Annual Report 2005-06
Message from Andria Hanley
President, 2005-2006
As is par for the course in South Florida, the Fall of 2005 was filled with hurricanes. Ten days off from school, rescheduling community events and the pure luck of avoiding hurricanes for both of our fall fundraisers summarizes the first half of the League year. The Golf Committee exceeded their goal and raised over $31,000 while hosting a fun golf tournament and lunch on Key Biscayne. In November the Miami Who Makes a Magic City Committee hosted a lovely evening event at the Village of Merrick Park where the following community leaders were honored: Dr. Barth Green, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Jackie Nespral, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Ruth and Richard Schack.
Despite the hurricanes, the leaders in our community projects kept plugging away and, as always, found ways to help. On a local level, we replenished the refrigerators of our ITS residents after several days without power. On a national level, we supported our sisters in the Junior League of Houston who were assisting thousands of New Orleans residents evacuated to their city. The Association of Junior Leagues International established a Disaster Relief Fund to which our members contributed.
Membership satisfaction and lifelong membership were priority for not only our League but for many of the Leagues associated with AJLI. Members At Large addressed the issues of retention and improving diversity. Getting feedback from our membership, hosting more socials and offering a terrific set of training activities were among the steps taken to promote membership satisfaction. Corporate sponsorship enabled us to gather together to celebrate several times this year. These included Regions Bank, Joanna’s Marketplace, Kiehl’s on Lincoln Road, Carmen’s Restaurant and the wine company, Red Bicyclette.
In the Spring the Women Who Make A Difference Committee hosted their event at THE COLLECTION and honored the following women in our community: Melanie Damian and Virginia Emmons from Educate Tomorrow, Nancy Hector from CHARLEE, Christina McKinnon from Hands on Miami and Ellen Shishko from the Women’s Fund. Our fifth annual event honoring women who make a difference included a champagne brunch, a Montica champagne and diamonds fundraiser, and a Lilly Pulitzer fashion show. Our lead sponsors were THE COLLECTION, Gibraltar Bank, Lilly Pulitzer and Montica Jewelry.
In its second year, the Junior League of Miami Foundation, lead by President Leslie Rivera, continued to raise both awareness of the Foundation’s mission and money for the future of the League. A Wine Walk in late March along historic Santa Maria Street raised $20,000 for the Foundation.
InStyle magazine asked our League for the second year in a row to be the beneficiary of their Inside InStyle magazine event at the Eden Roc Hotel on Miami Beach. We provided amazing volunteers for this two-day event in May which raised $24,000 for the Junior League of Miami.
We also participated in an AJLI national volunteer day, an idea created by past president Amy Sussman, where more than 225 Junior Leagues participated in “Kids In the Kitchen.” This event, held locally at Inn Transition South, promoted healthy eating in an effort to reduce childhood obesity.
Annual Awards
Our annual meeting was held during the Dale Chihuly Exhibit at Fairchild Tropical Garden. League members celebrated their success and recognized outstanding volunteers for the Annual Awards:
- Volunteer of the Year: Valerie Harvey, Vice President of Communications
- Provisionals of the Year: Ann Marie Muller and Veronica Ramirez
- Sustainer of the Year: Mary Young, Past President Advisor to the Board of Directors
- Rebecca Herndon Bush: Jennifer Sterns Buttrick, Co-Chair of Miami Who Makes a Magic City
(Read about Annual Award Winners)
We also enjoyed a video presentation at our end-of-year celebration, created by Valerie Harvey and put to music, which highlighted the many projects and events we had this year.
Thank you to our members for their time and efforts, to tour Community Advisory Board for their insight and to the many corporations and individuals who support the efforts of the Junior League of Miami.
Andria Hanley
Super Leaguers
Summer: Betsy Harper, Jennifer Quezada
September: Liza Winklejohn
October Jamie Adams
November: Caroline Blake
December: Cristina Lunsford
January: Kim Sarkisian, Provisional
February: Ashley Adorno and Sharla Wilson
March: Jennifer Wilson
Leadership Awards
Valerie Harvey
Bonita Whytehead
Lorrie Martin
Katie Lane Arriola and Jennifer Buttrick
Allison Freeland
Candace Vassillion
Betty Lopez Castro and Christina Urena
Jessica Bennett-Porto
2005-2006 Projects and Grants
Big Brothers Big Sisters Project reach – Volunteers work with children in a group-mentoring program involving educational, recreational and cultural outings. Through guest speakers and group activities, children learn conflict resolution, academic performance and career readiness.
Charlee Creative Expressions – Volunteers work with staff at a group home to provide recreational art therapy for girls living in the foster care system, with the goal of enabling the girls to learn different ways to express their feelings.
Charlee Mentoring Moms – Volunteers serve as mentors to teen mothers who are living under adult supervision with their children in the Pregnancy Group Home. Volunteers will be teaching parenting skills, nurturing and care of oneself, and independent living skills, as well as offering educational support.
Children’s Bereavement Center – This center provides comprehensive bereavement services, including peer support groups, education, and resources for children and their families who have lost love ones. Volunteers facilitate monthly orientations for new participants and/or may become part of a support group.
Done in a Day – Responding to planned and impromptu requests from the community, trained volunteers assist in facilitating community events within the Junior League of Miami’s focus areas.
Family Learning Partnership: Building a Family of Readers – Volunteers trained in early literacy strategies are piloting the Shared Beginnings programs during the 2005-2006 academic year.
Girl’s Advocacy Project – Working with girls in the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Detention Center, volunteers fill the gaps with educational group discussions and support while assisting girls in improving the decisions they make in their daily lives.
Hurwit Nursery - Family Resource Center – Volunteers plan and implement field trip programs while other volunteers remain at the nursery with the children who are too young to attend outings.
Inn Transition North – The League’s flagship project provides housing and resources to women and children who are victims of domestic violence, as part of a public-private partnership with Miami-Dade County. Each volunteer is partnered with a resident family to mentor and to join on regular outings.
Inn Transition South – League members plan monthly life skills/parenting events for the women and organize activities for the children at this South Dade 56-unit complex built by the Greater Miami Neighborhoods and the Junior League to address the needs of victims of domestic violence and homelessness.
2005-2006 Board of Directors
| President |
Andria Hanley |
| President-Elect |
Susan Lerner |
| VP Communications |
Valerie Harvey |
| VP Community |
Michelle Ramirez-Patricios |
| VP Development |
Candace Vassillion |
| VP Membership |
Bonita Whytehead |
| VP Planning |
Vicky Hucks |
| Assistant to the President |
Juliet Bianca |
| Bylaws/Parliamentarian |
Maria Beguiristain |
| Community Advisory Liaison |
Erin Knight |
| Nominating Chair |
Loretta Nido |
| Placement Chair |
Catherine Grieve |
| Recording Secretary |
Lori Tashman-Corrada |
| Sustaining Advisor |
Mary Young |
| Sustainer Liaison |
Allison Freeland |
| Treasurer |
Lorrie Martin |
