NYJL
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www.nyjl.org
MINUTE
This Year’s Newest Community Projects and Partners
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ince 1901, the NYJL has been a leader in identifying and responding to unmet community needs. To best serve our city, the New York Junior League (NYJL) is always enhancing its community programming and working to ensure that the thousands of volunteer hours our volunteers devote to these programs reflect both the community’s and our organization’s needs. Last year, as part of the Board of Directors’ work to implement the NYJL’s long-term strategic plan, the Board’s Community Alignment Task Force focused on creating a roadmap designed to ensure that our community programming is in line with the needs of the New York City community. NYJL President Fiona Grant Small described this roadmap at the 2013 NYJL Annual Meeting, saying “this roadmap clearly sets out those community issues we want to address, where we see our capabilities and strengths being put to the greatest use in developing new community programming and, importantly, it ensures that we are building our community programming around the interests of our volunteers.” As part of its strategic review, the NYJL took a closer look at current community needs – in terms of our volunteers’ interests, the needs of the community-at-large, and also our organization’s capabilities and effectiveness as a whole – and from that developed concrete strategies to better address this overarching mission by 2015. Four concentration areas were selected to replace or mirror the continuation of our existing community council areas, to more appropriately reflect both the needs of the community and the issues about which our volunteers are passionate: Adult Education & Mentoring, Children’s Education, Child Health & Welfare and (continued on page 6)
WHAT’S INSIDE
• Upcoming
Special Events
• Annual Fund Launch • Affiliation Council Update
NYJL Launches “I Volunteer” Campaign
SAVE THE DATE Winter Ball Winter Ball 2014 will be held Saturday, March 1, 2014 at the Pierre Hotel.
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n an effort to provide an easy way for volunteers to personalize and communicate their dedication to and role in the NYJL, the Board of Directors unveiled the new “I Volunteer” campaign. This campaign will help a volunteer better verbalize their experience within as well as the purpose of the NYJL by using their own personalized statement of “I Volunteer because …” In order to answer the statement of “I Volunteer because…,” a volunteer asks themselves: Who are we? What do we do? How we are different? Why do I volunteer? Answering these questions helps the volunteer to not only remember our mission statement and core values, but to make their statement personal as well. Committee chairs began to distribute “I Volunteer” cards to their committee members to fill out so their personal statements can be recorded for posterity. As the “I Volunteer” statements are collected, the Communications Council will integrate the messages into internal and Pictured are Nina Wainwright (l.) and external communications as appropriate. Jill Annitto (r.) at the Catholic Charities For an example of what the “I Volunteer” campaign is all about, please turn to the back page Rockaway Clean-Up Day. for volunteers Melissa and Lauren Bernstein’s ‘I Volunteer’ statements. Please keep checking future issues of the NYJL Minute for additional ‘I Volunteer’ statements.
NYJLMINUTE
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Dear NYJL Volunteers,
NYJL Mission Statement The New York Junior League is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
Fiona Grant Small President Suzanne Manning Executive Vice President Cynthia Irons Internal Communications Council Head Lauren Goodwin Communications Associate Casey Cammatte, Jennifer Farrell, Kathleen O’Leary Internal Communications Associates
Please send submissions for the January/February 2014 issue to publications@nyjl.org by November 15, 2013.
NYJL Minute is a publication of The Junior League of the City of New York, Inc. 130 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075 Phone: (212) 288-6220 nyjl.org
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all is once again upon us – as I write this letter, Halloween is only a couple of weeks away, to be shortly followed by Thanksgiving and the end-of-year holiday season. But we still have so much to get done before 2013 draws to a close! I am happy to say, though, that our volunteers have already been hard at work since the start of our NYJL year helping our organization and the women, children, and communities we serve. So, to all of you – Actives, Sustainers, our professional staff, and members of the new Provisional class – let me start off by saying “thank you” for all that you do to support the New York Junior League. I would also like to take a few words to tell you again about two of this fall’s most exciting initiatives: the selection of our newest Community Improvement Project (CIP) partner – the New York City Mission Society – and the formal launch of the “I volunteer because…” campaign. I want to say again how excited we are to have the opportunity to work with the NYC Mission Society to renovate the Minisink Townhouse, the community center they operate in central Harlem. Efforts like this that enhance the well-being of families and children who can go to the center to learn and grow truly reflect our core mission of developing the potential of women and improving communities. And as many of you have heard from me before, I believe the “I volunteer because…” campaign is a unique and wonderful way for each of us to help others understand why it is we do what we do. Find out what some of your fellow volunteers are saying on the back page of the Minute and around headquarters in the months ahead! It goes without saying that CIP is just one of so many committees whose work we should applaud. As all of you know, we strive to encourage positive change in the New York City community through the efforts of our Community Councils. I encourage all of you to read the article on the cover, which describes some of the additions and changes to our various community committees and programs this year. I would also encourage you to read the article about the Affiliation Council on page 7 – council members work tirelessly behind the scenes to provide opportunities to help us stay connected with each other, enjoy the many opportunities the NYJL offers from volunteerism to training to leadership and to, ultimately, stay connected with the NYJL. There are also two particularly noteworthy anniversaries taking place during these next two months – the first is the birthday of our founder Mary Harriman (coming up on November 17), while the other is the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall here last year on October 29. Collectively, these events remind us both that we have cause to celebrate, as we continue to see the long-lasting effect of the founding of the Junior League more than 110 years ago, and that, even today, our work remains vital to our community in so many different ways. In remembrance of last year’s devastating storm, we’re planning a special Done In A Day project to support ongoing Sandy relief efforts – please stay tuned for more details. Finally, I saw many of you last month at Homecoming – thank you to everyone who came for helping to make it a very successful event and for supporting the Tutor Time committee’s school supply drive. We have also already launched this year’s annual fund campaign (page 6) and, by the time you read this, we will have held another successful Fall House Tour (on October 26). I would also like to take a moment to remind everyone about all the other exciting events happening over the next couple of months. These include our 15th Annual Fall Fete, which is being held this year on November 9 at the Colony Club; our annual Golden Tree holiday shopping event and NYJL Shops! at Henri Bendel, both in early December; and our holiday dinner dance on December 13 (page 3). In addition, to celebrate the NYJL’s rich history and welcome our future NYJL volunteers, our Sustainers will be hosting the 65th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Ball (page 4), which is always one of the NYJL’s most important and inspiring fundraisers. The approaching holiday season is traditionally a very busy time for the New York Junior League. We all have so many things to do, and so little time to get it all done – and, before you know it, 2014 will be just around the corner. But I encourage each of you to pause and take some time for yourself, your family, and your friends during the holiday season. Through the NYJL, I know that, collectively and in many different ways, we do all we can to help those who are less fortunate than we are. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our mission, and for helping us to make this organization so extraordinary.
Calendar
Visit the calendar on the Membership Area of www.nyjl.org for additional event information.
N ov e m b e r
December
1 Friday Affiliation Run Club Pre-Marathon Pasta Dinner, 7:30 p.m.
5 Thursday
2 Saturday Affiliation Run Club, 9:30 a.m.
Metropolitan Museum Lecture: French Painting from Delacroix to Courbet, 11:00 a.m. Golden Tree, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
4 Monday New Membership Orientations, 7:30 & 8:30 p.m.
6 Friday
5 Tuesday Daytime Book Group, The Professor’s House, by Willa Cather, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
7 Saturday
6 Wednesday Daytime Great Decisions, China in Africa, 11:00 a.m. Intermediate Bridge Class, 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Advanced Bridge Class, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. 7 Thursday Lecture Luncheon: Holiday Entertaining Blooms with Grayson Handy, 11:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mini Placement Previews, 6:00 p.m. 9 Saturday Fall Fête, 6:30 – 11:00 p.m 12 Tuesday Salon Discussion: Is This Thing On?, 12:30 p.m. 13 Wednesday Intermediate Bridge Class, 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Career Networking, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Advanced Bridge Class, 1:30. – 3:30 p.m. 14 Thursday November Birthday Lunch, 12:00 p.m. Advanced Beginner Bridge Class, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. 19 Tuesday Nonfiction Book Group, 6:30 p.m. 20 Wednesday Metropolitan Museum Lecture: French Painting from Delacroix to Courbet, 11:00 a.m. Intermediate Bridge Class, 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Advanced Beginner Bridge Class, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Evening Book Group, In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin, by Erik Larson, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. New Membership Orientations, 7:30 & 8:30 p.m. 21 Thursday Advanced Beginner Bridge Class, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Evening Great Decisions, China in Africa, 6:00 p.m. 28 Thursday Thanksgiving, NYJL closed 29 Friday Thanksgiving, NYJL closed
Golden Tree, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. Affiliation Run Club, 9:30 a.m. Golden Tree, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
10 Tuesday NYJL Shops! Holiday Shopping Event, 7:00 p.m.
11 Wednesday Metropolitan Museum Lecture: French Painting from Delacroix to Courbet, 11:00 a.m. Intermediate Bridge Class,11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Career Networking, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Advanced Bridge Class, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
12 Thursday Holly & Ivy Luncheon, 11:45 a.m.
13 Friday Holiday Dinner Dance, 7:30 p.m.
18 Wednesday Intermediate Bridge Class, 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. December Birthday Lunch, 12:00 p.m. Advanced Bridge Class, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
19 Thursday Metropolitan Museum Lecture: French Painting from Delacroix to Courbet, 11:00 a.m. Advanced Beginner Bridge Class, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
NYJL Headquarters will be closed Wednesday, December 25 through Wednesday, January 1.
Holiday Dinner Dance
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he Affiliation committee invites you to dance and dine the night away on Friday, December 13 from 7:30 – 11:30 p.m. at the Holiday Dinner Dance at the Astor House. A longstanding NYJL tradition, this festive event features refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, a fabulous four-course meal, and live entertainment. Come celebrate the holiday season with friends, old and new! Tickets are $95 and can be purchased at nyjl.org.
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Sustainers Dear NYJL Volunteers,
Welcome College-
Welcome New Sustainers Soo Won Hwang Abrams Maureen Brady Atinsky Tiffany Barfield Ann Bellows Annie Cardelus Nancy Coffey Christine Flach Tami Gaines Caroline Green Karen Hall Elizabeth Hannah Kathleen Karwelies Lila Kerns Sarah Kurita Tara Lang
Although we suffered the loss in August of our dear friend and fellow NYJL volunteer, Linda Blatz, I am pleased that the Sustainer committee is moving forward in memory of our lovely Linda. As you know, Linda planned our September Sustainer reception, and it was a lovely tribute to her and an inspiration to all who attended. We can be proud that as Sustainers we continue to fulfill our mission to engage all membership categories at Sustainer-sponsored events by encouraging both Actives and Provisionals to join us. Did you know that approximately 40 Sustainers currently serve on active committees? This is a wonderful way to continue to lend our time and talents to the mission of the NYJL. If you are interested in placement, a list of open committees will soon be available at Placement Previews on Thursday, November 7. As we look ahead, we have many interesting and diverse lectures star ting with our January 9, 2014 luncheon featuring inspirational speaker and author, Michele Howe Clarke, followed by Katherine Doyle of the Doyle Auction House in February, and Amy Herman on “ar tful perception� in March. Stay tuned for details! It promises to be an interesting and thoughtful series. As we move into the holiday season, I wish to thank you for your efforts and encourage you to continue to support our events and each other. Warm regards, Jeannie Egas-Trouveroy Sustainer Chair and Council Head for Sustainers
Jule Lanier Lisa Anne Lindstrom Anne McQuaid Robin Riley Elizabeth Roser Monica J. Salerno-Corsi PhD. Barb Sawyer Virginia Sigety Christine Tamms Susan Tierney Samantha Velez
Thanksgiving Eve Ball: Celebrating Volunteers
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he 65th annual Thanksgiving Eve Ball will be held on Wednesday, November 27, at the Waldorf-Astoria. In the time-honored tradition, the event welcomes into the NYJL a new group of college-age Provisionals who will become Active volunteers following graduation. This is a celebration of our future leaders, our rich history, and all the volunteers who work hard to fulfill the NYJL mission. The white-tie event, organized by Sustainers and supported by current and past NYJL Presidents, Sustainers, and Actives, raises significant funds for the charitable activities of the NYJL. The first Thanksgiving Eve Ball was held in 1948, when a group of young women gathered with their families and friends to raise money for what was then called the Welfare Fund. NYJL volunteers with daughters who are now high school seniors and who would like to participate in the 2014 Thanksgiving Eve Ball as college-age Provisionals are invited to send their contact information to thanksgivingeveball@nyjl.org.
Headquarters Beautification Task Force
Y IN MEMORIAM Linda Jeanne Blatz August 29, 2013
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Age Provisionals
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he Sustainer committee congratulates the members of
ou may have noticed a fresher look in the Phelan, Astor, and Pine Rooms at Headquarters recently. The Headquarters Beautification Task Force, co-chaired by Gladys Mattson-Sullivan and Nancy Scully, has been hard at work refurbishing the rooms to give them a much-needed facelift. In the Pine Room specifically, the couches were recovered, cocktail tables refinished, and lampshades replaced. The task force plans to enhance more rooms in the coming months in a continued effort to maintain the beauty and integrity of the Astor House.
Employee Holiday Fund
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uring this season of giving, NYJL volunteers will pause to celebrate the past year and its blessings. The Employee Holiday Fund provides a meaningful way for volunteers to show their appreciation to the entire staff. The Fund proceeds are distributed amongst the NYJL’s employees using a formula that takes into account seniority, position, and performance. NYJL President Fiona Grant Small will personally convey volunteers’ gratitude by distributing the proceeds of the Fund to the staff at their annual holiday party. “The holiday season is a time when we have the chance to give back to some of those with whom we’ve worked throughout the year, and I truly hope that everyone will take the time to acknowledge our wonderful staff and all their efforts by making a contribution to the Holiday Fund,” says Grant Small. Contribution forms are being mailed to all volunteers. Donations can also be made by logging on to nyjl.org.
Fall Fête Celebrates its 15th Anniversary
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his year, the New York Junior League’s Fall Fête will celebrate its 15th anniversary raising funds for NYJL community projects, toasting honorary volunteers, and reconnecting with friends in the fall. This cocktailattire auction event, organized by the FUNdraisers committee, raises significant funding for critical NYJL community committees and services, including the Playground Improvement Project, which works directly with New York City’s Department of Parks & Recreation. At last year’s Fall Fête, more than 300 NYJL volunteers and their guests attended the glittering event at the exclusive Union Club. This special evening is filled with an exciting live and silent auction, delicious appetizers, refreshments, and dancing. Some of the luxurious auction items from last year included a golf foursome and lunch at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, a gorgeous mink scarf, a one of a kind Novak Djokovic signed tennis racquet, and much more. This year’s Fall Fête will be held on Saturday, November 9, at the Colony Club located at 564 Park Avenue. There is a champagne reception at 6:30 p.m. for VIP ticket holders. General admission begins at 7:00 p.m. and the event concludes at 11:00 p.m. During the evening, the announcement of the 2014 Outstanding Sustainers and Outstanding Volunteers will take place. Dress code is cocktail attire for ladies, jacket and tie for gentlemen. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit nyjl.org.
Golden Tree
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oin us December 5-7 for the 42nd Annual Golden Tree. Always one of the Junior League’s most festive fundraisers, Golden Tree combines premiere shopping with distinctive foods and entertainment, making the event a fantastic way to ring in the holiday season while supporting the charitable activities of the NYJL. During the event, the Astor House transforms into a veritable one-stop shopping destination, with a large variety of vendors offering goods ranging from clothing, apparel and accessories, to kitchenware, linens, and gifts for the home. In addition to shopping, the event will feature daytime entertainment and activities. On Friday December 6, join us at 1:00 p.m. for a floral demonstration by B Floral. On Thursday and Friday evenings, shopping is complemented by live music, the Winter Wreath Auction showcasing beautiful wreaths made by NYJL community program seniors and youth, holiday refreshments, and delicious hors d’oeuvres. On Friday evening, we will toast the Junior League’s dedicated volunteers who are celebrating milestone membership years as well as honor past Golden Tree co-chairs. The fun continues on Saturday with more shopping and breakfast with Santa from 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for the NYJL’s littlest elves, and from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. grab your friends and enjoy a Ladies Day Out featuring mini spa therapies from Exhale Spa. To purchase tickets, visit nyjl.org.
Coming January The NYJL 2014 Organizational Survey Fall Fête 2012, The Union Club
Take the survey and help shape the future of the NYJL. It’s your NYJL.
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NEWS Community Partners (from page 1) Culture & the Arts. We next realigned all of our community programs to these new focus areas [see sidebar] with our community programs kicking off the new volunteer year under this revised structure and focus. Last year was also one of transition for many of our community programs. After long-standing and rewarding relationships, we bid a difficult but fond Adult Education & Mentoring • Cancer Awareness and Support • Crisis Intervention • New Beginnings • NYJL Senior Friends • Rights of Passage at Covenant House • Steps to Success Children’s Education Council • Community Improvement Project • Da Vinci Explorers • Done In A Day • Done In A Day On Demand • Financial Literacy • Tutor Time Culture & the Arts • Performance of A Lifetime • Playground Improvement Project • Project Muse • Spotlight on Performance • Stanley Isaacs Child Health & Welfare • Community Health Access Module Program (CHAMP) • Cooking and Health Education for Families (CHEF) • Girls Leadership Institute • Healthy Beginnings • Mentoring Partners • New View
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farewell to five long-time community partners – Bayview Correctional Facility, Coler Goldwater Hospital, Milbank Pelham-Fritz, the New York Foundling, and the Martha Stewart Living Well Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital. We thank our volunteers and community partners for the incredible work accomplished and the goals achieved from our dynamic collaborations. As we realigned our goals and focus areas, we also found the need for new partnerships. We are delighted to announce that we welcomed three new community partners to the NYJL family: Health Advocates for Older People, Good Shepherd, and Women’s Prison Association. We look forward to hearing about the great volunteer work and successes that we expect to come from these new and exciting partnerships in the months ahead. Finally, our two signature community projects – the Community Improvement Project and the Playground Improvement Project – are working hard to put together this year’s CIP and PIP work days. Earlier this fall, we announced New York City Mission Society as our 2013-14 CIP partner. We are also delighted to announce that PIP will be back on the Lower East Side this spring working to renovate and beautify Tompkins Square Park. Through these new initiatives coupled with direct service, collaborations with other community organizations and advocacy, your Board of Directors and Management Council believe the NYJL is well-positioned to continue to provide a positive force for change within the communities it serves.
Build a “League of Your Own”
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nder the exceptional leadership of last year’s Annual Fund CoChairs Deni Wendt and Shanette Barth Cohen, NYJL volunteers donated
a record-breaking $120,000 to the 2012-13 Annual Fund, allowing for the completion of a variety of important facility improvement projects over the summer. For the coming year, volunteers Celeste Rault and Mary Bradley have accepted the role of Annual Fund Co-Chairs and are looking forward to expanding the success of the Annual Fund campaign with a goal of $130,000. This year, five levels of recognition are in place to thank volunteers for their Annual Fund support: • Annual Fund Donors who make a gift at any level will be recognized on NYJL.org at the close of the fiscal year. • Annual Fund Donors who make a gift of $25 or more will be recognized on the monitor in the Astor House lobby year round. • A nnual Fund Friends who make a gift of $150 or more will be recognized in the May/June issue of the NYJL Minute. • Annual Fund Leadership Circle Members who make a gift of $500 or more will be recognized with a gift of homemade biscotti generously prepared by NYJL Sustainer Maria Reina. • Annual Fund Astor Angels who make a gift of $1,000 or more will be recognized with an invitation to a special thank you event in the spring. Volunteers are encouraged to give to the NYJL Annual Fund by clicking the “Donate Now” button on the NYJL website. All gifts are impor tant and make it possible for us to continue to provide quality training in our beautiful facility. Moreover, the level of par ticipation in the Annual Fund sends a strong message of suppor t to potential corporate sponsors and grant funders. As such, all gifts, no matter the size are valuable to this campaign. Thank you for your generosity!
Affiliation Council Brings Together All Volunteers
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n January 2011, the NYJL Organizational Survey was sent out to volunteers who were encouraged to express their views on a wide range of topics, including membership satisfaction and retention. The confidential survey results were used to shape the NYJL’s strategic planning in the future, which included the creation of the Affiliation Council. The Affiliation Council was launched in Fall 2011 with the purpose of providing NYJL volunteers with the opportunity to meet other volunteers with similar interests and therefore enhance
NYJL Staff Changes
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he NYJL staff recently saw some new faces join the team, as well as a very well-known face retire. Beloved Chef Patrick O’Neal retired at the end of June after nearly 40 years of service. His retirement was celebrated with a reception in the Harriman Room.
the overall volunteer experience. “Volunteers may not realize how many women in the NYJL share their same passions,” says Leah Wenger, Affiliation Council Head. “Affiliation activities and events give them opportunities to get to know women they wouldn’t necessarily have had the chance to meet otherwise – essentially we just bring members together in fun new ways.” For its first two years, the Affiliation team collaborated and sponsored a wide array of membership events in an effort to see what the membership would like and what needed work. For example, a crafts club that people enjoyed did not come off as planned, but will be reintroduced later this year in a different format. Other more successful events that will be repeated this year
include a Trivia Night, Run Club, Thirsty Thursdays, and the Annual Holiday Dinner Dance on December 13. They’ve also created a number of Affinity Clubs including the Brooklyn Meet-up Club, Culture Club, and Run Club which are all still going strong. Affiliation is now hard at work maintaining these events and also creating new ones that not only highlight our community partners but also drive support to our fundraising events. In addition, Affiliation will host events that focus on giving volunteers new skills and knowledge on a personal and professional level. For more information on upcoming Affiliation events, check out the Affiliation page on the NYJL Membership site.
John Donnelly joined the team as our new chef. He brings a wealth of NYC restaurant knowledge – most recently as the Director and Executive Chef for Silver Gull Beach Club & Breezy Point Surf Club. Herbert McMullen and Regan Huneycutt joined the 5th floor staff respectively in the positions of Controller and Development Manager. Herbert
has over 25 years of experience in the non-profit world. He is a CPA who most recently worked for the Rescue Mission of Trenton and the National Urban League. Regan was recently a member of the development team at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She was also a volunteer with the Junior League of Durham. As Herbert, Regan, and John settle into their new roles, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to introduce yourself and welcome them to the NYJL. Meet the New Management Council Heads
Courtney Guzman
Traci Hallett-Genovese
Training Council Head
Finance Council Head
Chef Patrick with his son and daughters. Photo by Flora Rodriquez.
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The Junior League of the City of New York 130 East 80th Street New York, NY 10075
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I volunteer because . . . Lauren Bernstein – Crisis Intervention “I volunteer because having grown up in New York I believe it is my social responsibility to give back to the city. After watching my mother volunteer with the Junior League my entire life, even going to PIP as a kid, I recognize that it is now my turn to get involved.” Melissa Bernstein – Sustainer, Past President “I volunteer because I believe in the mission of the Junior League and the organization’s ability to improve peoples’ lives, through both direct outreach in the community and by training women to become leaders.”