JLS Notes Issue_Fall 2023

THE

NOTES

ISSUE 1 | FALL 2023

IN THIS ISSUE 2023 Holiday Shoppes

2023 HOLIDAY SHOPPES! November 10 – 12, 2023

Board & Membership Updates Sustainer News Community Update Sponsorship Update Leadership Events

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 10/10: October GMM Start Time 6:00 p.m.

Mid-October: Little Libraries event with the Boys and Girls Club

It is that time of year we all look forward to! Our largest fundraiser will be here before we know it: Holiday Shoppes! The theme for this year’s show is ‘Home for the Holidays’. Holiday Shoppes is different this year; instead of having a separate committee specifically for Holiday Shoppes, the entire League now has a role in this year’s fundraiser! Each committee has been placed in charge of a different aspect of the event from decorations, to entertainment to ticketing. We look forward to seeing this new format succeed! The Dickens Carolers will once again be spreading their holiday cheer, and other surprises are in the works. Make sure you get your tickets and come join in the fun!

The following list includes the vendors that have secured their deposit at the time of publication. If you have any suggestions or connections for other vendors, please contact Season Seferyn (seasonseferyn@gmail.com or call at 910-364-8563). Thank you in advance!

Apothecary Chocolates, Beach Bound Creations, Blooms and Blossoms, BOOM Babies, Brenn + Co, Cheese Filled Company, Cindy’s Gift Solutions/Thomas Joyce, Cinnamon’s, Color Street, Discovery Toys, Fleece, Stitch and Glitz, Freedom Season LLC, Immortal Phoenix, Indigo Creek Candles LLC, Infinity Linked, Jordan Essentials, Kimmy’s Krafts, Krazy Moms, Lazy Lady Crafts, Lilla Rose Haircessories, Mary’s Fault, Natural Creations, Nectar of the Vine, New Boston Prints, Norwex, Ornate Skin, Pampered Chef, Paparazzi Accessories, Scentsy, Silly Sock Lady, Soldier Solutions LLC, Tastefully Simple, The House of Roushey, The Scrub Hub, Touchstone Crystal, Twigloo Farms, Vermont Harvest, Young Living.

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BOARD UPDATES BOARD UPDATES 2023/24 The Junior League of Syracuse’s Board of Directors leads and advises the League in promoting volunteerism and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League’s governing board, they ensure the League’s adherence to the mission, vision and strategic plan. The board kicked off the year with leadership training and then got to work in August to ensure that all the councils were ready to go for the coming league year. As part of this meeting, we invited each council chair to come and give updates on their different areas, voted in the 23-24 budget and got geared up for Holiday Shoppes. Here are some of the areas the board will be working on this year: Member Engagement and Needs Holiday Shoppes Support DEI League Wide Training

YOUR 2023/24 BOARD AND LEADERSHIP TEAM

Board President: Victoria Wejko President Elect: Position Open Secretary: Jennifer Rubin Treasurer: Elisabeth Cabot Nominating Director: Casey Duffy Sustainer Co-Chairs: Cheryl Ward and Barb Benedict Leadership Team Assistant Treasurer: Claire Amodio Community Chair: Camille Marcotte Communication Chair: Tana Dippolito Heer Membership Chair: Michelle McGillivray Fund Development Chair: Amanda Richie Terzian New Member Lead: Brittany Moen Holiday Shoppes Lead: Season Seferyn Nominating Advisor: Julia Kane, Jennifer Baker & Jamie Lingenfelter

Budget-Tracking and Finding Cost Savings Leadership Roles, Job Description Annual Reports At our Annual Dinner, I announced our theme for this year, Deep Roots, Wide Branches, with the goal of spending this year tapping into what has made the League great for over 100 years and using that to grow as individuals and as an organization. At our core, the JLS is a community of women empowering each other to build better communities.

As a board, we look forward to working together to impact our community and be leaders of hope, catalysts for change and stewards of voluntarism for the greater Syracuse area.

Victoria Wejko

JLS President

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MEMBERSHIP UPDATES MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making our Annual Dinner such a beautiful event at SKY Armory. Congratulations to all the award recipients.

This summer, we kept busy with member engagement.

Amanda Terzian worked to organize the JLS night at a Mets game where she sang the National Anthem. Tana Heer organized a couple of get-togethers over the summer break including a new member get-together at her home and a meet-up at the Zac Brown concert.

This year, membership is split into three subcommittees, including new member recruitment, by-laws and policies committee. Last year was our first year introducing rolling admissions, and with that, we added 12 new members. Our new member committee will have five scheduled new member classes to choose from, and our first one is on October 28. We encourage our members to sit in on the training and reach out to introduce yourselves as you see our new members at upcoming events and at committee meetings.

We are planning several member engagement events and fun GMMs throughout the year. We look forward to seeing everyone in the coming year!

Michelle McGillivray Membership Chair

SUSTAINER NEWS Greetings, everyone. Once again, this year, I will be your Sustainer VP but with a big difference. Barb Benedict will be working with me to bring you Sustainer news and events. Yay, Barb!

By the time you read this, The September “Kick Off” party was held at Calvary Country Club. Kudos to Anne Miller and Susan Cronin for once again taking charge of this event. The highlight of the night was the presentation of the Mary Harriman Award to this year’s recipient, Maria Miller. Congratulations, Maria.

These are some of the events in the works: Annual Sustainer Community Involvement project: collection of goods for The Samaritan Center.

Everson Museum Tour on October 5th led

by Docent/Sustainer Linda Blanding.

Dinner to follow “Meet & Greet” with our JLS President Vicky Wejko. Special addition is a demonstration of Self Defense with Active, Marie Norcutt Maria Miller, along with Lynn Hamilton Johnson & Karen Matticio will be hosting an R&R in November – Location TBA AND everybody’s favorite Pie Baking will be held this year at Blessed Sacrament with our ever gracious host, Sheile Corbishley heading up that event.

Barb and I are always looking for ideas about activities or volunteer opportunities. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch with one of us. Cheryl – cjward7520@gmail.com or Barb at barb.benedict@gmail.com

Cheryl Ward Sustainer Co-Chair

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MEMBERSHIP UPDATES (CONT.)

KUDOS!

RECRUITMENT Active & sustainer referrals have been a leading source of quality new members who have joined over the years. Based on this information, we are asking all active & sustainers to pass on the information of anyone who they think would be a good fit to brittany.moen@huntrealestate.com and/or invite friends to the events listed below:

Congratulations to Sarah Jones on her marriage to Michael Serbun in May of 2023!

Holiday Shoppes New Member Shift JLS Holiday Party - Open to New Members Please see the following new member orientation/training options for 2023-2024: Sat. Oct. 28, 2023. 9:30-11:30 a.m. - New Member Orientation 3rd Floor Conference Room Sat. Jan. 27, 2024. 9:30-11:30 a.m. - New Member Orientation 3rd Floor Conference Room Sat. Mar. 30, 2024. 9:30-11:30 a.m. - New Member Orientation 3rd Floor Conference Room Sat. May 18, 2024. 9:30-11:30 a.m. - New Member Orientation 3rd Floor Conference Room

Congratulations to Katie Coulon on her marriage to Andrew Maczonis in August of 2023!

Congratulations to Amanda Richie Terzian on being crowned Mrs. New York American 2023!

Congratulations to Susan Shubmehl on being elected to the Francis House Board of Directors for the 2022-2025 term!

JLS IS GOING DIGITAL! The NOTES will be transitioning to a fully digital format; if you wish to continue receiving a hard copy, please opt-in by November 1. To opt in, email juniorleaguesyracusecomms@gmail.com OR Complete the form below and mail it to 431 E Fayette St Suite 225, Syracuse, NY 13202 THANK YOU! NAME:

ADDRESS:

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COMMUNITY UPDATE WELCOME BACK EVERYONE! The Community Collaborations Committee is excited to kick off another year planning events with our community partners. Our focus is on creating rewarding volunteer experiences in our focus areas of literacy and food insecurity. The hard work we all do fundraising and the skills we learn from training allows us the means to give back to the Syracuse community to make lasting change. That being said, we have a lot of exciting plans in progress and will need many helping hands to pull off these events. We highly encourage members to attend at least two events this year. Stay tuned to learn about how you can help!

Snapshot of the 2023-2024 League Year: Little Free Libraries Author Program with the Boys and Girls Club - Mid-October Holiday Giving Event - December International Women’s Day Movie Event - March 8, 2024 STEM Event with Brighton Academy - April Clothing Drive & Tea Party with the YWCA - April/May Extra opportunities with the Samaritan Center, We Rise Above the Streets and more!

Be on the lookout in Seeing Spot for exact dates and additional volunteer opportunities!

FUND DEVELOPMENT Thank you to our sponsors!

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SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: PINCKNEY HUGO GROUP JOINS FORCES WITH JLS In an exciting new chapter of community collaboration, The Junior League of Syracuse (JLS) has teamed up with Pinckney Hugo Group (PHG).

PHG is a local full-service integrated marketing communications firm. The result of the collaboration has been nothing short of amazing. This new dynamic has resulted in promising plans for the future of The Junior League’s communication capabilities as well as the unveiling of a captivating new logo! The new logo not only reflects the heart of Syracuse, but also embodies the values of JLS - community, empowerment and growth.

The journey began by identifying sources of inspiration that showcased the spirit of Syracuse and the League, drawing from the City of Syracuse’s iconic logo, the unique structure of the Niagara Mohawk building and the overall essence of New York State.

“From brainstorming ideas to refining every detail, crafting the new JLS logo was such a rewarding process,” said Alyssa Thompson, creative intern at Pinckney Hugo Group and junior at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. “Weaving together the identity of Syracuse and the values of the League was an eyeopening experience, for sure.”

This collaboration stands as an example of how corporate expertise and community-focused initiatives can come together to make communities stronger and help them grow. A huge shoutout to Pinckney Hugo Group for their unwavering dedication and hard work in supporting The Junior League of Syracuse's mission. Their passion and commitment have truly made a difference!

A TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT This year’s summer interns at PHG rolled up their sleeves and dove headfirst into an impressive project for JLS. These interns weren't just “picking up coffee” and doing “busy work”; they went the extra mile by crafting an all-encompassing media and PR plan to help position JLS as a leading local nonprofit in the Syracuse community, while also working to increase shopper traffic to this year’s Holiday Shoppes.

As part of their journey, PHG interns took on the exciting task of refreshing The Junior League's logo.

The process of logo development was no ordinary affair; it was an exploration of the essence of Syracuse, its rich history and the League's enduring commitment to the community.

The Board has been actively involved in shaping the design throughout its development. An official vote to adopt the new logo, which will be co-branded in accordance with AJLI's brand standards, is scheduled for the October Board Meeting. The Communication Committee will provide additional insights into the design process during the October GMM. By thoughtfully co-branding with AJLI's logo, JLS can maintain a distinctive local identity while harmonizing with AJLI's overarching branding and visual identity.

Stay tuned as we eagerly anticipate sharing more details in the upcoming months!

Tana Heer

Communications Chair

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LEADERSHIP EVENTS JLS ENGAGES AT THE 2023 SMALL LEAGUES, BIG IMPACT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Members from The Junior League of Syracuse recently took part in the 2023 Small Leagues, Big Impact Leadership Conference (SLBI) held in Texas on August 11 and 12. This two-day event, hosted at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk, focused on leadership development, workshops and idea exchange among Junior League Leaders.

The conference aimed to empower leaders from small leagues with tailored resources and perspectives. It brought together subject matter experts and league leaders to help attendees prepare for the upcoming year practically and strategically.

Key topics covered during the event included: Fund Development: Led by Aimee Argel (SLBI Coordinator), attendees gained insights into best practices for fund development, including events, donors, sponsorships and creating effective fund development plans.

Marketing and Communications: Led by Nicole Bergman (AJLI Volunteer Success Manager), this track provided guidance on aligning marketing plans with annual strategies and leveraging available resources efficiently.

Membership Model: Lisa Vaughn (former SLBI Coordinator and AJLI Volunteer Success Manager) introduced the One Membership Model, offering strategies for member recruitment, onboarding and engagement in line with league governance and plans.

In addition to these tracks, the conference facilitated networking opportunities, particularly focusing on micro and small-sized leagues. Attendees were encouraged to share insights, experiences and challenges, fostering a supportive community of growth and collaboration.

The Junior League of Syracuse's participation in the 2023 SLBI Leadership Conference underscores our dedication to fostering meaningful change. By engaging with workshops and discussions, our leaders are now poised to enhance the league's effectiveness and continue making a significant impact in our community.

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