Parishscope Summer 2019

PARISHSCOPE A PUBLICATION OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER, INC. | SUMMER 2019 Volume 53, Issue 2

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FROM THE EDITOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

Letter from the Outgoing President

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Letter from the Incoming President

Melissa Airhart

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Member Calendar

With mere weeks remaining in the school year and the swift approach of summer, another busy and successful League year winds to a close.

This past year, our members jumped right into work mode with placements and Pepsi shifts at the Revel, they went the distance with the King Cake Classic, and wrapped up the year with a memorable mega girl’s night out—Designer Bag Bingo! Whether the ladies of our League have been out in the community working, or served the League from within, their year-round efforts have been tireless and remarkable.

Take a look within these pages at the League’s newest fund development initiative and partnership with the Parade of Homes and read about the history of our cookbooks. Get acquainted with next year’s leadership team, see which members are transitioning to the next phase of League membership—Sustainer, and learn about the impact of this year’s community placements.

2019-2020 promises to be another dynamic and productive League year. Relax, recharge, and reinvest over the coming summer months!

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1933 Society

10 Letter from the Sustainer Advisor 11 Sustainer Announcements 12 2019-2020 New Sustainers 14 Provisional Update 16 2019-2020 Board 18 2019-2020 Management Team 20 Kids in the Kitchen 22 Community Placements 24 Parade of Homes 26 Sustainer Dream Home 28 Designer Bag Bingo 30 Memorable Moments 32 Cookbook History 33 Cookbook Recipe 34 Celebrations

JuniorLeagueSB

34 Save the Date: Super Safety Saturday

@JuniorLeagueSB Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier facebook.com/JLSB.org youtube.com/user/JuniorLeagueSB Cover photo by DeAnn Arnold Photography.

2018-2019 Parishscope Staff Editor Melissa Airhart Assistant Editor Amanda Biles Business Manager Lindsey McElhatten 2018-2019 Board of Directors President Heather Price President Elect Katherine Douthitt Executive Vice President Saige Wilhite Solomon

Secretary Leah Feldt

2018-2019 Management Team

Treasurer Leah Feldt

Executive Vice President Saige Wilhite Solomon

Nominating Chairman Ellen Erwin

Community VP Krystle Grindley

PR&D Chairman Sarah Giglio Members at Large Catherine Simpson Ashley Busada

Communications VP Katherine Stringer-Davis Membership VP Maggie Pressly

Sustainer at Large Kelly Turner

Ways and Means VP Meredith Armuth

Sustainer Advisor Peggy Murphy

Assistant Treasurer Laramie Guillot

Designed by: grace! graphic design + marketing Printed by: LaPressCo Printing, 409 Watts Rd., Shreveport, LA 71106 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.

The Junior League welcomes all women who value our Mission.

We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities.

Parishscope Quarterly Magazine Volume 53, Issue 2 ©2019 Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited without written permission by JLSB.

The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier 2601 Line Ave. Shreveport, LA 71104 Office 318.221.6144 Fax 318.221.4601 jlsb.org

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President

LETTER FROM THE

As the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier’s 86th year comes to close, I want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for choosing to support our League. Thank you for your time, dedication, and working so hard to give us much to celebrate as we end this League year. The work that JLSB does each year through community projects, membership programs, and fund development events—all planned and executed with such precision—make an impact that is incredible. All of this is achieved by women who are living full and accomplished lives who still desire to volunteer to give more to their community, which makes these accomplishments that much more phenomenal.

This Parishscope highlights just a few of the many achievements of JLSB’s community projects and partnerships. You will see a glimpse of how the volunteers in each of the eight community projects impacted the ShreveportBossier area. In addition to our community projects, the Provisional class truly went above and beyond collecting items for their S.W.A.G. (Summer with a Guide) Bags for the Gingerbread House. They also collected enough books to have a little free library named in honor of the JLSB 2019 Provisional class. We couldn’t do all of this without the successful fundraising events of the past year. Although it feels like Fall is way behind us, the month-long work of the Pumpkin Patch committee set the bar high for the other fund development events! We celebrated the success of the King Cake Classic in the winter Parishscope issue and the Fund Development celebrations didn’t stop there! The second Designer Bag Bingo committee did a spectacular job creating an evening that was even more fun and prosperous than we envisioned.

More exciting than the celebration of the work that was accomplished is the promise of the great work to be done. It is with incredible excitement for the future that this issue introduces the 2019-2020 Board and Management Team, led by talented incoming President Katherine Douthitt. Without a doubt, the next League year is going to be a dynamic and impactful year. The JLSB always flourishes under the new beginnings each year. With the natural annual progression of JLSB, there is an open door for emerging leaders that allows a number of members to train, grow and develop. This is part of what results in the long-lasting impact on the community and members.

Last summer when I wrote my letter as incoming

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Heather Price

President, I did some thinking about those closest to me that my Junior League experiences would influence most.

One of those was my daughter. We were on the heels of her 9th birthday so I decided to write her a letter. I want to share it with all of you, because it captures the feelings and characteristics of those relationships that I cherish from the past year.

Dear J Bird, I enjoy watching you grow into an amazing, talented and UNSTOPPABLE woman. You recognize and respect diversity. You are always willing to push your potential. You want the community around you to be at its best. You empathize and relate to those that surround you. You are a gentle, quiet, yet strong leader.

I witness people come to you. They come for a multitude of reasons—it’s a hug, it’s a word of encouragement, it’s a challenge that pushes both of you, it’s advice, it’s a good laugh, and it’s because you want what is best for the people around you. You epitomize the women of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier and I certainly hope that one day you become one!

Love, Mom It has been a truly remarkable experience to serve as one of the 86 Presidents of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. The journey, as with most rewarding things in life, has been full of highs and lows. Thank you to all of you for serving alongside me! I am forever grateful to our members, community partners, and supporters. It is because each of you and with each of you that we celebrate this year and anticipate an even more influential promise for years to come. Thank you!

Heather Porter Price Heather Porter Price 2018-2019 President

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President

LETTER FROM THE INCOMING

A good friend and mentor recently shared a wonderful quote with me by Elizabeth Andrews: “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”

I continually find myself without enough time, asking myself “How am I going to get everything done?” Many of you may feel the same. The simple fact is that each of us has a finite, limited amount of time each day. This time must be prioritized and divided among our families, our friends, our spiritual needs, our work and careers, our community, and ourselves—and not necessarily in that order.

All of this begs the question: Why are we spending our time in the League?

I think for many women, the League allows us to accomplish many of the things that are important to us in one efficient package. We receive training that may further our career or community ambitions, we find fulfillment in the community projects operated by the League, we connect with friends, and we get to know interesting,

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Katherine Douthitt

like-minded women. While that efficiency may have been the initial reason I got involved in the League, over time it has become about so much more. It has left an indelible impression on my heart.

My transition to a more meaningful League experience happened several years ago when I served as Sustainer Panel Liaison. The amazing Ginger Lukacs was the Sustainer Advisor and chair of that year’s Sustainer Panel, which included some of the most incredible women— Claudia Oliver, the late Sara Margaret White, Sara Herrington, and Maura Pugh to name a few. They were insightful and hilarious at the meetings, and I loved getting to know them. It was very clear that our League held a special place in each of their hearts, and that each of these women had given much of themselves and their time to the League—and they made it clear that the League had given so much back to them.

This wonderful experience solidified in me that the Junior League was worth my time. I aspired to be like these women! If the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier played an important role in their lives, then I wanted it to do the same in mine—though I never dreamed of being a part of League leadership back then. (I would have laughed and said you were nuts!)

Each of us has or will have a story like this. If you don’t have your Junior League story yet, then I sincerely hope you find it in the 2019-2020 League year!

In the upcoming year, our League leadership will continue to carry our mission forward through our Strategic Plan, with a focus on member engagement, training and messaging. Our newly placed Member Engagement Committee will work to actively deliver value to our members to increase satisfaction in the League and to invigorate a true and heart-felt investment in it.

Training is at the heart of our mission, and we will continue to provide opportunities for training in the form of speakers and “hands-on” training in our League placements and commitments. In reflecting on my League experience, I can easily say that this “hands-on” training has been the most significant in terms of personal growth and development. Everything you do in the League is a training opportunity!

Each of us knows that the League is important to both its members and this community, but it is sometimes hard to succinctly articulate the unique value of the League.

However, such messaging is key to our continued relevance. This year, we will work to share the good work and achievements of the League, both internally with our members and externally with anyone who will listen! Each of these initiatives—member engagement, training and messaging—works hand-in-hand to enhance the League and our impact on the community.

I am so glad that each of you reading this Parishscope have, at one time or another, given your time and your heart to the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. Thank you for contributing to this League and creating a legacy that has benefited me and so many others. On behalf of the Board and Management Team, we look forward to continuing that legacy and sharing a wonderful 87th League year with you!

Katherine Douthitt Katherine Douthitt 2019-2020 President

6505 Line Ave., # 20 Shreveport, LA 71106

318-861-1616

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Girls & Boys Preemie to 16

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Import ant Dates TO REMEMBER

G IVE FOR GOOD DAY May 7 giveforgoodnla.org

SAFE SITTER CLASS May 11 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

JLSB Office

MAY CELEBRATION AND ANNUAL MEETING May 14, 5:30 p.m.

Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club

PARADE OF HOMES June 22 & 23 June 29 & 30 1-6 p.m. each day

For more information about upcoming events, login to jlsb.org and access the Member Calendar.

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1933 Societ y Thank you to the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier 1933 Society Members.

Your support helps our League meet our mission!

LEAGUE LEADERS Maureen C. Gamble

Katie Baker

Peggy and Carolyn Murphy

Mrs. William H. Broyles II

Heather Price

Leslie Griffin Scott Edie Williams

LEAGUE ADVOCATES Betty Henderson

Debbie Angelo

Melinda A. Hernandez

Julia M. Blewer

Maggie McElroy

Lynda Griffey

Melanie Peacock

Lindsey Pennington Milly H. Sale Kelly Turner

LEAGUE PARTNERS Susan P. Adams Kristen B. Bernard Lynn W. Chance Lee O’Brien Davis Rosemary Davis Katherine Douthitt Margaret Robert Evans

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Melissa Flores Lisa Hargrove Michele Horton / Anti-Pest Hollisann J. Kent Ginger Lukacs Peggy M. Lyons

Judy McColgan Patricia N. Miramon The Moppet Shoppe Betsy Chandler Peatross Angie Phares Michele Q=Petersen Janie Richardson

Expertise is critical, but compassion makes all the difference.

At CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System, we treat you the way we would like to be treated.

With faith, dignity and compassion, from medical and surgical care to maternity, cardiology, oncology and orthopedics. It’s how we’ve provided care in North Louisiana for more than 100 years. And why we are one of only 15% of all hospitals nationwide to receive the 2018 Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades.

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Sust ainer Advisor LETTER FROM THE

Peggy Murphy

More than 100 years ago, Mary Harriman, founder of the Junior League Movement and public service pioneer recognized the need for a new model of leadership—one that emphasized collaboration over competition. Through her work in countless organizations and her numerous personal connections, Harriman transformed the way women of her generation viewed their obligation to society, and played a pivotal role as a social connector bringing diverse groups and individuals together to form collaborative partnerships that have survived to this day.

Annually, the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier recognizes a woman of outstanding leadership who uses her talents and resources to further the Junior League Movement and Vision with the Sustainer of the Year Award. The recipient of the award has made a positive impact in the JLSB and our community, and her volunteer work continues in the tradition of Mary Harriman. This woman should be a knowledgeable and responsible advocate, leader, and mentor who embraces Shreveport-Bossier and makes a unique and significant difference as a leader. The honoree provides a contemporary link to our founder’s sense of social responsibility, as well as her ability to encourage others to share their talents through effective volunteer service.

The Sustainer Panel has worked this spring to create a new policy and process for selecting the Sustainer(s) of the Year beginning with the 2019-2020 League year.

THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA WILL BE CONSIDERED: • S ponsor and Nominee must both be current Sustainers, in good standing, of the JLSB. Posthumous nominations will be accepted.

• Nominee demonstrates excellence in community service and volunteers without compensation.

• Nominee encourages others to participate in community service activities.

• Nominee works with and organizes groups to produce high-quality results in support of a common goal.

• Nominee’s service may include, but is not limited to, the areas of arts and humanities, education, environment, healthcare, human services, public safety, or youth services. The service must not be work related.

• Members of the selection committee cannot be considered as nominees.

THE NOMINATION APPLICATION SHOULD ALSO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN 300 WORDS OR LESS. • D escribe the most significant and lasting contributions she has given to the League and to the community.

• Which community issues she has addressed?

• How has she influenced others to be a force for change, impact, or lead by example?

• How has she demonstrated herself to be a role model, mentor, catalyst, and risk-taker?

Nomination applications should have attached no more than two letters of recommendation, along with a list of the nominee’s significant awards, League placements, and volunteer, community, and civic activities. (C.V. or resume, if available. If needed, a template will be provided.)

Applications will be available September 1, 2019, and are due by December 1, 2019.

Incomplete applications will not be considered and applications will not be retained for future consideration.

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Announcement s Celebrations SUSTAINER

&

Ellen Alley – Presently on Vestry at St. Mark’s Cathedral (2019-2022), president of ERA Club, and vice-chairman of the National Society of Colonial Dames – Shreveport Town Committee.

Lennis S. Elston – Presently serving as vicechairman of the BRF and as the Centenary College Board of Trustees Audit chair.

Wilma Ferguson – Wilma and her husband will celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary this July 20.

Jennifer Frierson – Presently serving as a Providence House board member, Plantation Ball Co-Chairman, Plantation Club member, Shreveport Little Theatre Life Committee member, Captain Shreve High School PTSA member, and First Baptist Church School PTA member.

Mary Virginia Wray Hill – Recently named a Shreveport Regional Arts Council “Collectible Artist” for 2019.

Amelia Grace Jordan – Recently completed her term as president of the Shreveport-Bossier City Phi Mu Fraternity Alumnae Chapter. Currently serves as secretary on the Louisiana P.E.O. State Chapter executive board.

Jacque Jovic - Presently serving on the Board of Directors for Downtown Shreveport Unlimited and Project Celebration.

Marcia W. Moffatt – Presently serving on the boards of the Shreveport Opera and Providence House.

Previously served on the boards of the ARC of Caddo-Bossier and Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

Sybil T. Patten – Presently serving on the board of the Shreveport Opera and a member of the Shreveport Garden Study Club.

Janey Pettiette – Presently serving as president of the Texas Lawyers Auxiliary which requires travel throughout the Lone Star State.

Suzanne H. Stinson – Elected as chair of the Louisiana Judiciary Commission.

Kelly Turner – Presently serving as JLSB Sustainer-atLarge and ARC of Caddo-Bossier Board of Trustees vice president.

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New Sust ainers

2019-2020

Elizabeth Ardoin

Audra Hicks

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement has to be Festival Planning Committee.

Not only was it an honor to be chosen to fill this position, but it also opened the door to my involvement with The Red River Revel, that of which I am still involved today.

Favorite League Memory: My favorite League memory is quite unforgettable.

While serving as Head Volunteer for Kids in the Kitchen Revel, at 32-weeks pregnant, I went into pre-term labor mid-presentation with a large group of 4th graders. I was then taken and admitted to the hospital for observation that day. Thankfully, after 5 weeks of bed rest, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl! The ladies on the KIK committee that year stepped up and finished the week without skipping a beat...true teamwork!

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was Super Safety Saturday. What a wonderful event to bring together our community for a fun-filled and educational day! I enjoyed working with area agencies during the event, and learning more about the important work they do on behalf of our area. Added bonus: I made some life-long friendships through this placement!

Favorite League Memory: That’s a tough one. My Provisional and Active years are filled with wonderful moments, sprinkled with colorful conversations, laughter and maybe a few tears. I look forward to making more memories as a Sustainer, and celebrating the incredible accomplishments of our League and its amazing members.

Shelli Murphy

Favorite Placement: I really enjoyed my last placement working on the Designer Bag Bingo committee. I had a great time and loved working with so many dedicated women. It was a great event!

Favorite League Memory: I love selling Revel Pepsi! I love talking to everyone enjoying the festival and knowing that the Revel was a gift to Shreveport-Bossier from the League. I always looked forward to my Pepsi Shift.

Rachel Caudle

Favorite Placement: Super Safety Saturday Favorite League Memory: I really enjoyed meeting women on the Super Safety Saturday committee. We are still good friends.

There are six of us from that committee that get still get together every few months to catch up. We sometimes include our husbands, if they are lucky.

Amber Free

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was Super Safety Saturday Head Volunteer.

It was wonderful to see SSS go from an idea to a full-blown, successful event. In typical Junior League fashion, I was super pregnant during my most involved placement, but if that isn’t life training, I don’t know what is!

Favorite League Memory: Oh, the good times we’ve had with the roof on our building! During a torrential downpour, Amy King and I were shop-vaccing the water out of the lobby, while the rain was pouring down the INSIDE of the windows! Needless to say, I was elated to complete the new roof project!

Michel Fritze

Emily Nickelson

Alexis Wedgworth 12

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New Sust ainers

2019-2020 Ann Nuckolls

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was Kids in The Kitchen Revel.

Favorite League Memory: I love the fact that I got to spend my Junior League experience alongside my sister, Molly Wierick— those are my favorite memories!

Melissa Olivier

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was MAGIC, which was the first year the JLSB launched the program. I loved seeing how the girls interacted with each other.

They seemed to enjoy the speakers that we brought in, but they loved the hands-on activities. We had a great turn-out for the cooking demonstration, the self-defense class, Zumba, and Painting with a Twist. The highlight of the year was the last session where we celebrated Foods Around the World. It was a great educational dinner for all of us, as we tasted different foods from many countries.

Favorite League Memory: My favorite memory was when Emily Nickelson and I were the Food/Beverage Coordinators for Kitchen Tour. That was such a fun day, and it was like we were hosting a huge party in someone’s amazing kitchen. The professional chef cooking demonstrations were so entertaining and the food was wonderful.

Kristen Powers

Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was Artist for a Day – Revel. It was my first Active year and I worked two Pepsi shifts and AFAD. It was so much fun living Revel-life that week.

Favorite League Memory: My favorite League memory was being proposed to by my husband the day after my year as Market Chair was complete. Market wrapped on a Saturday and I was engaged that Sunday.

Molly Wierick

Favorite Placement and Memory: My favorite placement and memory would be chairing KIK Revel. Getting to dance with and educate 4th graders in the ShreveportBossier area about healthy eating and the importance of being active was a special week and one I will not forget!

Heather Price

Favorite Placement: I know it sounds cheesy, but I have truly enjoyed all of my placements. If I must choose one, serving as President would have to be the one! It has been the culmination of all of the things that I enjoyed during my Active years. I enjoyed relationships that were formed and most of all I enjoyed encouraging our members and watching all of their hard work come together in the form of excellent community projects, such as the Red Apron Pantry or the MAGIC career fair and three very successful fund development events!

And all of those things happen with the support of our Board, Management Team, Communications Council, Nominating Committee, and Membership Council. This year as President challenged me in ways that I didn’t imagine, but I am concluding my time as an Active as a much better version of myself! I’m looking forward to what my time as a Sustainer holds!

Favorite League Memory: A favorite League memory is even harder to choose than a favorite placement! There were so many! The one that comes to mind first was my first AJLI Annual Conference in Memphis. Even though, I had attended other AJLI conferences, I vividly remember the excitement as the marching band played and I walked in with the voting delegates from other Leagues. It was an impactful reminder of how magnificent the Association of Junior Leagues International is, how great it is to be a part of the Association, and how in awe I was to be there representing the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier!

Angie Wray

Favorite Placement: Being an Advisor and on the Nominating Committee was a wonderful experience, but Artist for a Day would be my favorite. I love the Revel and working with children.

Favorite League Memory: I have a lot of great memories, but one of my favorites was meeting Vicki Clark (speaker at our October 2017 meeting). Energetic, Entertaining, and Inspiring.

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Update

PROVISIONAL

Someone once said, “We must accept the end of something in order to begin to build something new.” The 20182019 League year is ending, and I hate to say good-bye to the Provisional class that has worked so hard to make this year fun-filled and successful! However, it makes farewell much easier knowing that they are now equipped to go into Active membership and begin their own new legacy within the League.

After the upcoming May Celebration and Dinner meeting, 28 passionate women will join the ranks of Active membership within the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. Each Provisional member shadowed two community placements, worked two Ways & Means shifts, completed ten hours within the Provisional Project, and attended numerous meetings. They have been exposed to many different facets of the League and have been able to experience new things and grow alongside one another in the process.

With the continuation of the Provisional Project first introduced last year, Provisionals have been able to showcase their leadership skills and abilities, while getting a hands-on approach to what makes the volunteer experience provided by the JLSB so unique. This year, the project benefitted the Gingerbread House, a local non-profit organization that has been serving abused children since 1998. Startling research statistics found that child abuse rises significantly during the summer months as a result of children being home and out of school.

Enter: S.W.A.G. Bags – Summer With A Guide. With the help of generous donations from people in the community and beyond, Provisional members achieved their goal to fill 50 bags for these families with activities, hygiene items, food coupons, and books.

Donations and funds for the project were secured through Amazon donations, a Dillard’s Profit Night, a Dine-In Night at Dilla’s Quesadillas, local school-wide drives, and generous donations of feminine hygiene products from the League members. The S.W.A.G. Bags contain both supplies and information. The informational components were researched and provided by generous members of our community, such as Shreve Memorial Library, the YMCA of NWLA, local dentists, local restaurants, Shreveport Little Theatre and more.

The Provisional Project wrapped up at the April Provisional meeting with a S.W.A.G. Bags packing party in Suite

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Hannah Alexander

E. Board members also joined in to lend a hand and brought along refreshments to make the evening social and celebratory.

Upon completing the bags, they were loaded into cars, and driven to the Gingerbread House to present to Forensic Interviewer/Education Coordinator and Active League member, Alex Person. The class was treated to a tour of the Gingerbread House facility and given a clearer picture of how the bags would be put to use. The Provisional members will not know who receives the bags, but can be assured they will be put in good hands by the staff of Gingerbread House.

May ended the League year at Wine Country for the Provisional class to celebrate the accomplishments achieved throughout the year. It also signified the end of working with great women with whom I could not have done without throughout the year. I would like to send a special thank you to our Provisional Leaders: Sarah Brantley, Hope McFarland, Emily Merckle, Kezia Pigford, and Katie Williams. Thank you for guiding our Provisionals and ensuring they are equipped to begin their careers as active JLSB members. Carolyn Murphy, Assistant Provisional Chairman, was also a God-send and helped keep things flowing smoothly.

I have spent three years in the Provisional program and it is strange to think I will be moving on to a different area of voluntarism, but I am grateful for the personal growth and development that has occurred while on this committee. It is time for a new season for all of us as we celebrate the joys and fun of summer and get ready to gear back up for a new year in the League!

If you know of any new women who would be interested in joining the League, please ask them to contact Carolyn Murphy, Provisional Chairman for the upcoming year, for more information at jlsbprovisional@gmail.com. Happy Summer, everyone!

PROVISIONAL INTEREST MEETINGS: To be held at 6 p.m. on the following Wednesdays

May 29 • June 5 • June 19 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE:

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

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Board

2019-2020

Katherine Douthitt, President Family: husband Jeff, sons Cook (6) and Whit (almost 3) Career/Occupation: Partner at Blanchard, Walker, O’Quin and Roberts, a PLC First Active Year: 2010 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: I have lots of great memories from our League! One that stands out from this past year is greeting and

cheering runners crossing the finish line at King Cake Classic with my sweet sister-in-law Catherine Guidry.

Fun Fact: I’m always terrible at thinking of fun facts!

So, here’s at least a fact...My husband and I spent 20 minutes laughing about how we couldn’t come up with a fun fact good enough to print!

Saige Wilhite Solomon, President-Elect Family: My husband, Chris, is a CPA and partnerelect at Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC. We have two beautiful daughters, Lilly Grace (4.5 years) and Maggie will turn one on June 8.

Career/Occupation: Director of Alumni & Family Relations at Centenary College First Active Year: 2012 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: I have loved serving as EVP this past year. It gave me

the opportunity to see all aspects of the League and work with some fantastic leaders that really know how to keep everything we do running smoothly.

Fun Fact: As a result of planning a festival style fundraising event at Centenary known as “Beast Feast,” I have found myself becoming friends with Louisiana cattle ranchers and serving as “pig wrangler” for our foodie President over the past three years. Talk about “other duties as assigned!” Ha!

Maggie Pressly, Executive Vice President Family: I am married to Thomas Pressly and we have a 2 1/2 year old son also named Thomas Career/Occupation: Attorney with Bradley, Murchison, Kelly & Shea First Active Year: 2014 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: My favorite memory was traveling to New Orleans

for Winter Conference this past January! It was a great learning experience, but I also got to spend time with Saige and Katherine and start working on plans for the 2019-2020 League year.

Fun Fact: I lived in Dublin, Ireland during the spring of my junior year in College.

Catherine Dorroh Simpson, Secretary Family: My husband, Jayce Simpson, and I have been married for 4 years, and we stay busy with our daughter, Mary Campbell.

Career/Occupation: After college, I started out in the Hospitality industry, specifically private events and catering sales. I transitioned into nonprofit fundraising when we moved back to Shreveport. For now,

I stay home with our child.

First Active Year: 2015 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: I love working a Ways and Means shift, because I usually meet someone I didn’t know beforehand.

Fun Fact: I had perfect attendance through fifth grade and then ruined it for a trip to Disney world.

Laramie Guillot, Treasurer Family: Husband, Jason; two boys, Nate (5) and Nash (1) Career/Occupation: Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Co-Owner at Gymboree Play & Music

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First Active Year: 2012 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: Pumpkin Patch Fun Fact: I LOVE to travel!

Board

2019-2020 Heather Courtney, Vice President of Nominating Family: Husband of 7 years, Justin, and two children, John (5 years old) and Maggie (2 years old) Career/Occupation: Attorney with the Office of Juvenile Justice First Active Year: 2011 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: My favorite placement was definitely Spring Mar-

ket—I enjoyed it so much that I did it for three years.

Fun Fact: My husband and I had to be rescued by a search party (that included snowmobiles and helicopters) when we got stuck in snow in a national forest in a West Virginia. We were just trying to go snow skiing, but the trip ended up a little more interesting than we had initially planned.

Sarah Giglio, Project Research and Development Chair Family: I have been married to Trey Giglio for 4 years.

Career/Occupation: I am a criminal defense attorney at Gilmer & Giglio, LLC. First Active Year: 2016 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: I have two! First was my placement on Super Safety Saturday. I met several of my best friends when we

were in that placement a couple of years ago, and we all still get together pretty often. I’m so grateful that the Junior League brought us together. The other one is going to ODI in Memphis with Hannah Alexander and Meredith Armuth. We learned so much and had a blast together!

Fun Fact: My guilty pleasure is watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette on Monday nights.

Hannah Alexander, Member at Large Family: Husband, Brannon; our twin boys who were born at the end of April; and our Labradoodle, Otis Career/Occupation: Previous teacher turned retail buyer/saleswoman, but now a stay-at-home mom!

First Active Year: 2014 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: My favorite memory was getting to attend ODI in Mem-

phis with two other League members last year. It was so fun to get to learn from other women and get a new perspective outside of our Shreveport-Bossier chapter!

Fun Fact: My family and friends celebrate Birthentine’s every year, because I was born on Valentine’s Day.

Ali Feaster Smith, Member at Large Family: Blake and I have two daughters, Libby is 6 and Ruby Kate is 4 Career/Occupation: Legislative Liaison at the Louisiana House of Representatives First Active Year: 2014 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement:

My favorite placement was Nominating Committee/ Advisor, it gave me a chance to get to know several members of the League and a better perspective of how the League works as a whole.

Fun Fact: I was the State Bible Drill Champion in 4th and 5th Grade! That’s my only claim to fame.

Jodi Penn Rives, Sustainer at Large Family: Married to Claude Green Rives IV and have 2 daughters, Taylor McCutcheon in Charlotte, NC (member of the JL of Charlotte), and Sarah Bracy Penn (member of the New York Junior League).

Career/Occupation: Business Development Officer

with Argent Financial Group First Active Year: 1993 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: Bargain Haul Chairman

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2019-2020

ManagementTeam

Jabrina Edwards, Community Vice President Family: I am married to Marcus Edwards, and we have a bouncing baby boy, Solomon.

Career/Occupation: Defense Attorney First Active Year: 2016 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: While I was head volunteer of MAGIC, the volunteers and I learned and performed a cute Christmas

dance routine with our mentees to promote healthy exercise habits! The girls absolutely loved this activity.

Fun Fact: My favorite travel experience is visiting gorgeous Cape Town, South Africa. My husband proposed to me there on Table Mountain.

Margaret McDonald, Membership Vice President Career/Occupation: Research Attorney at the Second Circuit Court of Appeal First Active Year: 2013 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: Serving as a Member at Large stands out as a favorite placement, because a goal I set for myself as a

Provisional was to serve on the Board. Serving on the Board, specifically working on the strategic plan, emphasized how our League carries out our mission.

Fun Fact: I have donated my hair five times, most recently this spring, to organizations that make wigs for women and children undergoing hair loss.

Shelvia R. Grant, Communications Vice President Family: I am the daughter of amazing parents and affectionately known as “Sister Mom” to my younger brother, Richard Grant II, a sophomore Pre-Pharmacy major at ULM. Career/Occupation: Owner of Shelvia R. Grant, Attorney at Law, LLC and Project Coordinator for the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance at LSU Health Sciences Center.

First Active Year: 2015 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement:

I truly enjoyed my time as a Nominating Advisor! We had great team and chair that year, which allowed us to work cohesively to slate the very best ladies for leadership.

Fun Fact: I am the ultimate “Girl’s Girl.” From being an active Girl Scout for 13 years to becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and the League, I love being surrounded by inspirational and trailblazing women. I am also an alumna of Spelman College, a women’s college in Atlanta, GA.

Liz Lafitte, Fund Development Vice President Family: Husband, Jason; two stepdaughters, Hannah and Ava Career/Occupation: Assistant Professor and Director of Assessment, University of Louisiana Monroe College of Pharmacy First Active Year: 2015

Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: Pumpkin Patch Chairman; I worked with a wonderful group of women and we had the most fun together Fun Fact: I love educational psychology and may one day go back to school for one more degree!

Michelle Wallace, Assistant Treasurer Family: Husband, J; Daughter, Sarah; and Son, Zachary.

Career/Occupation: Assistant Vice President Business Banking Relationship Manager with Progressive Bank

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First Active Year: 2018 Favorite JLSB Memory or Favorite Placement: Red Apron Pantry Fun Fact: I love to draw and paint.

Board & ManagementTeam

2019-2020

Saige and Katherine

Pictured is the 2019-2020 Board (left; not pictured Sarah Giglio and Laramie Guillot) and Management Team (above)

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Kitchen

KIDS IN THE

During the month of February, the ladies of the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier partnered with several local organizations to educate elementary school age children on the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. This year, the Kids in the Kitchen program served roughly 150 children in six after school programs in the ShreveportBossier Area.

The Kids in the Kitchen Program is divided into stations which provide interactive, hands-on activities and programming that educate children about healthy eating habits, while exposing them to positive lifestyle choices.

This year, Kids in the Kitchen focused on physical activity and making healthier food choices. Participants were educated on the food pyramid and activity levels with many fun options. We had four stations for the participants to rotate through—Healthy Food Plate, Snack, Healthy Food BINGO, and Exercise.

In the first station, we discussed the food pyramid and the importance of eating a balanced meal with protein, grains, vegetables, and dairy. Participants took part in an art activity where they colored their own healthy plate

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Abbie Aiello

with some of their favorite meals. The second activity was Healthy Food BINGO. The kids had a lot of fun playing and were able to win a pedometer. In the end, we wanted to show them that they could increase their activity level through outside play and the importance of regular exercise, so the League ladies demonstrated how to do some simple exercises at home.

Each child took home nutrition and exercise guidelines from ChooseMyPlate.gov and a healthy recipe booklet to share with their family. They also received a tote bag, water bottle, and jump rope to encourage drinking water and physical activity.

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P lacement s

COMMUNITY

Krystle Grindley

What a year it has been for our League community placements! League members and volunteers have committed over 4,000 hours of service to projects that fulfill the League’s mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving our communities.

The entire year has been filled with placements continuing to do great work, new placements getting started and flourishing, and the celebration of sun setting placements that have fulfilled and completed their missions.

HEALTH LITERACY

Health Literacy Summer Camp was the League’s first community connection for the 2018-2019 year. This placement was committed to making sure that the children served by the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club had a meaningful, educational, and fun experience learning about fire safety, exercise, water safety, dental hygiene, healthy eating, and stranger danger. Approximately 40 children participated in this year’s Health Literacy Camp over a six-week period.

ARTIST FOR A DAY

Children across our community discovered their inner artist through the Artist for a Day (AFAD) placement in conjunction with the annual Red River Revel. AFAD offers children the opportunity to learn about different art mediums from local artists assisted by dedicated League volunteers. This year, the League offered its first paid craft, pumpkin painting. Just in time for Fall, this activity provided a warm and engaging opportunity for children to unleash their creativity.

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SUPER SAFETY SATURDAY

Helicopters, boats, fire trucks, and transportation of all kinds were on hand for the League’s 9th annual Super Safety Saturday.

Through a partnership with Sheriff’s Safety Town that spans a decade, this placement educated over 1,700 families on the importance of vehicle safety, weather and fire safety, as well as obeying traffic signals, poisonous plants, and more. Over two dozen area organizations were present to provide educational information and demonstrations.

SAFE SITTER The League’s Safe Sitter placement equipped area teens aged 12-17 with the important tools necessary to be great sitters at sessions offered by the Safe Sitter placement. First Aid, CPR, and other important life skills were offered in a variety of sessions. Safe Sitter partnered with local organizations to provide group and paid classes with demonstrations and hands-on exercises. League members became trained and certified to teach area youth medically-accurate and developmentally appropriate training for teenagers to babysit or stay home alone.

Mentoring Ambitious Girls to Inspire Change (MAG IC) At the close of its fifth year, MAGIC continued to provide amazing experiences to teenage girls as they navigate the world around them. MAGIC worked with Volunteers of America Teen Club girls at Highland Center to set

positive examples of character and behavior in the “real world.” This year, fourteen dynamic young ladies participated in the program. They volunteered at the Food Bank, were visited by Miss Spirit of the Red Outstanding Teen who talked to the ladies about self-esteem, participated in cooking demonstrations, partnered with Safe Sitter for training, and also held a career fair to provide exposure on future careers.

RED APRON PANTRY

Though in its inaugural year, the Red Apron Pantry placement proved to be a fulfilling placement that served a great need in our community. Through partnership with the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana and We Grow Together, the League opened, facilitated, and staffed a food pantry and distribution center locally in the Stoner Hill neighborhood. Over a dozen families have benefitted from the pantry. As this placement continues to work to combat food insecurity in our community, it will continue to grow and serve countless others.

After many years of serving an overwhelming amount of critical needs across our community, the League is excited to celebrate and sunset the following placements:

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN REVEL AND SPRING

on their feet. In addition to the Revel, KIK also held a Spring placement. KIK Spring partnered with numerous community organizations and over 150 elementary school children participated in the placement. As it prepares to sunset, KIK has truly made a remarkable impact in the lives of children across Shreveport-Bossier. Thousands have developed an excellent knowledge of healthy habits, and children have been successfully educated on healthy decision making and healthy living.

BINGO Children’s Bingo was initially started at Sutton’s Children’s Hospital in Shreveport. The program later expanded throughout the community and has been facilitated by the League in several hospitals. This year’s placement served children at Ochsner Hospital.

League members engaged pediatric patients in monthly games of Bingo and assisted pediatric patients in assembling crafts that double as decorations to brighten their hospital rooms. At the completion of this year’s BINGO sessions, countless hospital patients have been served and the League has helped develop the program into one that can now be absorbed by hospital staff.

As you can see, the League continues to commit to the Shreveport-Bossier community year-round with dynamic placements that serve a variety of needs in our area.

Through the sunset of these placements and the continual development of new placements, the League is reaffirming its commitment to developing and improving the area in which we serve.

The League partnered with the Revel for its Kids in the Kitchen (KIK) placement. Originally started in 2006, KIK-Revel serves over 4,000 4th grade students that participate in the Revel’s annual Day at the Revel program. Children are given the chance to learn all about healthy eating, meal preparation, nutrition, and more. This year’s event included dance and exercise classes to get the students moving and

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Parade Homes OF

Megan Crow

JLSB PARTNERS WITH THE PARADE OF HOMES

Each June, local builders showcase their craftsmanship and talent in the Shreveport-Bossier Parade of Homes.

The NWLA Home Builders Association (HBA) puts on a self-guided tour through upwards of 40 newly constructed

homes in the local area. This almost 70-year old event attracts several thousand attendees looking to see current designs and innovations in home building and remodeling.

Tour tickets are available for purchase at each house on the parade, as well as at area Brookshire’s grocery stores.

Your $10 ticket is good for all four days of the home tour, allowing parade goers to access all of the homes at their own pace including this beautiful Tanner Construction home in Bossier City’s Provident Oaks subdivision.

This year, the League is fortunate to be asked to help in a fundraiser for the HBA and JLSB by Sustainer Dixey Robertson. Dixey is the Executive Officer for the NWLA Home Builder’s Association and has worked for years organizing the Parade of Homes and the House for Hope.

This fundraiser will consist of the HBA and JLSB selling $50 raffle tickets for a Grand Prize Kitchen Remodel, plus secondary prizes of a $1,000 Lee Michaels gift certificate, a $1000 television, and a $500 Visa gift card.

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318.797.4321

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Dr. Erin Walker is currently an Active member of the Junior League!

Our partnership with the HBA is for the League to sell raffle tickets prior to the Parade, and during shifts each day of the event from 1-6 p.m. at select house locations. Attendees at the April General Membership meetings were advised tickets may be purchased to fulfill their 2018-2019 (if purchased before May 15) or 2019-2020 Fund Development (formerly Ways & Means) commitment. Members can also reach out to myself, Sara-Beth Bump, or Mallory McCotter to get booklets to sell paper tickets.

For every five tickets sold from these booklets, the member gets their name put in a raffle for several items including a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, Delta Touch Kitchen Faucet of your choice, and a gift certificate to the Vintage at El Dorado Casino. The paper booklets of tickets must be returned by the May Dinner meeting to be entered into the raffle drawing for just our membership.

We ask that each member try to sell a few tickets to get into our League raffle or sign up for a shift during the parade in June.

Our League has been given a wonderful opportunity to boost our fund development and spread our outreach in the community.

We will have two weekends in June to speak and interact with fellow Shreveport-Bossier residents who may not understand or know about the events and projects the League supports or organizes to help those who need a helping hand.

The Parade of Homes is always a successful event and now we get to be a part of it! Shift sign-up will go live in May and we will update when the full list of participating houses is available. First year Active members must work a Parade of Homes shift.

Tickets may be bought and more information about the raffle can be found at winakitchen.org. Tickets will also be available at area Progressive Bank branches thanks to the efforts of Sara-Beth.

The 2019 Parade of Homes will take place on the weekends of June 22-23 and 29-30 from 1-6 p.m. each day. Let’s make this another great event and partnership to further our League mission!

WIN A $40,000 KITCHEN REMODEL! Grand Prize: $40,000 Kitchen Remodel

Additional Prizes: $1,000 Shopping Spree to Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry $1,000 Flat-Screen Television courtesy of Sound Minds $500 Visa Gift Card courtesy of Progressive Bank

Drawing: July 1, 2019

Sponsored by a project of

Buy a ticket in APRIL for an extra chance to win!

All tickets purchased in APRIL go into a special drawing for a KitchenAid Mixer (color of your choice) AND a Delta Touch Faucet (style of your choice) sponsored by National Wholesale Supply - a $1,000 value!

(The winner is still eligible for the Grand Prize!)

Tickets are $50 each - Enter to Win Today!

Ticket also available: from Junior League members at Progressive Bank Locations • 8550 Fern Avenue in Shreveport • 2600 Beene Boulevard in Bossier City at the HBA Office • 2038 East 70th Street in Shreveport by phone • 318-797-8222

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.

VisitJLSB.org to learn more!

Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana | 2038 East 70th Street, Shreveport, LA 71105

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Parade Homes OF

Melissa Airhart

A SUSTAINER’S DREAM HOME

You will want to be sure to stop by Sustainer Jennifer Frierson’s new house during this summer’s Parade of Homes.

It will be the only home on the tour built by Terry M. Elston. Jennifer says choosing Elston was an easy decision. “My husband went to high school with him and has been friends with him his whole life. I think he’s the best builder in town,” she said. “We decided when we were ready to build again, that we wanted to use him.”

The home is located in the same Southern Trace neighborhood as their current house. This is Jennifer and husband, Tannie’s, “dream home,” and a lot of time, thought, and effort were invested in it. Jennifer says they purchased the lot seven or eight years ago. They met with Elston and their architect, Ben Patterson...and then a few years went by. Wanting their growing sons to live in and enjoy their new home spurred the Friersons to move forward with the build.

The couple headed to Venice, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast for their 20th anniversary last year. Seeing the Tuscan and Mediterranean architecture and design confirmed the couple’s desires for their future home. “We like a Tuscan, Californian-look...we like the tile roof and the stucco,” she said. “We also wanted to mix in modern elements. I think [Patterson] and [Elston] have done a great job mixing the two and blending them.”

Aside from the style of the home, Jennifer says more space and more storage were key. “A lot of the [new] house is storage. We needed more garage space and we knew we needed another guest room,” she said. “Just a little more space to spread out and live and entertain.”

They broke ground on the build in July 2017. The home boasts five bedrooms, seven full baths, and two half baths, as well as a garage that is ready to house vehicles for her teen boys when the time comes.

The home’s exterior is stucco with a tile roof in a stunning array of hues handpicked by Jennifer. A courtyard on the front of the home will feature a small pool on one side of the dining room. Inside, the airy dining room is flooded

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with natural light. A spacious butler pantry off of the space will house serving pieces and china.

Jennifer reached out to friend and designer Jamey Briggs to help bring her vision of the home’s interior to life. “We have a lot of contemporary items and a lot of modern items that we will mix,” she said. “We have a lot of inherited antiques, as well as furniture that we already have. We are going to try to use as much as possible.”

The flooring in the majority of the home is a silver travertine for a sleek modern look. Kitchen & Bath Cottage provided all of the tile for the house, as well as the Marvin Windows.

The kitchen has a work island plus a second island that is strictly for eating and entertaining that will have a waterfall edge. A dirty kitchen with dark green cabinetry is located off to the side. A living area features Cypress floors and a modern fireplace. “We’re also incorporating a rustic portion of the house that has hardwood floors and beams,” she said.

Her sons’ bedrooms are located on the home’s second level. Upstairs, a living room area overlooks the pool and golf course behind the home. It has built-ins, hardwood floors, and a small kitchen. One bedroom has a modern New York look. Its bathroom has leathered granite countertops and dark cabinetry. The closet will have a desk and a twin bed for hanging out or friends who stay the night.

Bedroom number two features the same closet set-up. This son is a hunter and loves camo, so the bathroom has olive green cabinets and coordinating granite counters. The boys have their own laundry room.

Back downstairs, a mirrored trick door marks the entrance to the master suite. In the bedroom, a sitting area overlooks the golf course and back yard space. The couple each have their own bathrooms and dressing rooms. Jennifer’s will feature a steam shower and tub, built-in ironing board and steamer, and full-length tri-fold mirrored cabinet doors for multiple views when dressing. The space also has a bar that Briggs suggested and glass shelving for the display of collectibles and keepsakes.

Jennifer has named the guest bedrooms Old Hollywood and New Hollywood. She got her inspiration for the perfectly pink New Hollywood from the Beverly Hills Hotel—it even has pink granite in the bathroom! The

other room recalls old Hollywood glamour with its black and silver tones.

When the couple built their current house 16 years ago, their eldest son was a baby, so they built a shallow pool that would be safer for young children. Now that her boys are teenagers, Jennifer says she wanted a pool that incorporated different zones that include a diving board, a place to play basketball or hook up a volleyball net, and a tanning ledge. The spacious outdoor area also includes a kitchen, contemporary fireplace, and more entertaining space that is ready for all seasons with heaters and retractable screens. A pool bath leads into the home.

The other side of the home features the rustic design elements—wood floors and beams. This room will wear many hats as a game room with a pool table, man cave, and den. Tannie’s office is located nearby, as is a mud area, sports closet, and holiday closet.

Another multi-windowed room will serve as a workout space.

“This is the best room in the house. It should really be a solarium, because it has so many windows,” she said.

The home is still under construction, so you will want to view the finished product in person! Be sure to purchase your ticket to the Parade of Homes to tour this stunning work of heart.

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Event

DESIGNER BAG BINGO

On March 14, 2019, the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier hosted the second annual Designer Bag Bingo fundraiser at the Horseshoe Casino Riverdome. This sold-out evening was an incredible gathering of women from not only Shreveport and Bossier, but also those who traveled from Ruston and East Texas. Designer Bag Bingo was a huge success selling out 600 tickets six weeks before the event. We ultimately raised over $53,000 to help the Junior League continue to support the Shreveport-Bossier community with our various community projects.

This fundraiser would not have been a success without the generous support of local businesses in our community.

We cannot thank our Host Sponsor—Horseshoe Casino and Hotel—enough for all of their generosity. Horseshoe opened up their Riverdome to over 600 people to enjoy incredible Mexican food and cocktails, all while playing Bingo in the hopes of winning the fabulous handbags available this year.

Holli’ Conway, Miss Louisiana 2018, kept the evening fun as our emcee. Whether it was her lively description of the bags or her enthusiasm that matched many of our winners, she added the perfect touch to the evening.

Each attendee came for the chance to win beautiful designer bags and an opportunity for amazing raffle prizes donated by local businesses. Bingo winners walked away with bags from Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Brahmin, India Hicks, Jon Hart, Tory Burch, and more! Dillard’s stores in both Shreveport and Bossier were generous in collectively donating five handbags and five wallets as bingo and raffle prizes. Our grand prize handbag was the Louis Vuitton Flower Hobo bag with a beautiful red interior.

The biggest hit of the night were our Diamond raffle items, donated by our incredible Community partner Sid Potts. One lucky winner was able to walk away with a $2,500 shopping spree to Sid Potts while another received stunning 18kt yellow gold diamond drop earrings valued at $6,600!

We would not have been able to put on the event without our generous sponsors, including Please and Thank You Paper Co., who designed and printed the event programs, raffle tickets and table numbers. JLSB member Jennifer Bradford was able to photograph and capture all of the festivities of the evening.

The Designer Bag Bingo committee is already planning next year’s event and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2020!

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Ginny Lamb

SPONSORS HOST SPONSOR

LOUIS LEVEL

Biedenharn Foundation • Ginny and Rich Lamb

GUCCI LEVEL

JLSB Sustainer Advisory Panel

TORY SPONSOR

COACH LEVEL HANDBAG DONORS Dillard’s of Shreveport and Bossier The Village Washstand • India Hick’s Rep Vickie Meadows

Photos by Jennifer Bradford Photography

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Memorable Moment s

Cockt ails with the Board

Provisional Project

an oasis just off linwood Road at i-49 & la3132

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M A G I C (Safe Sitter) j l sb.o rg | S ummer 2019 Pari shscope

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Hist ory

COOKBOOK

The first time I encountered the Junior League organization—many years ago—it took the form of a cookbook. Glossy photos and spectacular menus drew me into a world where women work together for the good of their communities and each other. Before Pinterest, these books spilled the secrets of local culinary delights and connected their readers to the cities and towns they came from. After some time, I learned that the cookbooks helped make the Junior League’s work possible. For many Leagues, these books are both an indispensable fundraising source and a record of their local heritage. The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier has crafted three of these volumes throughout our history. They are beloved and awardwinning glimpses of life in Northwest Louisiana.

A Cook’s Tour of Shreveport first hit bookshelves in 1964 and quickly became a huge success. League members worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition, soliciting and testing recipes, editing and designing pages, and planning its distribution. In December 1963, the Shreveport Times reported that members hosted tasting parties at the League house after monthly meetings to test recipe submissions. Julie Sipple Dickson and Jerry Wray designed the cover while Mrs. T.O. Perry Jr. suggested the winning title. Mrs. Perry received as her prize, the very first cookbook from the initial printing.

Distribution was key for this brand new fundraiser. In July 1965, the national Junior League magazine showcased our League members conducting tastings for the much anticipated Cook’s Tour book. When the cookbook arrived, the committee implemented a nationwide advertising program, running ads from coast to coast in the San Francisco Examiner, Boston Globe, Denver Post, and Chicago Tribune, with advertisements in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times soon to follow. Members worked hard to ensure the Cook’s Tour was visible at every major event, with a cookbook booth just inside the entrance to the annual rummage sale. Top selling members earned significant prizes for their dedication. In January 1965, the number one seller received a weekend for two at Edgewater Beach in Biloxi, MS, while the second prize winner earned a weekend for two at Coronado Motor Hotel in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Even third prize did not disappoint, with a night on the town for two plus babysitting!

A Cook’s Tour quickly took off, gathering both a dedicated regional following and praise from afar. Newspapers across the state featured its recipes, with the Lake Charles American Press showcasing the Cranberry Punch recipe in their “Make Punch for the Bunch” feature on Christmas Eve 1966. The Rayne Acadian-Tribune also lauded its success in December 1975 as the book entered its 7th printing. By 1980, even the food

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Amanda Biles

writers of the New York Times took notice, praising A Cook’s Tour in a piece examining the love of regional cookbooks from Louisiana. Even with the League’s publication of excellent new cookbooks, A Cook’s Tour remains a cherished piece of JLSB heritage. SteinMart continued to serve Tour-inspired tasting samples in the boutique department as late as the 1990s, and many cooks far and wide still rely on its timeless recipes in their own kitchens.

The 1970s brought renewed interest in the cookbook venture, as JLSB members planned to honor the Red River Revel with a brand new volume. This time, the League received over 3,000 recipes and set up a system to triple test each one. Junior League women are nothing if not organized and this undertaking would be no exception. In 1978, the committee instituted weekly tasting luncheons to help members narrow the search for the new Revel cookbook. Each recipe was prepared three times, and each member was required to taste a minimum of 20 submissions. Explaining this to a Times reporter, the participants expressed both delight and distress: “I’m a spinach salad addict and I’m beginning to feel ill!” one taster remarked. Two others exclaimed, “What’s this disaster?” and “It’s delicious!” The testing committee—headed by Chairman Judith Quinn—distributed recipes among themselves and to other League members to make at home and deliver to the tasting luncheons. These were often festive and feisty affairs, evidenced by the Shreveport Times reporting on one luncheon featuring a member’s own lemon pie: “Tell her it’s great! She’s liable to throw it at us!” an unidentified taster called out above the crowd. Cooking demonstrations at Market and Mall St. Vincent helped spread the word about the book, and Kids in the Kitchen events utilized its recipes as well.

The strong cookbook legacy of the JLSB continued into the new century with the design of Mardi Gras to Mistletoe.

League members expressed concern about undertaking another cookbook project, particularly after an Organizational Development Institute where the Louisville Junior League shared some of their recent cookbook difficulties. But guided by the experience and positivity of Chairman Martha Siskron, this beautiful coffee table-style cookbook took form.

Contributor Lucy Medvec recalled the small group meetings that year where cookbook committee members guided the sampling of recipe submissions and gathered member feedback.

To avoid the pitfalls faced by other Leagues, the committee strongly encouraged pre-sales and Medvec alone sold ten twelve-book cases before the release. On November 9, 2006, a huge launch party welcomed the newest volume in the JLSB cookbook collection. To help raise interest in the launch, the

COOKBOOK RECIPE SEARED TUNA WITH FRESH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE FRESH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE Ingredients: 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro 1 small shallot, minced 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ginger puree 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup lime juice 2 tablespoons honey 1/3 cup olive oil 2 green onions, minced Kosher salt or sea salt to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions: For the sauce, combine the cilantro, shallot, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, olive oil, green onions, kosher salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, for 1 hour or longer before serving.

For the tuna, mix the sesame seeds, ginger, cayenne pepper, and black pepper together on a shallow plate.

Sprinkle the tuna with kosher salt and roll in the sesame seed mixture. Place a sauté pan over high heat and pour in the peanut oil. Add the tuna and sear for 30 seconds on each side. Remove the tuna to a serving plate. Turn off the heat. Add the lime juice Ingredients: to the drippings in the sauté 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1 to 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger or ginger puree pan and stir to deglaze. Drizzle over the tuna. Serve with dip1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper ping sauce.

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

TUNA

8 ounces very fresh sushi-grade ahi tuna Kosher or sea salt 3 tablespoons peanut oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Cooking in High Cotton, Junior League of Monroe page 103

Advertiser Index committee rolled out one teaser photo from the book on the JLSB website each week before the big day. Members went all out for this event—held at the Mardi Gras Museum—with valet parking, sample stations for each month from the book, and wine pairings from Wine Country. Some of the tasting options included favorites like dirt dessert, rice and peach salad, pineapple mango salsa, pork tenderloin with blueberry sauce, and crawfish and corn chowder. Numerous reprintings and a second place finish in the national Tabasco Community Cookbook awards marked Mardi Gras to Mistletoe as another great success.

Together, this trio is much more than a collection of recipes. This is a collection of memories. It reminds us of the hard work and serious fun that go into every single effort undertaken by the Junior League. It recalls major events celebrated with delicious local flavor. It evokes a sense of the impact this organization has had on the community around us. And it invites us all to head to the kitchen and take a giant bite of that flavor. This is a legacy worth savoring!

CHRISTUS Health.............................9 DeAnn Arnold Photography.............21 Erin Walker, DDS..............................24 Garden Park.......................................30 Dr. Robert E. Goodman.....................34 Graf Orthodontics.............................27 La Bambolina.......................................7 Lang Orthodontics... Inside Back Cover Lee Michaels.......................Back Cover Pure Barre...........................................11 Sid Potts.................. Inside Front Cover j l sb.o rg | S ummer 2019 Pari shscope

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Celebrations

Amber Free (Active) accepted two Diamond Awards at the 2019 Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Conference in Las Vegas this past March. ANECA is one of the smallest credit unions in the category in which they compete and one of the Diamonds was for “Category’s Best.” Amber has been presented with a total of five Diamond Awards for her work at ANECA. (photo: left)

Dr. Morgan Lang (Active) danced in and took home the mirror ball trophy at the Dancing for the Cure 2019 event this past April. The competition, featuring celebrity contestants from the ArkLaTex, raises funds for Susan G. Komen North Louisiana. (photo: right)

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jlsb.or g | Su mmer 2 019 Par i s h s cope

WHEN: Saturday, September 21 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

WHERE: Sheriff’s Safety Town 8910 Jewella Avenue Shreveport, LA 71118 ADMISSION: FREE!

d e s u c o F y l i m a F e r a C c i t n o d o Orth

ACTIVE MEMBER

SERVING CHILDREN, TEENS AND ADULTS GeauxSmile.com

Dr. Morgan Trahant Lang

j l sb.o rg | S ummer 2019 Pari shscope

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2601 LINE AVENUE SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA 71104

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jlsb.or g | Su mmer 2 019 Par i s h s cope

PRSRT STD U. S. POSTAGE PAID Shreveport, LA Permit No. 856