Board of Directors
President Emily Lindberg President-Elect Heather Zgaljardic Community Vice President Natili Monsrud Secretary Lindsey Serrette Communications Vice President Jessica Stautberg Finance Vice President Lauren Millo Fund Development Vice President Courtney Carnes Membership Vice President Pamela Petty Past President Lynsey Ginsberg
Our Mission
The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) 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.
Articles for the next month’s edition of Tropical Topics are due to Ida Krause (idakrause@gmail.com) by the 20th of the month prior.
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In This Issue Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page
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President’s Message February General Meeting Cookbook Committee Did You Know? Community Corner Board Spotlight Get to Know the Provisionals Upcoming Events
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President’s Message
Recently a friend of mine was asking me about the Junior League of Galveston County. She asked me what we do and I went into my usual “elevator speech” about JLGC. I told her about all of the activities we do in the community and then I told her about all of the fun stuff we do as well. But then she asked me why I joined. And, I have to tell you that over the years in JLGC, my answer has changed! I primarily joined because I wanted activities away from my kids and their school and I loved the idea of giving back to my immediate community. The reason I have stayed 8 years with the JLGC is the people. I love that I can work with smart, educated, successful and interesting women of all ages. We have such a great variety of people from different backgrounds who are stay at home moms (like me!), attorneys, doctors, nurses, teachers, accountants, physicists, chemists—just to name a few! I really enjoy getting to know all of you on a personal level and each one of you makes the JLGC a great organization. My tag line this year is “Mission Driven. Member Focused!” Part of my goal was for everyone to go to a General Meeting and leave thinking: “Wow! I learned something new at that meeting!”. This month we are in for a treat at our General Meeting! Vicki Clark will be coming to speak with us about “Servant Leadership”. Please see Vicki’s bio in this issue of Tropical Topics. At the meeting, please feel free to introduce yourself to her. She is a dynamic speaker and you won’t want to miss it! See you at the February General Meeting!
Emily Emily Lindberg President, 2016-2017 Mission Driven. Member Focused!
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February General Meeting Our February meeting will be at the San Luis Hotel on February 13th at 6:00 pm. Monday, February 13, 2017 San Luis Hotel 5222 Seawall Blvd Galveston, TX 77551 6 p.m. – Social 6:30 p.m. – Meeting
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Cookbook Committee Mrs. Clause Brunch was a success! Jordan Lopez hosted League members to a delicious brunch and mimosas. A good time was had by all. Thank you for all that attended and Jordan for hosting. Cookbook Committee has TWO events coming up in February. February 7th will be our "Galentine's Day Dinner." Ditch your men, grab your girlfriends, and throw on a sparkly dress. Sustainer Kristin Lepo hosts with a dinner and specialty champagne and cocktails! Do not miss out on this amazing events! February 26th is our "Lights! Camera! Party!" event hosted by League member Paige Hardcastle. The event will be a watch party you don't want to miss. The event will make you feel like a STAR!
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Did You Know? The Junior League of Galveston County is excited to welcome renowned speaker, Vicki Clark, to join us at our February General Meeting. Vicki Floyd Clark has devoted the past 30 years of her life to building capacity in organizations and inspiring community leaders. A noted speaker, facilitator, consultant and trainer, she has extensive experience in the nonprofit, government and private sectors. Her work includes numerous specialty areas; board development, inclusion and diversity, leadership development, strategic planning, project planning, volunteer resource development, and effective communication. Clark is a member of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation’s leadership training and consultation team and a Senior Governance Consultant for BoardSource She has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, University of Texas, San Antonio, Texarkana College and the University of Houston. Each year she speaks to thousands of community, business and government leaders and has made presentations in 48 of the 50 United States. Her international experience includes speaking engagements in England, Russia, Canada and Venezuela. Clients include Union Bank, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Centers for Disease Control, US Green Building, National Education Association, American Bar Association,, National Center for Family Literacy, Association of Junior Leagues International, United Methodist Church, US Extension Services and the Delta Leadership Institute Clark’s work in the public sector includes training and consultation for the Corporation for National Service, South Carolina, Department of Commerce, Indiana Community Action Agencies and the Greenwich, CT Public School Administrators. Vicki has also provided consultation for Community Foundations of Greater Chattanooga, North Central Florida and San Antonio.
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For 11 years Vicki served in a variety of positions with the Points of Light Foundation, Washington, D.C. As Vice President, Community Initiatives, she was responsible for the development and implementation of the Foundation’s strategy in support of outreach to local communities. Vicki was a member of the national program planning committee of Colin Powell’s President’s Summit for America’s Children. In 1996 Clark was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the National and Urban Forestry Advisory Council. She also was appointed to the Executive Governor’s Team tasked with the development of the first Unified State Plan for Texas Volunteerism, Community Service and Service Learning. She has served as mentor and facilitator for students in Baruch College’s (NY) National Urban/Rural Graduate Fellows Program. Clark was employed in the private sector in human resources, and marketing, worked for a major defense contractor, and in the publishing industry. Vicki proudly serves as a member of the board of the National Diaper Board Network and Youth Volunteer Corps. She attended the University of Missouri, Columbia and is a native of Memphis, TN.
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Community Corner Calling all JL members! We have some wonderful upcoming events for our members to volunteer for credits or just in the fun! Set your calendars for two yummy upcoming Cookbook Events in February: 7th - Galentine's Day and 26th - Lights! Camera! Party! Both are loaded with delicious, decadent cuisines and also provide two slots for volunteer assistance. In March, we will host our upcoming Community Heroes Fun Run providing lots of volunteer opportunities as well as a chance to show your true heroic run power! If you cannot make the run, our Jr. Jr. Leaguers Island group is hosting a Trash Bash on March 25th as well. End March on a win with Cookbook's Bunco at the Beach! You will definitely roll in good food and fun as well as a volunteer opportunity. Keep updated with our Wednesday Weekly notes for future upcoming events and more volunteer possibilities!
Junior Junior Leaguers ~ Mainland The Junior Junior League Mainland volunteered at The Galveston County Food Bank on Saturday, January 14th. We had a wonderful time packing boxes for the Homebound Program and also sorting frozen proteins for the food pantry. Our efforts are going to help feed numerous people in our community. We received a wonderful note from Jeff Gordon at The Galveston County Food Bank that I would love to share with the League:
Good morning Jennifer The Galveston County Food Bank thanks the volunteers from the Junior League of Galveston who created 255 Senior Homebound Nutritional Outreach boxes consisting of 6,375 pounds of food. Additionally the Junior League volunteers sorted a total of 3,300 pounds of donated frozen food. According to Feeding America this combined total of 9,675 pounds of food will provide enough for 8,062 meals. Because of your support and that of the Junior League of Galveston, the Food Banks mission of providing access to
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nutritional food to the economically disadvantaged in Galveston County is made possible. Attached are pictures of Saturday's volunteer team. Also, below is the list of current volunteer opportunities at the Galveston county Food Bank. God Bless Jeff Our next event will be on Sunday February 12th from 11:15am4:30pm. We will be helping at the Moody Gardens Ball for Special People. Thank you for all of your support of the Junior Junior League Mainland, Jennifer Caffey
The Junior Junior League Mainland volunteers hard at work at the Galveston County Food Bank! Great job!
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Board Spotlight Name: Natili Monsrud League role/position: Community VP Years in the League: 5th Active Year Are you originally from this area? If not, where are you from and what brought you here? No, I was born in Lincoln, Nebraska (Go Cornhuskers!) and moved around a lot until 3rd grade where I spent the next 20 years in Plano, Texas. I moved to the Island in 1998 we would take family vacations here, fell in love with the Island, bought a little getaway family house in 1989 and then followed my family here full time when they moved here permanently in 1997. How did you get involved in the League? I had a good friend involved with the Dallas Junior League and was always intrigued with the idea of being a part of the community so I when I heard about the JLGC, I immediately became involved. What do you do outside of the League? I own and operate a restaurant, The Star Drug Store, here in Galveston and am a mom to a 10 year old boy :) What’s a unique or fun fact about yourself that not many people know? I am a huge proponent of the benefits of acupuncture! :) It has changed my life for sure. What is your guilty pleasure? Red wine and dark chocolate while watching The Voice.
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Get to Know the Provisionals Name: Danni Mason Where are you from? As far North as you can get in New York (a little town called Massena). What brought you to Galveston if you aren't from here: I fell in love with a Born-On-the-Islander, Peter, when he was stationed in the North Country with the Coast Guard. Tell us about your kids and hubby: Peter and have been dating for 5 years, but will soon be resetting our ‘anniversary-clock’; We became engaged this past June. Why did you decide to join the Junior League? Throughout the three years that I have lived on Galveston Island, I have intermittently been encouraged by women I greatly respect to look into working with the JLGC. I admire the work that this group is able to accomplish and I am excited to be “in league” with other likeminded women working to better our community and one other. What has been your favorite vacation you've ever taken? My fiancé and I do quite a bit of traveling. In 2016, we added Germany, Thailand, China and Puerto Rico to our traveler’s log. Prior to this summer, I might have answered that my vacation highlight reel included some of the road trips I’ve taken around this beautiful country; but my most favorite day (ever) occurred during our recent trip to Puerto Rico. From the reverent sunrise on the beach and finding (eleven!) sand dollars, to hiking all day in the jungle and finding a waterfall to swim under (where Peter then proposed!), that day alone has to qualify our trip as the best one yet. Tell us one interesting thing about yourself. I am an avid reader of many genres: fantasy, historical fiction, non-fiction and science fiction, in that preferential order. My first internship was with a literary agency company, Fairbanks Literary Representation. The year before I moved to Texas, I was invited to co-host an East Coast Literary Agent’s conference with Sorche Fairbank, but hurricane Sandy had other plans. I still read and write often and ardently.
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Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
2/7: Galentine’s Day Cookbook Event, 7 pm 2/12: Board Meeting with Vicki Clark 2/13: General Meeting at San Luis 2/17: Chair Board Reports Due 2/20: VP Board Reports Due 2/20: Provisional Meeting 2/21: Nominating Placement meeting 2/26: Lights! Camera! Party! Cookbook Event, 6:30 pm 2/28: Board Meeting 5:30 p.m. 3/6: General Meeting at Hometown Heroes Park 3/9: Spring Cleaning/Organizing event at the Container Store in Baybrook 3/20: Provisional Meeting, TA Building 3/21: Nominating Placement meeting 3/22: Nominating Placement meeting 3/24: Bunco at the Beach Cookbook Event, 3 pm 3/24: Chair Board Reports Due 3/25: Everyday Heroes 5k/10k 3/25: JJL Island, Trash Bash, 8 am to 12 pm 3/27: VP Board Reports Due 3/31: Annual Dues Due 4/4: Board meeting 4/6: Provisional/Sustainer Tea, 5:30 p.m. Evia in Galveston 4/8: Junior Junior League Mainland, Community Garden 4/10: General Meeting 4/17: Provisional Meeting, Butler Longhorn Museum 4/18: Nominating Placement meeting 4/21: Chair Board Reports Due 4/24: VP Board Reports Due 4/26: Scholarship Reception at TA Building, Galveston 5/1: Membership requirement deadline 5/1: Chair Annual Report Due 5/2: Board meeting 5/8: Annual dinner 5/15: VP Annual Report Due 5/15: Reimbursement Deadline
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