experience?
Kids in the Kitchen Revel
Krystal Critton
JACQUE JOVIC
Sustainers are members of the League who have completed the requirements of Active membership and who continue to impact our community in diverse ways. When one joins the League as a Provisional member, she learns about what it means to be a member and trains to be an asset to the League; as an Active member, she serves the League and her community; and eventually she transitions to Sustainer, where requirements are less involved, but passion remains high. Whether choosing to remain active with the League in her Sustaining years, or providing support for newer members, the JLSB Sustainers are an integral part of the League. Serving the community is a big priority for Emmy award-winning journalist Jacque Jovic. She has been a member of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier for 10 years. She currently co-anchors the evening news at KTAL NBC 6 with her husband, Dan Jovic.
So, between working and volunteering, what is your favorite activity to do in the SBC and how do you decompress?
I love dining out, exploring locally-owned restaurants, and supporting small businesses. One of my favorite ways to decompress and clear my head is taking a long walk through my neighborhood.
Finally, what comes to mind when I ask: Favorite Vacation Spot – A white, sandy beach or almost anywhere in Italy.
Favorite Snack – Does wine count?
Favorite Flower – I can’t pick just one! Daisy, dahlia, rose, amaryllis, sunflower, hydrangea . . . Favorite Quote – “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Marianne Williamson
Fund Development
Elizabeth Langly
The temperatures may be saying “summer!” in Shreveport-Bossier, but the Junior League is ready for fall with our Fund Development activities! The Fund Development opportunities of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier support the League’s mission to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action and collaboration. Along with supporting the mission of the Junior League, they are loved and anticipated occasions themselves.
With October right around the corner, the League is preparing for a busy month, with both the Red River Revel and the Junior League Pumpkin Patch at Provenance. The Red River Revel Arts Festival is one of the League’s longest running Fund Development opportunities. This year festival goers can find our League members in their red aprons “slinging” Pepsis from September 30 through October 8. Since 1976, the League has played an integral part in Shreveport’s annual arts festival. Throughout the week, the League provides over 500 volunteer hours to the community. This is always a fun opportunity to meet new League members while enjoying all the food and music the Revel has to offer.
Along with the Revel, the Pumpkin Patch at Provenance is another fall favorite! This year the Pumpkin Patch will open to the public on September 26 and run through October 28. The Pumpkin Patch with be closed on Mondays this year but will be open Tuesday through Sunday selling all shapes and sizes of pumpkins! Throughout the month, Pumpkin Patch will offer crafts, story-time, the much-loved pet costume contest, and many other events, so don’t forget to mark your calendars and join us at the Junior League Pumpkin Patch at Provenance!
While Spring seems far away, our dedicated Designer Bag Bingo committee is already hard at work planning the League’s biggest Fund Development event! After deciding to sunset the King Cake Classic, this will be the League’s only spring fundraising event. This “girls’ night out” will return this spring at Sam’s Town with ten rounds of bingo and the
chance to win a designer bag each round! Don’t worry if you don’t win a round. Throughout the night, the raffles provide so many chances to win, ranging from local gift cards to diamond earrings! So round up your girlfriends and be on the lookout for when tickets go on sale, because this event sells out every year!
In addition to our wonderful Fund Development events, we have some year-round opportunities as well, with the 1933 Society and cookbook sales! Starting in 2016, the 1993 Society is the Junior League’s annual giving campaign open to Active members, Sustainers, and our community partners. The 1933 Society offers different sponsorship levels with different incentives. A 1933 Society sponsorship includes tickets to JLSB events and name recognition. This is also a great way for Active members to fulfill their Fund Development financial commitment.
Finally, we cannot forget about cookbooks! Over the years, our League has published three highly-acclaimed cookbooks, containing the most delicious flavors of our region. Our cookbook sales began in 1964 with A Cook’s Tour. Following that up in 1980 with Revel, which was re-issued in 2000 for the 20th anniversary, and rounding out our bundle is Mardi Gras to Mistletoe, which was released in 2006. You can always purchase these cookbooks online or at the League office, or bundle all three for a total of $50. These make great gifts for the avid cooks in your life.
We look forward to seeing all our members, Sustainers, and community partners throughout the year at all of the Fund Development opportunities. Having these successful fundraisers makes it possible for the League to provide more to the community, so mark your calendars and get ready for a fun year with the Junior League of ShreveportBossier!
Warmly,
Elizabeth Langley Fund Development VP
ANNUAL
REPORT 2022-2023
LEADERSHIP & MEMBERSHIP
2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Photo: see page 21
President
President-Elect
Executive Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Nominating Chairman
PR&D Chairman
Active Member at Large
Active Member at Large
Sustainer at Large
Sustainer Advisor
Margaret McDonald
Ginny Lamb
Alex Person
Chelsea Adcock
Stephanie Foster
Shelvia R. Grant
Kendra Joseph
Stacey Melerine
Anna Brown Priestley
Kelly Phelan Powell
Toni Thompson
2022-2023 MANAGEMENT TEAM
Executive Vice President Alex Person
Communications Vice President Tara Jones
Community Vice President Devon Leon
Membership Vice President Catherine Guidry
Fund Development Vice President Jane Sugar
Assistant Treasurer
Julia Todd
2022-2023 COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
The JLSB seeks out members of the community to serve as advisors lending their expertise in a variety of areas to the League. The JLSB was fortunate to have the following distinguished community leaders serve on the 2022-2023 Community Advisory Board.
Laura Alderman, Executive Director, Step Forward
Sonja Bailes, Public Relations Liaison, Bossier Parish School Board
Renee Ellis, Community Engagement Specialist, Caddo Parish Public Schools
Kristi Gustavson, Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundation of North Louisiana
SERVICE AWARDS
Amy Heron, Vice President and Chief Development Officer, CHRISTUS Health System Foundation
Martha Marak, Executive Director, Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana
Chuck Meehan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Volunteers of America of North Louisiana
Clay Walker, Director of Juvenile Services, Caddo Parish
Volunteer of the Year: Emily Oliver, Artist for a Day Head Volunteer President’s Awards: Lesa McDonald
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Gracie Moore, Benton High School; Clevonda Mitchell, C.E. Byrd High School; Kaitlyn Moton, C.E. Byrd High School; and Madison Goree, Captain Shreve High School
COMMUNITY IMPACT
ACTIVE KIDS
In the Summer of 2022, the JLSB partnered with the Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls Club to bring this summer camp program to first, second, and third-grade students from the Shreveport-Bossier area. The theme this summer was “Around the World,” and each Tuesday we spent an hour learning about a different part of the world through crafts, activities, and a snack. Throughout the eight weeks of the program, campers were introduced to new cultures and foods as we visited Africa, India, Germany, France, and Hawaii. We also had a special Christmas in July session with a visit from Santa and cookie decorating.
ARTIST FOR A DAY
A record number of children visited our Artist for a Day booth at the Red River Revel. Over the nine-day festival, JLSB volunteers assisted 2,100 children in making crafts. The crafts included mosaic turtles, dancing ribbons, maracas, and masks and represented the artistic disciplines of visual arts, dance, music, and drama. The Artist for a Day project provides a free activity for children and their families at the Revel and helps children in our community directly participate in the arts.
MAGIC
Mentoring Ambitious Girls to Inspire Change (MAGIC) provides opportunities for JLSB members to mentor girls in our community. Twice a month, the MAGIC committee met with girls in the Volunteers of America Teen Club and presented topics including building confidence and self-esteem, peer pressure, mental health, hygiene, healthy relationships, nutrition, etiquette, voluntarism, and responsible decision making.
RED APRON PANTRY
In partnership with the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, our Red Apron Pantry is a food pantry that operates out of the JLSB Headquarters. It provides supplemental nutrition to households in the 71104 zip code and contributes to combatting food insecurity in our community.
SUPER SAFETY SATURDAY
In September 2022, we partnered with Sheriff’s Safety Town for our 13th annual Super Safety Saturday program. After two years of virtual programming, we were thrilled to hold an in-person event with several hundred attendees! The Health and Safety Fair area hosted vendors promoting a variety of health services, including dental, immunizations, fire prevention, healthy eating, child IDs, and personal safety. Our Family Fun Zone featured inflatables, food trucks, and crafts with our Artist for a Day committee. Children of all ages enjoyed visiting the Touch-ATruck area, where the highlight was a fire engine. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office was also on hand to perform car seat safety checks. Although the JLSB has decided to sunset the Super Safety Saturday program, we celebrate 13 years of bringing health and safety programming to our community.
FUND DEVELOPMENT
1933 SOCIETY
The 1933 Society, our annual giving campaign, provides our supporters a more structured way to donate to the League. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the more than 60 donors who met and surpassed our fundraising goal this year.
Net Profit: $27,082.50
COOKBOOK SALES
Our longest-running source of income comes from cookbook sales. We are pleased to offer three unique books. The award-winning Mardi Gras to Mistletoe features 12 months of festivals, events, and more than 200 seasonal recipes. Revel, originally published in 1980 and reissued in a 20th anniversary edition in 2000, has sold over 50,000 copies and includes party menus for each of the four seasons. Finally, A Cooks Tour, originally published in 1964, features dishes elegant enough for fine dinner parties and casual enough for picnics and is truly a journey back into your grandmother’s kitchen.
Net Profit: $4,670.91
DESIGNER BAG BINGO
Our fourth in-person Designer Bag Bingo event was a huge success! Over 600 attendees filled the Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino ballroom for an evening of fun and fundraising. The sold-out event entertained our guests with dinner, 10 rounds of bingo for designer handbags, and dozens of raffle opportunities, including diamond earrings generously donated by corporate sponsor Sid Potts, Inc. We are thankful for the many sponsors who supported this event, including presenting sponsor Community Bank of Louisiana.
Net Profit: $36,950.07
GIVE FOR GOOD DAY
The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier partnered with the Community Foundation of North Louisiana to participate in Give for Good. This 24-hour online giving challenge raises unrestricted funds for nonprofits in our community. This day of giving celebrates local nonprofits and allows the community an opportunity to support these valuable programs and organizations.
Net Profit: $244.17
PUMPKIN PATCH AT PROVENANCE
Our 2022 Pumpkin Patch at Provenance was a great success. JLSB volunteers unloaded over 3,500 pumpkins to stock our patch for the month of October! We raised funds through pumpkins sales and also invited the community to the Patch for fun family activities. We sold over $35,000 of pumpkins and get to keep a portion of those sales!
Net Profit: $16,794.04
RED RIVER REVEL PEPSI SALES
The now world-famous Red River Revel Arts Festival was founded by the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier and given to the City of Shreveport in 1976 as a bicentennial gift. The Revel is held annually in October on the Shreveport riverfront and attracts thousands of visitors to the area. The JLSB continues to support the Revel by providing hundreds of volunteer hours selling Pepsi products during the festival. Record attendance at the 2022 festival led to record sales in our Pepsi booths!
Net Profit: $11,165.25
ENDOWMENT FUND
In December 2022, the JLSB’s Board of Directors voted to invest $250,000 into our existing Endowment Fund with the Community Foundation of North Louisiana. We initially opened this fund in 2019 with $10,000. Due to successful fundraisers in recent years, we were able to invest a meaningful amount of money into our fund, which will support and sustain our organization in years to come. To learn more about our Endowment Fund, please use this QR code to access the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier Fund page.
CORPORATE SPONSORS
We are so grateful for our year-long corporate sponsors that support our mission through monetary and in-kind donations.
Thank you to CHRISTUS Health and Sid Potts, Inc. for your continued support of the JLSB!
COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANTS
YWCA’S TEEN MOM PROGRAM
We awarded $3,000 to the YWCA’s Teen Mom Program to help provide meals to program participants during weekly sessions. The program supports teens who are expecting or have recently had a baby by teaching them about life skills, financial awareness, parenting skills, and other important topics to help them grow as a mother.
Thank you for all the ways you served and celebrated during the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier’s 90th Year!
Board for 2022-2023 League Year
90th Anniversary Party
FINANCIAL REPORT
TREASURER’S REPORT
(cookbooks)
The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier operates a Community Assistance Program (CAP) whose purpose is to provide monetary grants for short-term critical needs of nonprofits in the Shreveport-Bossier area.
Thank you to our 2022-2023 1933 Society donors!
LEAGUE LEADERS
Dr. Betsy and Broox Boze
Nancy Cosse
Kim Foret
Nancy Broyles
Floy Hebert
Melinda Hernandez
Peggy Lyons
Susan Adams
Katie Adger
Debbie Angelo
Tookie Barr
Julia Blewer
Nita Braddock
Lynn Chance
Jane Clawson
Justin and Heather Courtney
Susan Cox
Lee O’Brien Davis
Roxann K. Davis
Helen E. DeBeaux
Marilyn Deupree
Lennis S. Elston
Betty Henderson
Maggie McElroy
Dr. Peggy Murphy
Carolyn Murphy Thompson
LEAGUE ADVOCATES
Lesa McDonald
Stacey Melerine
Patricia Miramon
Lisa Nelson
LEAGUE PARTNERS
Michelle Everson
Melissa Flores
Paula Frierson
Corinne Garrett
Sylvia Goodman
Elba Hamilton
Lisa Hargrove
Beth Harrington
Jennifer Hemmings
Michele Horton/Anti-Pest
Cindy Jones
Tara Jones
Mary Jo Kayser
Hollisann Kent
Leslie Scott
Jane Sugar
Edie B. Williams
Melanie Peacock
Tracy L. Prestwood
Julia Todd
Allison Washington
Maggie Malone
Margaret McDonald
Jodie McJunkins
Virginia Murphy
Patricia O’Brien
Margaret Oden
Sybil T. Patten
Betsy Chandler Peatross
Angie Phares
Michele Q=Petersen
Leslie Smith
Jane Snyder
Stacey Timms
Charlotte Walter
Michele Wiener
MISSION: The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier, Inc. 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. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
VISION: The Junior League: Women Around the World as Catalysts for Lasting Community Change.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: The Junior League welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations, and communities.
Summer Camp
This summer, the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier kicked off the Active Kids Summer Camp program in June at the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club. It was the Summer of the Arts for the campers! The group of campers was made up of a total of about 25 students ranging from first grade to eighth grade from the Shreveport-Bossier area. Every Monday, we spent an hour studying different forms of the Arts through crafts, activities, and a snack. We kicked off the summer with Culinary where we decorated hats and aprons and decorated cookies and made fresh lemonade.
Throughout the eight weeks of camp, we learned about Architecture where we made houses and bridges from popsicle sticks and had Eiffel Tower snacks; Dance, where we did freeze dancing and made dancing men; and Music, where we made microphones and sang karaoke. We celebrated the end of summer with Snowballs from Streetcar Snoballs. It was a summer full of fun and learning with our precious campers! We were able to donate school supplies to each camper at the end of camp for them to go Back to School with. It included folders, pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, a ruler, scissors, notebooks, a composition book, markers, and a box to store it in. They were each so grateful and
Amanda Dewett
so excited to get their new school supplies organized and ready for school.
Our committee was made up of a great group of women, some new to the placement and some returning from last summer. We came together each week to plan a fun and education filled summer for the campers. This community program is a perfect example of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier working alongside a community partner and providing support, whether it be in providing resources or our members’ time. The Junior League of ShreveportBossier’s time with the Boys and Girls Club is limited to the eight weeks of summer camp; however, they are providing resources to school-age students in the Queensborough neighborhood year-round. We quickly saw the impact that the Boys and Girls Club has on our community, and through our participation in Active Kids, the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier is able to make sure the impact in the community is even greater. I know that all of the members of this committee got as much out of the placement as the campers, and we are looking forward to planning another great program next year!
ARTIST FOR A
Day
HAPPY FALL, Y’ALL!
Not only has our League completed an entire Community Project ALREADY, we’re about to hit full swing with the Pumpkin Patch and, my favorite Community Project, Artist for a Day at the Red River Revel.
This year, the Revel is planning to host over 100 artists displaying their creations, which makes it the largest Revel event in over 10 years! As the Bicentennial gift from the Junior League of Shreveport Bossier to the City of Shreveport, we are ecstatic to see the event thrive. Not only will there going to be fantastic art, but there will be live music, demonstrations from dance crews, and the children’s area with our fantastic lineup of educational, engaging crafts.
Exposing children to the arts is a priority of our Committee. Art is important for kids because it helps develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness, self-expression, boost cognitive skills, improves self-esteem, teaches problem solving skills, encourages socialization, and more. If you have spent time at the Artist for a Day tent in the past, you may have noticed that a lot of children don’t appear to have much exposure to tactile creativity. Our goal for this series of crafts is to help children become more competent, more confident, and experience pride in their creations without the pressure of perfection.
Our Assistant Head Volunteer, Quaya Ervin, has developed our plan for this year in a unique way. Not only are we going to be working with our hands, helping children create and experience art in a way they have likely never experienced, but we’re planning to educate the children about specific artists. Our hope is to help them dream big and see the creativity of different forms of art as a lifelong engagement through a career choice or everyday expression.
The artists we have chosen vary in geographical location and time. Each child will be able to see a photograph of the artist our craft is inspired by, and take home a card about the artist to help remember them. If you know any children, send them our way to learn about these featured artists:
• Jean Michel Basquiat was a French artist from the 1980s Neo-expressionism movement. A cultural icon of New York City, he began his artistic expression in the late 1970s as part of a graffiti art duo named SAMO, and continued to rock the art world in the 1980s with his raw talent. He created around 1,500 drawings and 600 paintings, many that were sculpture and mixed media works. Because of his
Brittany House
work with sculpture, children will be using their hand/eye coordination, gross and fine motor skills, and trial and error to create their own persona from modeling clay.
• Clementine Hunter was a Louisiana-based, Black folk artist from the Cane River Area who focused on showing the 20th century Black Southern life. As a self-taught local artist from the 1880s, she is inspirational because of her ability paint without training, and her subjects ranged from baptisms, weddings, and funerals, to daily work, even including abstract and still life works. Kids who visit while Clementine is our inspiration will be using color selection, visual perception, gross and fine motor control, and spatial attention to paint their own Zinnias still life.
• Claude Monet, a French painter who made his mark from the 1860s to 1920s was the founder of impressionist paintings. With paintings shown all over the world, Monet’s body of work was diverse and influenced twentieth-century art and modern abstract art. His last, technically unfinished painting Water Lilies is our inspiration for our craft. Children will create their very own water lily using and developing cutting, folding, sequencing, and hand/eye coordination skills.
• Vincent Van Gogh, a painter in the mid-1800s, is considered to be one of the greatest of the Post-Impressionist painters. From the Netherlands, this Dutch painter used bold colors and broad brush strokes to create more than 800 oil paintings and 700 drawings. Not recognized during his lifetime and having only sold one painting, he was nevertheless an influence on the development of modern painting. Inspired by his work Starry Night, children will create their own wax transfer and use a fine wooden tip to create their own Post-Impressionist masterpiece.
We are so excited to feature these four artists! If you have children, know children, or want to participate yourself, these artists will be featured in a rotating fashion— spread the word! Stop by on multiple days and throughout the weekend to experience all four. Spread the news about the Red River Revel, volunteer for a Pepsi shift, and find us in the Discovery Maker Zone! We can’t wait to see you at the Revel!
RED RIVER REVEL
Update
This October Festival Plaza comes alive with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Louisiana. It’s that time again for our favorite fall festival! The Red River Revel Arts Festival is celebrating its 47th year and will run from September 30 – October 8.
The nine-day festival draws around 100,000 people to Festival Plaza to enjoy local art, food, and music. You will have the opportunity to browse and visit with artists and enjoy the traditional Revel food all while listening to live music. Art lovers will get to enjoy new emerging artists as well as the return of some familiar ones. This year boasts 80 artists specializing in oils, acrylics, sculpture, jewelry, woodwork, glass, metal, and more. Dance troupes, martial artists, and local and regional bands take to stage to impress everyone in your family. So grab your favorite Revel food and pull up a chair to enjoy the family friendly music!
The Revel has something for the whole family, the children’s area also known as the Discovery Maker Zone is back and offering all the festival classics like the Mock Dig, Brookshires Miniature Grocery, face painting, and sand art. As you hang around the children’s area you can find stilt walkers, balloon artists, and other special performers. The Revel continues its commitment to arts education by hosting approximately 5,000 4th graders each year during school hours for a dynamic arts education program. This program is organized by community education professionals and the education administrations of Caddo & Bossier Parishes. In addition to this, free admission is offered every day to children 12 and under while accompanied by an adult. The Junior League is proud to partner with the Revel to provide
Michelle Wallace
youth arts education in our community with the Artist for a Day booth. Be sure to visit the Artist for a Day booth for an opportunity to embrace your inner artist!
This year the festival will continue to offer reloadable wristbands as a payment alternative to coupons. Revelgoers can opt to receive a wristband that will act as their wallet that can be loaded and used at each vendor. The wristbands make for a much easier alternative to paper coupons.
This festival isn’t possible without the help of local sponsors, the support of our community, and volunteers like you. The Junior League and the Revel Pepsi committee appreciate all the time our members devote to this festival. We look forward to another fun year celebrating beautiful art, amazing performances, and iconic Revel food!
HOURS:
The Revel opens daily at 11:00 AM and closes at 9:00 PM on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; and at 10:00 PM on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The Children’s Area closes at 8:00 PM daily.
Art Alley closes one hour before the festival closes each day.
Celebrations
Kristina Glass (Active) was promoted to the Instructional Coach position at Elm Grove Elementary School in Bossier Parish. She is excited to support the teachers and students on her campus.
Shelvia Grant (Active) and her fiancé, Jutorrean Davis, will be married this December in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Kristen Swann (Active) married Brandon Swann on July 8, 2023. They are now expecting their first child, a boy due January 30, 2024.
Natashia Ogunyemi (Provisional) has recently been named the Assistant Principal at Mansfield High School in Desoto Parish.
Shuntay Wilson-Banks (Active) is the new principal of W.T. Lewis Elementary School. She is entering her 17th year in education. Her career started in Caddo Parish at Northside Elementary School. After leaving Northside, she taught three years at R.V. Kerr Elementary School in Bossier Parish. In 2015, she became the Instructional Coach at Stockwell Place Elementary and then was appointed in 2017 as the assistant principal. She is looking forward to introducing her family to her new family who calls W.T. Lewis “home.” Education is her passion, and she is grateful for the opportunity to serve the faculty, staff, parents, and community of W.T. Lewis.
40 UNDER 40
Heather Bays Lester (Active) married James Lester on June 10, 2023 at First Bossier and gained 2 precious step-children.
KRYSTAL CRITTON
Krystal Critton is the Director of Programs & Community Engagement for Junior Achievement of North Louisiana, Krystal leads initiatives focused on promoting financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship among young people in our community.
Help us in celebrating our members and their exciting news! Congratulations!
ERIN JOHNSTON
Healing Minds LLC, serving the state of Louisiana, is an outpatient counseling center with licensed professional counselors who specialize in evidencebased therapy techniques aimed at helping a variety of child, teen, and adult clients. Erin Johnston started Healing Minds after obtaining 13 years of varied experience in the field of counseling. Erin’s goal is to provide the City of Shreveport an education on how to find help for an array of mental health struggles. She strives to end the stigma that therapy is scary or looked down upon and push the belief that therapy can involve growth, as well as be positive and enjoyable. Erin and the Healing Minds team are able to work with all ages, in person or virtually.
Spotlight
Name: Karuna Dewan
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Placement: MAGIC
Years in Junior League: 9
What has been your favorite thing about relocating Leagues?
Meeting new people
What placements did you have back home that you’d like to share about?
I joined the Junior League in Memphis. Since then I’ve been a member of chapters in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and now in Shreveport. My favorite placement has been working in the Junior League shop in Memphis. It was a great way to meet other new members and learn about the history of the League while giving back to our community.
What has been the biggest adjustment relocating?
Every new place is a little different. It’s fun to hear about the different events and projects each League has. It’s always a challenge trying to find the right project to participate in when you’re so new.
What has been the most exciting thing about your new city?
I’ve loved the people in Shreveport so far. Everyone is really friendly and welcoming. I feel like I’ve lived here for years even though it’s really only been a few months.
Angela Hamilton & Courtney McBee
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER
Autumn Revel Recipe
MOLASSES COOKIES
¾ cup shortening or margarine
1 cup sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soda
2 cups sifted flour
½ -1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
CREAMY PRALINES
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 5.33-ounce can evaporated milk
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups or more of pecans
Cookbooks
Melt shortening in 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Remove and cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Sift together other ingredients. Add to first mixture. Mix well and chill. Form in 1” balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Cook 2” apart on a greased cookie sheet at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Store in an airtight container to keep crisp.
Ellen Daniel Brown
Yields 120 small cookies
WinterRevel Recipe
ENGLISH TOFFEE
CRUST:
½ stick margarine
1 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafers
FILLING:
1 stick margarine
CRUST:
Grease an 8” x 8” pan with margarine. Mix 1 ¼ cups crumbs with margarine. Mix well and line pan with crumb mixture. Bake in a 425° oven for 5 minutes.
FILLING:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 eggs, divided
1 ½ squares melted semi- sweet chocolate
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup nuts
½ pint whipping cream, whipped
Cream margarine and sugar. Add well-beaten egg yolks. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and nuts. Beat egg whites until very stiff and add to mixture, folding in gently. Pour into the crust and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream. Good made a day ahead.
Dean Daniel Drake Serves 8
Combine the first 4 ingredients and cook to a soft ball stage. Remove from the fire and cool a little. Add butter, salt, vanilla, and pecans. Stir. Drop by a teaspoon on buttered wax paper. Leave until cool and hard.
Lola Weir Herndon Yields 3 dozen
Summer Revel Recipe
PENNSYLVANIA APPLE OR PEAR PIE
4 medium apples, or pears
peeled and thinly sliced
Sugar to taste
1 tablespoon Wondra
Instant Flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ stick butter, melted
½ cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 double 8” pie crust, unbaked
Heat all ingredients, except crust; do not boil. Remove fruit from syrup and place in pie crust. Pour syrup over fruit. Spread more sugar over fruit, if desired. Mix a small amount of sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on top of the crust and dot with butter. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and continue baking for 35 minutes.
Elizabeth Smith Meadows Serves 8
