Member Login

August 2000

Issue Highlights

Next General Membership Meeting: Tuesday, Sept/ 12. 9 a.m. reception / 9:30 a.m. meeting and 6:15 reception / 7 p.m. meeting at Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd.

Focusing on the Future, by JLM President Debbie Korge

It is an honor and a privilege to be serving as your president this year. I want to thank our Executive Committee for the 2000-2001 League year for accepting extraordinary leadership roles and the membership for approving the slate.

I also want to recognize all committee chairs and treasurers for this year. You are no less important than the Executive Committee as your leadership skills and talents are the nuts and bolts of this Junior League, which make this organization run smoothly each year. I thank all of you for accepting your roles this year and I look forward to working with you.

What an exciting time to be a member of the Junior League! Imagine 100 years ago, when a young woman, a socialite in New York City named Mary Harriman organized several of her friends to found the first Junior League to work with the less fortunate of their city. Their focus on a future when the basic needs of these disadvantaged residents could be met regardless of their socio-economic or ethnic background was not enthusiastically received by many of their social peers because this type of work was "unbecoming of a lady."

But they persevered, attracting the attention and membership of other women such as Eleanor Roosevelt. This small but dedicated group survived, thrived and expanded through two World Wars, a major depression, recessions, civil unrest and a women’s movement.

Now fast forward 99 years from the turn of the century. As you all are aware, the Associations of Junior Leagues International held its 78th Annual Conference in Miami Beach in early May. Over 850 women came together to continue Mary Harriman’s focus on the future.

During this time, the 296th Junior League was officially recognized, the Junior League of Martin County, Florida. Today, AJLI has a membership of over 196,000 women in four countries and two continents.

Jehan Sadat, widow of the late Anwar Sadat, president of Egypt, was a keynote speaker during the conference. She was so impressed by this organization that she has indicated to the AJLI leadership her interest in starting a Junior League in Cairo, Egypt. Next year, in April 2001 in New York City, the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Junior League will be celebrated at the Annual Conference. Not bad for a group of women whose activities were "unbecoming of a lady."

Twenty-five years after Mary Harriman and her friends acted on their vision, a group of women here in Miami met and laid the groundwork for the Junior League of Miami. Because of their dedication and belief in this organization, we will be celebrating our 75th Anniversary during this League year. This is no small feat, especially in the non-profit charitable world and in an organization comprised of only volunteers.

We have survived, thrived and expanded. Our League has been through one World War, the Great Depression, recessions and hurricanes. We have witnessed our community grow from a sleepy subtropical city to a major urban area with strong international connections.

This community has experienced rapid expansion and growth and is steeped in a vibrant multi-cultural history. Through it all, the Junior League of Miami has focused on the future and met each challenge with enthusiasm and courage, sometimes charting new courses and projects. This is something of which all of us can be proud.

I know this sounds boring but when you have a few free minutes, take the time to review our history in the yearbook. I did so when we had to compile some information on our history for the AJLI Centennial history and I was truly impressed with the legacy this organization has left for this community. It is equally important to see and realize the impact we leave each year through our current community projects and to support them whenever we have the chance to do so. We have been blessed with the opportunity to provide so much to our dynamic community, all because we are volunteers for the future.

There is one last group I wish to recognize - our Past Presidents. Because of your mentorship, words of encouragement, enthusiasm and focus on the future, you have helped make our 75th Anniversary year a reality and all of us in the Junior League of Miami thank you.

To all members, please remember all the work those before you have done and the legacy they have left us.

As we enter a new decade, a new century and a new millennium and begin a year of celebration, learn from the legacy and continue to be volunteers for the future and to focus on the future...and have a great year!

To Market, To Market!

By Sarah Artecona, GPGM Public Relations Chair

The Golden Palm Gift Market is planning another exciting shopping outing for you and your friends! Mark Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 & 18 on your calendars for two days of shopping and socializing at the Coconut Grove Convention Center. This year, parking is FREE and free morning coffee and pastries will be served.

Friday will once again be Women’s Day, with a special day planned for our Sustainers, including free gifts, and an afternoon of pampering and home decorating ideas. More than 70 vendors will have their wares displayed for shopping, and lunch and snacks will be available from JoAnna’s Marketplace. Friday night is "Mambo in the Moonlight," our splashy tropical tribute to South Florida. This is a great time to bring a significant "other," friends and potential League members.

Saturday is Kids Day, with lots of events for the kids, while you and your friends shop away. The Market is open until 5 p.m. that day.

While we hope all our League members will attend the Market, we also hope you will invite your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. More updates to come!

GPGM Hotline: 305-476-3183

Fulfill your GPGM shift with your hidden talents!

We’re looking for magicians, jugglers, clowns and singers

for the Golden Palm Gift Market "Kids Day." Contact Peggy Falagan, pegasus@unete.com, or Nancy Handler, handleart@aol.com

Provisional News by Mariele Jones, Provisional Chair

Welcome to all of the members of the 2000-2001 Provisional Class, the first of the century and the millennium! We enjoyed meeting you at Orientation on June 13, 2000, at the Omni Colonnade and look forward to meeting those of you who couldn’t be with us.

Our first meeting of the year will be Super Saturday to be held on September 9, 2000. Watch your mail for further details.

Thank you to the entire Provisional Committee for their hard work in making the June Orientation such a success. In addition, thanks to our wonderful speakers, Debbie Korge, Brooke Austin, Michelle McDonald, Amy Sussman and Barbie Alderman.

Volunteers Needed for Orlowitz-Lee Children’s Advocacy Center, Kristi House

People who are 18 years of age or older are needed to work with physically and sexually abused children in direct play activities and arts and crafts projects at 1265 NW 12th Avenue. Call Lauren Diamond at 305-547-6800.

Program Development Needs Ideas, by Kyle Lewis, Program Development Co-Chair

The Junior League of Miami is about to embark on a new and exciting year, with three new community projects (Domestic Violence is Your Business: A Corporate Response, Project Love and KAPOW) and three continuing projects (Agape, Girl Scouts and Jackson Hospital Healthy Habits).

With these projects, we will be leaving a legacy to the community, the organizations involved in the projects and the lives of everyone we help through the projects. In turn, these ventures will help develop our skills and talents, strengthen our ability to deal with people and issues, and make us effective members and leaders of our community. These projects are what the JLM is about.

The Program Development Committee is about to begin its search for projects for the 2001-2002 League year. The process begins with a contact between the committee and an organization or person with an idea about meeting a need in our focus area. Committee members meet or speak with each potential source of a project. Applications will then be sent out at the end of September to those organizations or people with ideas for projects that seem to fit within our focus area (project proposal applications will be due on Dec. 1, 2000).

This year, the Program Development Committee will be doing something a little different. In October, we will be holding Informational Meetings to which all interested members and community organizations will be invited.

The purpose of these meetings will be to educate the community about the League, our focus areas, existing projects, and the parameters for developing a good project for our members, and to answer any questions the organizations may have. The Informational Meetings will be held on Oct. 11, 2000 at Headquarters at 6:30 p.m. and on Oct. 26, 2000 at 9:00 a.m. at the law firm of Kenny Nachwalter in downtown Miami. Further information regarding these meetings will be in the September Journal.

How Can Members Help the Program Development Committee?
Give us ideas for community organizations and people to contact for potential projects or issues within our focus area you feel JLM should address. Give us feedback, especially through your committee chairs, about our existing projects you may be involved in.

Attend the Informational Meetings in October and the Project Presentations on Jan. 24, 2001, at Headquarters. Your participation in the Program Development process is crucial, so that we can develop and select projects that not only fit within JLM’s focus areas but meet your needs and interests.

You can contact the Program Development Committee by emailing the co-chairs, Kyle Lewis , klewis@miami.edu or Jennifer Prendergast (jennkay@gateway.net). We’d love to hear from you!

Junior League Celebrates 100 Years, Part 1, The Beginning, by Darlene Schweitzer-Ramras, Historian

This year, the Junior of League of Miami has a lot to celebrate. Not only is our wonderful chapter reaching its 75th Birthday, but Association of Junior Leagues International will be celebrating its 100th Birthday.

Junior League was founded as a result of a courageous woman who saw suffering around her and had the desire and willpower to help. That woman was Mary Harriman. Regardless that other’s around her felt that her behavior was unbecoming of a lady, she founded the Junior League in 1901. The League soon grew to 85 members, including Eleanor Roosevelt. At that time the League worked to establish orphanages and programs in the fine arts, to promote dental health for children and to provide home nursing for the elderly.

As our birthday celebrations unfold this year, let us remind ourselves of the sacrifices our founder made for our league. Mary Harriman handed us the bricks for us to finish paving the road to helping our communities.

Are You Online? Email your address to jrlmiami@bellsouth.net

JLMarvelous
!

...to Rosie Shrier, Taria Dabby and Susan Lerner for making the June Inn Transition North event a success despite the rain.

...to Susan Lerner and Ashley Cusack for working on the Inn Transition North lease.

...to the AJLI Annual Conference 2000 Host Committee Chair Peggy Hudson and members: Linda Brown, Melissa Buckner, Debbie Dietz, Marion Jacques, RubyeNell Johnson, Sharon Johnson, Charette Plummer, Bonita Whytehead, and Libby Witherspoon. You are congratulated on a tremendous Conference, hard and selfless work, all while doing one, two and three other Placements! Congratulations and thanks again for your fine contributions and dedication to making the conference a huge success.

... to Loretta Nido for her hard work to help finalize and get out the 2000-2001 League Year Placements at the May Annual Meeting! Your dedication to volunteerism is truly inspiring.

...to both Sondra Space and Peri Zanelli who have worked tirelessly on member Placements and year-end member requirements. You both deserve everyone’s heartfelt thanks. Also, Sondra’s dedication to cleaning up the member list has saved JLM hundreds of dollars that would have been due AJLI—Thanks!

Welcome Little Leaguers!

Emily Catherine,
daughter of Angela and Kent Harrison born March 24, 2000.

John Edward,
son of T. Kristine and Juan Webster-Sanchez born April 1, 2000.

James Wesley
, son of Ashley and Jimmy Cusack born April 27, 2000.

Zachary Volk
, son of Kelly and John Lederman born May 2, 2000.

Movers & Shakers

Active Allison Freeland, Sustainers Laura Kline and Holly Crook have opened a needlepoint store in Coconut Grove called Absolutely Needlepoint.

In Memoriam

Sympathies to the family of Sustainer Nancy G. Hughes who passed away.

Condolences to the family of Sustainer Carol "Tousie" Matheson, who passed away on June 10.

Sympathies to the family of Sustainer Joanne Schulte, on the passing of their daughter, Caroline Schulte Beasley.

Condolences to the family of Sustainer Helen Harrison Witty, on the passing of their daughter, Helen Marie.

Board Briefs, June 6, 2000

President’s Remarks:
President Debbie Korge circulated a list of Board members’ mailing addresses for everyone to check. Debbie also distributed a list of Suggested Norms for Board Meetings, which outlines the basic formalities for the meetings.
Leadership Training was held on Saturday, May 20, 2000.
Inn Transition South (ITS): Groundbreaking held on May 8, 2000 was a success. The expected date for occupancy is Jul y 1, 2001.
Publicity: Provisional Keyla Martinez spoke on a Spanish radio station about Domestic Violence. She discussed Inn Transition and other JLM projects.
Bylaw changes: VP Finance Barbara Kelly stated that there should be a change in considering and ultimately voting on motions brought before the Board. All motions, changes, etc should be included in the Board Packet, which is mailed out no later than the Thursday before the Tuesday meeting.
Resignation & Status Change Motions: Placement Chair Peggy Hudson asked Board members to vote on the provided Membership Status Motions and Members in Arrears.
Board Meals Fees: Each Board Member was asked to contribute $50 towards food for meetings, provided by the Meeting Arrangements committee.
Publicity: please bring any mention of JLM in the press to the attention of the Board.
Reinstatement Issue for 75th Anniversary: In honor of JLM’s 75th Anniversary, a special invitation be offered to members who resigned in good standing prior to 1997 to reinstate their membership during the 2000-2001 League Year and that the reinstatement fee be waived. The motion carried and will be referred to Bylaws/Parliamentarian for further action.
Bloomingdale’s Fundraiser: the Board approved the Bloomindales fund-raiser, The Shopping Benefit. JLM will receive the profits directly from the ticket sales.
Golden Palm Market Fines: Fines for not completing GPGM requirements are now consistent with those of the Encore Shop. Members who are not available Nov. 17-18 should complete their shift early. There will now be a "checklist" that will display all the members’ requirements and when they are completed, which will enable Placement Advisors to keep track.
New CPA: The Board voted to retain the services of McClain & Co.
Inn Transition North (ITN): New members were elected to the ITN Board.

Encore Shop Star Donors, by Brooke Austin, Encore Shop Co-Chair

The Encore Shop Committee gives a round of applause to ALL JLM members who made donations to the Encore Shop and rummage sale during the 1999-2000 League year.

Here, we salute the members who donated $1,000 or more in merchandise (receiving TWO free Encore Shop shifts) and those who donated $500 or more (receiving ONE free shift). Thanks to all, and keep those quality clothes coming!

One Free Shift: $500 or more in donations for 1999-2000