Letter from the President

P r e s i d e n t LETTER FROM THE

Saige Solomon

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” - Helen Keller

While gathering my thoughts for this issue of the Parishscope, I went back to our Spring 2020 issue, an issue that came out just before our world was seemingly turned upside down by the pandemic, to reflect on what life in the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier was like “pre-COVID.” To be honest, it has been hard lately to imagine or remember how we operated before Zoom meetings, virtual fundraising events, and voting via Google forms. In that issue, 2019-2020 President Katherine Douthitt shared a quote by Helen Keller in her letter, and rereading that quote led me to the one above.

It’s funny how a different quote by the same influential person could be so fitting a year later when little about this spring bears resemblance to February 2020— right down to the snow-covered grounds and subzero wind chill temperatures outside my house as I write this. But maybe it is also a bit poetic—a metaphor for the fact that while the world around us may look and feel completely different one year later, at our heart, the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier and our mission remain the same. I see that mission reflected in our members who continue to rise to every challenge placed in front of them. I see it reflected in the community and populations we serve. Here are a few ways we have achieved success in this mission over the past few months—despite the trials that seem to persist all around us:

Our King Cake Classic 5K – 10K – Fun Run went completely virtual this year and wrapped up in the middle of one of the biggest winter storms we have seen in this area in decades. We appreciate everyone who participated and shared photos and stories of your runs. Our committee did an incredible job thinking outside the box and our Communications team really took advantage of the opportunity to take our social media presence to the next level throughout the week leading up to the virtual race days.

Designer Bag Bingo has also made the tough decision to move to an all-virtual platform and will be launching the JLSB “Bags, Bourbon, and Bling” virtual raffle in March. This new socially distanced event will be held April 18 – 22 via virtual and social media platforms and will feature two separate categories of raffle items. Read more details in the pages of this issue.

The Red Apron Pantry continues to operate without interruption, and while MAGIC has moved to all virtual, as well, they are still meeting twice a month over Zoom and having success in creating relationships with the mentees they serve through the VOA’s Lighthouse program. And our third year-round community placement, Safe Sitter, has had its own set of challenges related to the pandemic but that team has continued to push through and will be hosting sessions this Spring.

In January, the Board did a mid-year check in on our strategic and annual plans, and I was very pleased to see the tangible results of what all we have accomplished so far in the 2020-2021 League year. I invite you to read an update on this strategic plan progress in the pages of this issue. While working to accomplish a number of strategic plan items this year, we have also been planning for the future of the League and particularly next League year. President-Elect Sarah Giglio, President-Elect-Elect (and current EVP) Margaret McDonald, and Executive VicePresident-Elect Michelle Wallace recently attended AJLI’s first virtual Winter Conference to receive necessary training for their leadership roles. An added bonus this year was that several of our other slated 2021-2022 board and management team members were also able to participate in this virtual conference at no extra cost to the League. I feel certain that the future of the JLSB is bright with these capable women at the helm.

I am sure there is so much more that has been accomplished in the past few months that I have failed to mention in this short letter. Goodness knows things have been anything other than quiet or easy, but through all of it, I can say without hesitation that my soul continues to be strengthened and all around me I see ambition inspired and successes being achieved. And more than anything, I am thankful for the community that is the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier so these trials do not have to be faced alone.

With Sincere Gratitude, Saige W. Solomon Saige Solomon 2020-2021 President