IMPACT | COMMUNITY
Leadership Week No in-person meetings? No problem. Virtual meetings allowed members even more flexibilty to attend year kick-off trainings. C A N DAC E A N D E R S O N
Training opportunities are an important part of Junior League of Little Rock membership. With every recitation of our mission statement, we reinforce that our organization is committed to “improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.” The inability to meet in person did not deter either the Training Committee or our membership from gathering together virtually and learning. This is why it was so fitting that JLLR kicked off this unprecedented year doing something we do best—training. In August 2020, instead of hosting a general meeting, our membership reunited through Leadership Week, a series of training events. Leadership Week focused on educating membership on the areas of the JLLR’s new strategic plan, which focuses on community impact, fostering lifelong membership, organizational growth and stability, and organizational brand and identity. In keeping informed with what is going on in our community, we heard from Dr. Kiffany Pride of the Arkansas Department of Education on the Ready to Learn Program, the State’s blueprint for reopening public schools during COVID-19, and from Anna Beth Gorman of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas on STEAM Careers. The ability to host training events virtually also allowed us to include Charlitta Hatch, President of Junior League of North Carolina and author of the children’s book, “Black Boy Joy” in a Leadership Week session. She spent a Saturday afternoon from her home in Charlotte, N.C. leading a discussion on the importance of minority representation in children’s books.
10 | Interaction | Volume XXVII | 2020-2021
On fostering lifelong membership, we heard from the President of the Sustainer Board, Sonya Murphy, Sustainer Advisor to the Board, Kim Battle, and Betsey Mowery, namesake of the Betsey Mowery Member of the Year Award, in a panel discussion on why they stay active in the League. In growth and stability, as happy members are more likely to become lifelong members, yoga instructor Sarah Pilcher led a Friday lunch hour session on how to meditate and perform chair yoga exercises from the comfort of their homes and offices. Finally, noting that personal financial stability is just as relevant as JLLR financial stability, Sarah Catherine Gutierrez, author of “But First, Save 10,” spoke on the importance of continuing to save money during a recession. By hosting all of these events virtually, we were able to record the training events and post them to our membersonly Facebook group so that all members have a chance to learn from these speakers, even if they could not attend the live sessions. During the six days of Leadership Week, JLLR members learned together, meditated together, and discussed issues together. A sense of normalcy was present during a time that is anything but normal. The JLLR proved in August 2020 that a pandemic will not prevent our organization from staying true to its mission statement and continuing to invest in its promise of training volunteers.
IL LUSTR ATIONS BY M A RY LONG / A DOBE STOCK
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