August 2001

Issue Highlights

• President Pledges to Build on Junior League of Miami's Seventy-Five Year History of Making a Difference
• General Membership Meetings to be Held at Coral Gables Country Club
• The Placement Committee is Here for You!
• JLMarvelous!
• The Encore Shop: What's Old is New Again!
• 2000-01 Quota Updates
• The Golden Palm Gift Market ­ A Unique Shopping Experience ­ Is Back!
• Sustainer Involvement Important to JLM
• Welcome New Provisionals!
• Witness the Difference Done In A Day Makes!
• SPAC: Letting Our Voices be Heard
• A Few Brave Women Answered the Call
• The Kathryn Menke Miller Awards: A Product of Our Own Success
• Community Advisory Board Member Spotlight: Thomas M. Rozek

President Pledges to Build on Junior League of Miami's Seventy-Five Year History of Making a Difference

The following is excerpted from the speech given by JLM President Julia Bianchi at the Annual Meeting on May 15.

It is truly an honor and privilege to serve as President and to follow in the footsteps of many great women. I know that I have a big job ahead of me, but with such a terrific group of leaders we'll get the job done. 

I am looking forward to a year where we focus on streamlining and reducing our administrative overhead and place more emphasis our community projects. You'll be hearing about streamlining frequently over the next several months and will be voting on some bylaw changes that will be necessary to accomplish this task.  
Projects have always been what the Junior League is about. We have a rich history of initiating and implementing projects that truly address the needs of those less fortunate.  

A History of Making a Difference
Recently, after attending a luncheon downtown with Holly Battle, Amy Sussman and Karen Cabrera, we visited a former Junior League project, 227 A Kid's Place, a drop-in day care center for homeless children. The day we visited we were all feeling very good. We were dressed up in nice clothes and had just attended a terrific lunch which benefitted The Women's Fund. As we walked into the small building that houses the day care center, we were truly shocked to see so many little children sleeping on the floor. Some were covered with very thin little blankets.

The wonderful individuals who work at the center told us that often this is the quietest environment these children have. They also pointed out that it is probably the cleanest bathroom the children have to use since most of them are homeless. The social workers also told us that they never know who will show up and be dropped off for the day since the population 227 serves is so transient. Each child also receives a warm and nutritious meal. Needless to say, the reality of the situation really hit us hard. We can not even imagine what their little lives are like living on the streets and experiencing horrors too awful to even discuss.

One bright spot in this unfortunate scene was that each of us knew that the center existed because of the Junior League. We each also knew that we will be conducting a computer mentoring project at 227 this League year. In other words, we knew we could make a difference ­ maybe a small difference ­ but a difference nonetheless in the lives of these children.  

To me that is what the Junior League is all about. Making a difference in the lives of others. Having an impact on their quality of life.  

Volunteers Who are Trained to Make a Difference
This year we once again have many opportunities to make a difference in our community through our nine projects. Through these projects we will continue to celebrate and build upon 75 years of outstanding community service. My goal and vision for this year and going forward into the future is that we continue to focus on our current projects and plan for future where we can expand our presence in the Miami community. 

I am sure many of you read the extensive report on the changing demographics of Miami-Dade. As a non-profit organization, we can not ignore this data. Due to rapidly changing demographics there will be increased competition for fewer dollars. We can not rest on the successes of our past but must plan to be the epicenter of volunteer and non-profit organizations in this community. It is imperative that the JLM stays at the policy-making and decision-making tables of influence in the non-profit sector.

We can accomplish this in a number of ways: By continuing to emphasize a diverse membership that is reflective of our community's demographics; by having our members serve on the boards of other non-profit organizations; by researching and planning powerful signature projects for the future; and by putting more money into the local community. 

This last point of putting more money into the community is a departure from our tradition of heavily emphasizing volunteer service and disbursing relatively small amounts of grant money. I think that putting more money into the community is important and will work since our members are increasingly pressed for time. Juggling home, career, travel, family and commute times leaves reduced time for volunteer hours. We need to be realistic about how much time our members can give.  

I propose that in addition to committing our tradition of volunteer hours to this community we contribute significant financial grants to those in need. In other words, in addition to volunteering the difference, we can fund the difference. 
How are we going to accomplish this? Hopefully we'll be taking a step in the right direction through our fund raisers planned for this year. But fund raisers alone aren't enough. We must also be more efficient with the manner in which we conduct our business.

We can start by implementing some very basic cost-cutting measures such as e-mailing meeting minutes to reduce postage; adding historical information from the yearbook to the website to save on printing costs; minimizing redundancy in our administration by eliminating the Executive Board; shortening the provisional course, and reducing the number of handouts at our meetings, to name a few.  
None of this will happen overnight. Change takes time. It needs momentum and needs to be properly communicated to the membership for feedback and assistance. The wonderful aspect of all this is that we currently have a vibrant organization with a tremendous history and community reputation. We already have a lot of momentum and synergy, along with a continuity of leadership that is committed to following through on these ideas! 

Let's have a year where we stand proud in the community with our tradition of excellence, focus on reducing costs, raise more money than we ever dreamed of, expand our influence in the community, and embrace change. Most importantly, let's have fun volunteering our time and interacting with each other for the betterment of our wonderful community. 

Remember: Volunteers Make the Difference! You make the Difference! 

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General Membership Meetings to be Held at Coral Gables Country Club

By Amy Sussman, Vice President - Volunteer Resources

Have you ever fantasized during a General Membership meeting that you were sipping wine and nibbling on cheese and crackers while you kept up with all things Junior League? Well, that dream will soon become a reality.

This Fall, in an effort to save costs to our membership and to make our meetings more listener friendly, our general membership meetings will be moved to the Country Club of Coral Gables.

Both the morning and evening meetings will be catered by the Club and will offer coffee, punch, cookies, cheese and crackers and a cash bar. The check-in and name-tag table will now be located at the entrance. We have made this change because so many League members had missed meeting credits because they simply walked into our meetings and began chatting with good friends, neglecting to sign-in inside the room. Hopefully this will make it easier for everyone.
Since so many members enjoyed it in years past, we have again decided to have greeters at every meeting. We believe that being greeted inside will help our new members connect with existing members and make everyone feel welcome.

We realize that all members learn and retain information in varying ways. So, not only will there be the usual, and hopefully fewer, handouts on the chairs at each meeting, but announcements will also be made over the P.A. system and simultaneously be illustrated on an overhead projector. Hopefully, by hearing, seeing and reading about the Junior League, we will be able to connect with all of our members and help them to retain crucial information about our activities.

We look forward to seeing you and greeting you this Fall at the Coral Gables Country Club.

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The Placement Committee is Here for You!

By Loretta Nido, Chair, Placement Committee

Welcome to the 2001-2002 League Year! We are looking forward to an exciting year of Junior League work with several new community and fundraising projects, as well as some of our old favorites. The Placement Committee is here to help make your work with the League fulfilling and fun, while ensuring that each member performs the work necessary to make this organization run. Consider us your direct contacts for your questions, suggestions, comments and complaints!

By now you should have received notification of your Placement assignment for this year. If not, please call me immediately. You may or may not have heard from your committee chair. If not, do not be alarmed. While some committees have been up and running since April, others are now gearing up for work that begins later in the year. Committee chairs are working hard to organize the year as it applies to their committee's specific work.

You will soon receive a copy of our Member Requirements Guide, which was developed to help you track your progress during the 2001-2002 League Year. Your Placement Advisor will be tracking the fulfillment of your obligations right along with you. You will periodically receive the Placement Committee's data on your League work. We encourage you to review it closely to ensure that we do not overlook any important work you have completed. If you find any discrepancies between our records and yours, please contact your Placement Advisor, Chair-Elect Valarie Harvey, or me immediately. We will make the necessary corrections to our records to bring everyone up to date. We will also have information on make-up opportunities for events you may miss.

On behalf of the Placement Committee, I wish you a year in which you can look back and agree that your work with the League has made a difference. We look forward to working with you to accomplish your goals of volunteerism in our dynamic and magical city.

2001-2002 PLACEMENT COMMITTEE
Loretta Nido, Chair and Valarie Harvey, Chair-Elect

Placement Advisors

• Elizabeth Akins
• Charlotte Althin Hicks
• Jessica Ann Bennett-Porto
• Juli Ann McDowell
• Sheila Brewer
• Sara Courtney Baigorri
• Jennifer Earle
• Patty Freyre Wieschhoster
• Jennifer Grant
• Tiffany Grippando
• Corrine Kayal
• Brenda Murphy
• Jennifer Robinson
• Marcia Schuffman
• Amalie Swan-Johnson
• Shella Sylla
• Jennifer Wilson
• Jennifer Yedo

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JLMarvelous!

• Thanks to incoming and outgoing Training Chairs Cristi Stroud and Andria Hanley for the great job that they did with the Incoming Board/Chair Training in May. They made it both informative and fun!
• To Carrie Ruiz for assuming the difficult role of Inn Transition North treasurer and working throughout the summer to make sure the books stay in order
• To Edeline Dureny for representing the League at the Safe Space panel in June.
• To Lani Drody for getting Florida Marlins tickets for the residents at Inn Transition North.
• To Vicki Lukis for all her help and Elaine Tatum for all her hard work and cold calls for GPGM.
• To Valerie Karam-Harvey for her magic touch in getting the most unlikely "experts" involved in the planning of the 2001 GPGM!
• The Encore Shop thanks everyone who helped with the "Dollar Days" sales, renovations and restocking, but especially wants to thank: Margaret Nee for taking time off from work and asking to join the committee because she could see a real need and could help meet it; Mari Kimsey for her usual outstanding dedication of time and talent to overseeing operations and display; Amy Sussman for dropping everything to assist with sales and renovations, Lindy Colson for helping with the sales; and Holly Battle for elbow grease, signage, guidance, computer work, and time. A round of applause to all who have come in to work, whether for shifts or just as helping hands. Another round of applause to those who have brought high quality donations to restock our racks.
• To Karen Cabrera and Tania Bobe, chair and chair elect of the Encore Shop, for the best 30-day turnaround of our oldest fundraiser. Thanks to them and those who helped, the shop is clean, renovated, and up to date.
• To sustainer Jeannette Slesnick for assisting the Estate Tag Sale Committee to come up with the new concept and provide guidance. We know how little extra time Jeannette has, and we are thrilled that she will use it to help us!
• Sharon Johnson stepped up to the plate again this year as Community Service Awards chair and personally delivered more than a dozen of these awards at Miami-Dade High Schools last spring when volunteers weren't available for those slots. Thanks for representing us, Sharon, and for all the time you give the League and community.
• Thanks also to the following Junior Leaguers who willingly volunteered their time and effort to present Community Service Awards at their neighborhood schools: Bonita Whtyehead (3 schools), Isis Carbajal de Garcia (2 schools), Lyn Pannone, Keith Landon, Susan Pacheco, Lynn Sands, Kathie Janik, Tina Surman, Peggy Flanagan, Mamie Lingo, Nancy Allen, Katie Buckley, Cyd Brown, Holly Ebbert, Crystal Rody, Rubye Nell Johnson, and Mary Riggs.

Movers and Shakers

• Congratulations to Romi Salerno on her promotion at Panamsat.
• Rosy Toussaint headed up the First Annual Haitian Cultural Heritage Month this past May. Rosy was appointed to this position by Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas.

Little Leaguers

• Carolyn Carter, daughter of Christy and Joe Falco, was born on February 16, 2001.
  Ashley Elizabeth, daughter of Cathy and Erik Wagner, was born on March 14, 2001.
• John Patrick (Jack) Kilian, son of Mary and Bob Kilian, was born on March 15, 2001.
• Maggie and Marco Rossi recently celebrated the birth of their daughter Emma.

Condolences

• Our deepest sympathies to JLM Past President, Jayne Abess and her family on the loss of her father-in-law Leonard Abess, Sr.
• We also extend our deepest regrets to the family of Elizabeth Dalton, League member and friend, whom we lost in June.

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The Encore Shop: What's Old is New Again!

By Mari Kimsey, Encore Shop Committee

Thanks to the efforts of a hard working and committed group of volunteers and staff, a renewed, refurbished, restocked and redirected Encore Shop reopened on June 19. While it is still located at 269 Giralda, the shop has been transformed. The Encore Shop Committee invites all League members and friends to come and visit.

We welcome your donations and patronage anytime during regular business hours, Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In addition to accessing Encore Shop information on the JLM website, League members may also call our new hotline at (305) 446-2561 for answers to questions about donations, quota, shift scheduling, and other shop concerns. Please leave your name and phone number(s) and a committee member will return your call within 48 hours. If you need to cancel your work shift, you may also leave a message on the hotline.

Remember that you must cancel more than 48 hours before your scheduled shift.
Donations are still needed! We depend on your generosity for the success and continuation of the Encore Shop. Please remember the shop as you prepare for the coming months. We will only accept and give credit for clean, in-season, lovingly worn and gently used women's and children's clothing, accessories, jewelry, toys, household goods, giftware, decorative items and books. Credit cannot be given for wrinkled, stained, dirty or damaged items. Please note that the shop does not accept bed linens/towels, intimate apparel, lingerie/nightgowns, bathing suits or textbooks.

Donations that do not meet these guidelines will be donated to other charities.
The Encore Shop Committee wishes to thank everyone for their patience during the shop's renovation, as well as for taking the time to give us your wonderful donations. We look forward to a truly profitable year. With the assistance of our membership and the patronage of our growing clientele the old, new Encore Shop is sure to succeed. See you soon!

Congratulations to the following members who have already met their $300 Encore Shop quota requirement for 2001-2002! (as of June 30th)

• Julie Basulto
• Holly Battle
• Julia Bianchi
• Sheila Brewer
• Ashley Cusack
• Lea Dunbar
• Lauren Harrison
• Diana Huling
• Barbara Kelly
• Mari Kimsey
• Kyla Kowal-Caliendo
• Laura Payne
• Stephanie Powell
• Maggie Rossi
• Amy Sussman
• Patty Wieschhorster
• Meg Wright

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2000-01 Quota Updates

The following members made $1,000 (or more) in donations to the Encore Shop during the 2000-01 League year. Because of their large donations, they have no donation requirements in the 2001-02 League year. Their excellent donations are still welcome to help us continue the Encore Shop as a strong fund-raiser for the League.

• Barbie Alderman: $1, 432.54
• Debbie Augenstein: $1,019.50
• Michele Baker: $1,000
• Christina Ball: $1,331
• Holly Battle: $1,328.75\
• Cathy K. Bellinghieri: $1,305
• Marla Weksler Bercuson: $1,005
• Wendy Brown Allen: $1,240
• Linda Buermann: $1,446
• Isis Carbajal de Garcia: $1,219.50
• Sarah Clasby: $1,350
• Paige Davis: $1,010
• Diane Doolan: $1,210
• Emily Ellis: $1,097
• Laura Evans: $1,543
• Holly Evans: $1,008.55
• Kathleen Evans-Dabney: $1,237.50
• Michelle Frisbee Hartman: $1,191
• Nancy Franklin: $1,213
• Allison Freeland: $1,774.75
• Tiffany Grippando: $2,426
• Barbra Harley: $1,046.25
• Lauren Harrison: $1,075
• Peggy Hudson: $1,300
• Kristin Holmquist: $1,130
• Kathleen Janik: $1,256
• Ruby Nell Johnson: $1,000
• Carolyn Kahl: $, 2,213.75
• Corrine Maya Kayal: $1,003
• Mari Kimsey: $2,592.75
• Deborah Korge: $1,008.25
• Helen Keller: $1,100
• Jessica Pyle Lancaster: $1,893
• Helen Lewis (sustainer): $3,000
• Charlotte Luer: $1,275
• Cathy Strafaci: $1,577
• Kimberly Sue Martin: $1,850.63
• Jennifer McCloskey: $1,536
• Lynn McCowen-Schwab: $2,240.90
• Janet Sampson McMichael: $1,183
• Olga Cerna McNaughton: $1,696
• Nicole Moore: $1,753
• Margaret Nee: $1,270
• Susan Orban: $1,000
• Sara Oltmans-George: $4,837.87
• Jacqueline Osman: $1,108
• Jessica Ann Bennett-Porto: $1,437.81
• Christine Quinones: $1,172.97
• Jodi Reid: $1,120
• Jennifer Robinson: $1,019.45
• Jennifer D. Rogers: $1,263.75
• Cybelle Santo Domingo: $2,221
• Maria Robbins: $1,630
• Marcia Schuffman: $1,271
• Coreen Smith: $1,595
• Isabel (Mimi) Stein: $1,245
• Cristi Stroud: $1,013.50
• Candace Vassillion: $1,318
• Christine Wenzel: $1,045
• Isabelle Wheeler: $1,242

The following members made $500 to $999 in donations to the Encore Shop for the 2000-01 League year. Therefore, they only have to donate a minimum of $150 in items to the Encore Shop in the 2001-02 League year. Members are always welcome to exceed their quota. The minimum for other members is $300 in donations.

• Heather Almaguer: $815
• Charlotte Althin-Hicks: $649
• Colleen Carson Anderson: $592
• Maria Anderson: $736.90
• Cheryl Prater Armstrong: $524
• Sarah Artecona: $743
• Brooke Austin: $50
• Kelley Boero: $611
• Suzanne Barrera: $771
• Maria Josefa Beguiristain: $510
• Jennifer Bennett: $500
• Stacy Bolduc: $855
• Joyce Borck: $808
• Ivette Berisiartu-Hofman: $925
• Lina Blumberg: $626
• Lorrie Borden: $936
• Karen Boyd: $692.35
• Julia Brown: $669
• Natalie Brown: $570
• Linda Blackburn Brown: $611
• Katherine A. Brumbaugh: $693
• Karen Key Cabrera: $578
• Tina Carlo: $522
• Patti Ann Carico: $600
• Lisa Clements: $700
• Lynda Colaizzi: $592
• Victoria Colross: $500
• Pamela Clarke: $634
• Michelle Charles: $574
• Sara Courtney-Baigorri: $588
• Debbie Corbishley: $753
• Joanna Datesh: $579.50
• Susan DeCario: $908
• Deborah L. Dietz: $907
• Kathleen Duran: $500
• Erin Lee Dolan: $893
• Erin Dupree: $514.50
• Mary "Holly" Ebbert: $684.50
• Cristi Edmunds: $742.95
• Stephanie Fay: $690
• Jessica Flake: $830.25
• Alexandra Flinn: $500
• Karen Franco: $642
• Patricia Freyre: $655.48
• Martha Garrett: $504
• Cheryl Goldstein: $700
• Jennifer Grant: $500
• Brooke Gallo: $578
• Lori Harvey: $547
• Joelle M. Helstein: $588
• Patricia Heron (Lagueux): $589.30
• Cyd Hegliger Browne: $569
• Patricia Iribarren: $800
• Angela Harrison: $505
• Elizabeth "Hill" Hector: $500
• Sharon Johnson: $972
• Ann Ioannides-DeLeon: $813
• Manjula Jegasothy: $700
• Valerie Karam: $552
• Barbara Kelly: $555
• Jane Miller Kerestes: $853
• Mayra Lindsay: $710
• Kim Lopez: $828.50
• Donna Lyons: $520
• Heidi McInnis: $674
• Stephanie McClain Kelley: $759
• Meredith Mills: $797
• Kari Montenegro: $885.90
• Allison Moore: $699.25
• Elizabeth Billuups Nicholson: $651
• Margaret Ogilby: $509.25
• Gloria Pastoriza: $697
• Laura Payne: $754
• Jennifer M. Pfleger: $903
• Charete Plummer: $801.50
• Dale Poster-Ellis: $631
• Stephanie Powell: $607.25
• Laura Reiss: $727
• Michelle Ramirez-Patricios: $560
• Terri Prestage-White: $713
• Leslie Rivera: $514
• Karie Ross: $518
• Janet Ruffolo: $834
• Crystal Rody: $850
• Maggie Rossi: $560
• Linda Scarcell: $756
• Lynne Schaefer: $536.75
• Kathleen Schulte-Moorman: $843.25
• Gail Scott: $593.50
• Debora Slack Kadasevich: $500
• Mary Sitaris: $590
• Kimberly Smith: $584
• Catherine Smith-Pita: $872
• LeAnn Soto: $512
• Susan Sparks: $543
• Meg Stamey: $518
• Liz Stack: $536
• Laura Kujawa Sulkes: $955
• Amy Sussman: $614
• Skylar Sykes: $542.28
• Claudine Wheeler: $570
• Kristin Wherry: $785
• Shawnn Wieder: $812.10
• Meg Wright: $929
• Karin Wilborn-Combs: $575
• Catherine Shaw Wheeling: $500

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The Golden Palm Gift Market ­ A Unique Shopping Experience ­ Is Back!

By Molly Carroll, PR Chair, GPGM Committee and Barbie Alderman, Co-Chair, GPGM Committee

Coming off the grand success of last year's Golden Palm Gift Market, we are well on our way to making the fourth year our biggest and best yet. We have added an extra day and a half of shopping and events to create A Unique Shopping Experience!

Be sure to mark your calendar with the new expanded schedule for this year's market. The preview party will be held on Thursday, November 15th, and the market will be open to everyone on Friday the 16th, Saturday the 17th and Sunday, the 18th. Once again, parking will be free to all attending the Golden Palm Gift Market.

Ticket Sales
Ticket sales have begun and you can order them here, online. Ticket prices have changed too! Market day tickets are now $7.00 each! As a special offer to all JLM members, when you purchase two or more tickets, your price will automatically be $5.00 per ticket!

We have also added another savings opportunity for members: buy five tickets and get one free! This is a great way to encourage your friends and family to come spend a day (or two or three) shopping. Remember that the ticket is good for all three days of shopping. The general public will be able to purchase a $7.00 ticket with a $2.00 off coupon.

The preview party ticket is $40 for advance purchase and $45 at the door. This has been a "sell-out event," so purchase your tickets early!

As a reminder, all JLM actives and provisionals must purchase a minimum of one ticket for the Golden Palm Gift Market in order to meet one of your fundraising requirements.

Tickets may also be purchased at all Junior League General Membership meetings, at the Provisional Super Saturday and at the Sustainer Coffee in September.

Volunteer Shifts Sign-Up
With this year's expanded market we will depend, more than ever, on the efforts of our membership! You can sign up here online. If you have any questions regarding signing up for your shift, please feel free to contact Kimberly Martin by e-mail, or by fax (305) 672-1147 only. Remember, all actives and provisionals are required to work a four-hour shift.

Merchants
We have a fabulous list of returning merchants and new merchants lined up for November's market, but we still have room for more. If, during the course of your summer travels, you should come upon a store that you think would be perfect for the market, pick up a business card or jot down the name and number for Michele Hartman-Frisbee or Nancy Franklin to help make this a truly Unique Shopping Experience. We have already received a fabulous array of merchant applications from all over the nation for Golden Palm IV and we cannot do it without you!

Take a look at the list of returning merchants. Is your favorite one listed yet?

• Absolutely Needlepoint
• Alexis Barbeau Designs
• Basic Necessity
• Bright Shiny Things
• Charly & Hannah's
• Discovery Toys
• Grand Optical
• International Treasures
• J Claxton Designs
• J Tiras Handbags & Jewelry
• L Designs
• Lip Sense
• Marcia Fischer Designs
• Masart Collection of Mexico
• Name Droppers
• Queen Bea Studio
• Sole Sole/With Love Design
• Susan's Jewelry
• Stubbs & Wootton
• Two Sisters

Golden Palm Marketing Team
Building on last year's amazing marketing efforts, we are continuing to diversify our efforts so that the entire community is aware of our Unique Shopping Experience. Our primary goal is to increase attendance through awareness of the event. If you have any contacts in the media, please contact us so we can work together to get the news out about this important event. Look for us in a newspaper, on the radio and on a billboard near you soon!

Special Events
The Preview Party will take place Thursday evening (Nov. 15th) and combines South Florida's premier chefs and restaurants, delicious beverages and a silent auction to kick off the 2001 Golden Palm Gift Market! This is the event of the season so make sure that you and your friends attend. If you have any contacts with a favorite establishment that may want to participate at the Preview Party, feel free to contact Michelle Baker (mbaker@interval-intl.com). You can also let us know if you have a great idea or contact for a silent auction item by contacting Kathleen Evans-Dabney (dabney@att.net).

A truly exciting array of special events is being scheduled for the rest of the weekend to complement the Unique Shopping Experience. Friday (Nov. 16th) is Women's Day with extra special surprises for our Sustainers! Saturday is Family Day with fun in store for every member of the family! Sunday will feature our newest event: the Appraisal Fest, where you can bring your treasures to be appraised by the experts! More details to follow soon!

Sponsors and Underwriting
Our early efforts with sponsorship and underwriting have been paying off! We look forward to announcing our top sponsors and underwriters to you shortly. If you have an idea for an underwriting source, please contact Ashley Cusack, 2001 GPGM Co-Chair (AshleyMia@aol.com).

Remember, this is the Junior League of Miami's largest fundraiser and it cannot be a success without the help of each and every active, provisional and sustainer member. It is even more important to the people who benefit from the proceeds of this event ­ the women, children and families in need. We should all be proud of the cohesive effort it takes, and the energy, time, resources and love we all give to our community though our work with the JLM. The Golden Palm Market is just another extension of this effort.

If you have any further questions, concerns or suggestions, please feel free to e-mail us at jlmgoldenpalm@aol.com or call us anytime at our 24-hour Golden Palm Gift Market Hotline at (305) 476-3183.

Many thanks to the amazing members of the Golden Palm Gift Market Committee for working straight through the summer months to help make this important event a success!

Michelle Baker, Katie Brumbaugh, Heidi Campbell, Tina Carlo, Molly Carroll, Jane de Cardenas, Deb Dennis-Moir, Kendall Elias, Kathleen Evans-Dabney, Nancy Franklin, Deenie Freyer, Michelle Frisbee-Hartmann, Gina Gardner, Christine Griffard, Angela Harrison, Marion Jacques, Kyla Kowal-Caliendo, Kelly Lederman, Vicki Lukis, Megan Lykes, Kimberly Martin, Lisa McGuire, Luisa Mendoza, Aileen Parra, Tara Pasteur, Ramsey Pawley, Jennifer Pfleger, Kelly Portuondo, Crystal Rody, Cybelle Santo-Domingo, Sheryl Shoup, Elaine Tatum, Karin Wilborn, Elise Wood, our sustaining advisors Betsy Hoover-Thomas and Mary Lynch and GPGM Co-Chairs: Barbie Alderman and Ashley Cusack.

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Sustainer Involvement Important to JLM

By Rosemarie "Poodie" Floyd, Sustainer Chair

I am delighted to have been chosen as this year's Sustainer Chairperson. I would like to take a moment to introduce or reintroduce myself to you.

I joined the League in 1985 and have served on a variety of committees. After a three-year stint in Washington, DC, I returned to Miami last summer when my husband was transferred back. I met a lot of wonderful people and took advantage of all the activities in the Junior League of Washington, DC. It offers camaraderie and contacts when a native Miamian finds herself in a new town. My highlights included playing bridge in Jackie Kennedy's house and visiting historical homes in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington. I was fortunate enough to attend numerous social and fundraising functions and have many ideas for the coming year.

I am looking forward to working with all of you. The Sustainer members are an important part of the Junior League. The other members need us and we need to be there for them. So let's go and have some fun!

My goal for this year is to keep things short and simple. The first item is to improve the information flow by using e-mail and eliminating phone calls as much as possible. So please get your e-mail addresses in to Sondra at headquarters. We will protect your e-mail address against general distribution. Second, we will continue with the exciting Holiday and Spring Parties. These parties have been a great success for the Sustainers and our spouses. (I need houses and chairpersons). Third, the book club and bridge groups will continue as a great way for small groups to build strong friendships.

Our kickoff coffee, hosted by the Encore Shop Committee, will be held on September 26h at Teresa Zohn's lovely Snapper Creek Lakes home. The Encore Shop Committee needs your treasures and will be accepting donations that day. Members of the Golden Palm Gift Market Committee will also be making a special and exciting presentation on their upcoming event. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar and new faces!

I would like to say a big "thank-you" to Jeannett Slesnick for the fantastic job she did as last year's Sustainer Chair. She went beyond the call of duty with her great leadership for the Sustainer parties and monthly newsletters. Good luck in your new role as "First Lady of Coral Gables."

I have my work cut out for me, so I welcome any of your ideas or suggestions. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me.

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Welcome New Provisionals!

By Katie Landsea, Co-Chair, Provisional Committee

It is with great excitement that we welcome the members of the 2001- 2002 Provisional class to the Junior League of Miami!

The Provisional Committee has been hard at work planning for the upcoming year, which will kick off with Super Saturday on August 25th at the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables. At that time, the Provisionals will have an opportunity to meet their mentors and begin an exciting provisional course. The members of the Provisional Committee have planned meetings with interesting, dynamic speakers that will allow our newest members to learn about the Junior League of Miami while getting to know each other and making lasting friendships.

We look forward to sharing a year of friendship, education, volunteerism, and fun!

For more information call Katie Landsea.

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Witness the Difference Done In A Day Makes!

By Gail Scott, Chair, Done In A Day Committee

Who do you call when you need to mobilize a group of community-minded women at a moment's notice? None other than the Done in a Day (DIAD) Committee, which was created to make South Florida aware of and provide volunteer help for worthwhile community projects supported by the Junior League of Miami.

DIAD needs your participation for several featured events coming up in the Fall:

• The United Way Kickoff Event is scheduled for August 16th. On the agenda is a total make-over for Virrick Park in Coconut Grove. For those of you who have not participated in past United Way efforts, it is truly amazing what can be done in a day.
• The American Cancer Society will kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month by hosting a 5K walk, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, on September 29th in Bayfront Park.
• The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 13th in Bayfront Park. This event raised over $350,000 last year. The funds supported efforts to eradicate breast cancer as a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.
• The Domestic Violence Walk on October 20th at the American Airlines Arena. Statistics indicate that a woman is beaten every nine seconds, and that one out of every two women will be involved in a violent relationship in her lifetime.
  DIAD will also be assisting with the Equestrian Special Olympics in March 2002. This is one of our most rewarding annual projects.

The Done in a Day Committee encourages all League members to help represent us at these events. Not only are DIAD projects a great way to meet League members outside your current placements while increasing the League's visibility in the community, but the public service support makes Greater Miami a better place for all of us to live, work and play.

For those of you who are looking for more flexibility in your League requirements, DIAD is a great way to supplement your obligations, as these events count as meeting credits.

How can you get involved? Contact Gail Scott for more information and to sign-up for the United Way Kickoff event. Volunteers will work a four-hour shift and will receive a T-shirt, lunch and lots of community spirit!

Come on out and support all of these great causes and the Junior League at the same time!

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SPAC: Letting Our Voices be Heard

By Sharon K. Johnson, Past Chair, Public Affairs Committee

Have you ever wondered or heard another League member wonder, "what exactly does the State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) do anyway?"

Well, over the past year, our SPAC studied and monitored local, state and national issues relating to the League's mission and programs through SPAC meetings in West Palm Beach and Tallahassee. Not only did we review the League's Public Stands and Policy Statements, but we also oversaw the League's advocacy efforts as they relate to women, children and families.

Among the issues that we worked on were the Booster Seat Public Stand, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization and the Safety Net Preservation Act. Our members made many phone calls and sent e-mails and letters to our State representatives expressing our views on women, children and families. If you have ever spoken on behalf of an issue that interested you, then you too have been an advocate!

We are also proud to report that our Homeless Voting Campaign resulted in the registration of more than 100 homeless women and men at shelters in Miami and Florida City.

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A Few Brave Women Answered the Call

By Natalie Brown, Vice President - Communications

A few brave women answered the call to take on what are probably the least sought-after chair positions in all of the Junior League of Miami. Literally:

A few. Although the Communications Council is comprised of a respectable number of committees ­ seven altogether ­ it has a startling total of only 11 members, including last year's V.P. Charlotte Luer (who graciously agreed to stay on in an advisory capacity) and myself.

Brave women. Deadlines, regularly, all year long. Leadership and members depending on us to get the word out, accurately and timely, to help all the League's undertakings be successful.

Answered the call. Many phone calls. Many messages. Many rejections. Filling these jobs is a challenge, as experienced by those who sought to place members with writing talents, computer background and organizational skills ­to say nothing of the time and willingness ­to take on these roles. Outgoing Council V.P. Charlotte Luer, Placement Chair Loretta Nido, outgoing Journal editor Ann Ioannides DeLeon, communications veteran Sarah Artecona, President Julia Bianchi and I all called many members to ferret out this team of talent and tenacity.

They are few, but they are exceptional:

Monique Armbrister is serving as Editor of the JLM Journal; Heidi McInnis is heading up League Public Relations; Mary Bevans-Schweitzer takes on Public Relations for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Luncheon; Sharon Johnson is again at the helm of the Community Service Awards; Ashley Cueto takes on the Annual Record Keeper job, a combo historian and archivist role; and I'll continue to serve as Webmaster, looking for ways to make life as a JLMer easier with technology.

Whenever possible, this Council wants to make communications painless, efficient and timely for members. Julia's periodic e-mail messages are a brilliant step in this direction, enabling us to communicate matters of importance to members in a way never before possible at an unprecedented, next-to-nothing cost.

Most of our committees are already at work. Monique has already got the Journal going as you can see; Laura has been on the job so that we start our year with that all-important yearbook in hand; Heidi is already writing and sending out press releases and Sharon continues the scholarship selection process for the Community Service Awards.

We've added and will continue to add information on our Website, including a new message board for members to post "bulletin board" type information. It'll be the perfect place for looking for roommates, house sitters and buyers of baby grand pianos. Online ticket sales were very popular last year, so we'll expand these capabilities for all the fundraisers. Committee chairs and other members can now instantly update the online JLM calendar with a password (just let me know if you need it). Online shift scheduling for the Encore Shop and fundraisers will be easier for members and chairs with user-updateable systems. All of these new features will be in place at the official start of the League year in September.

Communications is grueling, deadline-driven work, but this is not a woe-is-us story. Those of us on the Council know the secret power we hold the power of knowledgeof informationand in knowing the scoop first! We'll need your support. Keep the information flowing to us, and we'll do our best to let the world know!

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The Kathryn Menke Miller Awards: A Product of Our Own Success

By Sharon Kendrick-Johnson, Chair, Community Service Awards

This past year, the JLM was proud to present the Kathryn Menke Miller (KMM) Community Service Award to 30 outstanding young women in Miami-Dade County Public High Schools. Each of the following graduating seniors awarded demonstrated amazing accomplishments that showed her character and commitment to academics, leadership, involvement and community service.

• Ana Avery, Coral Gables
• Stacy Hershbein, Miami Killian
• Fayedolest Dingcong, North Miami
• Lidiana Gonzalez, South Dade
• Edelyn Parker, New World School of the Arts
• Elissa Vento, Southwest Miami
• Bao Wang, Miami Sunset
• Tania Cendoya, Miami Palmetto
• Monica Gonzalez, Hialeah-Miami Lakes
• Rose Brill, Miami Beach
• Cheok Kelly Lei, Miami Springs
• Haroula Protopapadakis, North Miami Beach
• Veronica Fortino, American
• July Llanes, Miami High
• Jacquelin Ondar, Hialeah
• Zambia Brown, Design/Architectural(DASH)
• Diana Cruz, South Miami
• Linda Oriental, Miami Jackson
• Betty Flores, Miami Coral Park Senior
• Octavia Sampson, Miami Central
• Brenda Pacouloute, Miami Edison
• Tacovia Norman, Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center
• Elizabeth Carpinteyro, William H. Turner Technical Arts
• Elizabeth Duenas, Barbara Goleman
• Miozoztti Dejimenez, Miami Northwestern
• Esther Etienne, MAST Academy
• Bianny Fernandez, Homestead
• Cathy Bode, G. Holmes Braddock
• Shawneek Bender, Miami Carol City
• Jessica Marcano, Academy for Community Education

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Community Advisory Board Member Spotlight: Thomas M. Rozek

Thomas M. Rozek became President and Chief Executive Officer of Miami Children's Hospital in January 1999. With over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Mr. Rozek's expertise lies in the areas of ambulatory and hospital operations, managed care, medical staff and trustee development and public policy formation.

Before moving to South Florida, he served as senior vice president of The Detroit Medical Center overseeing children's, women's, orthopedics and surgical services. Prior to that, Mr. Rozek served for more than a decade at Children's Hospital of Michigan where he became president in 1990. From 1980 to 1984 he was the division director and interim chief operating officer at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. He also served with Children's Hospital of Buffalo in various capacities including administrator of the Children's Rehabilitation Center and associate administrator of ambulatory.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Mr. Rozek went on to obtain a master's degree in hospital and health care administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mr. Rozek is a member of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions where he has served as treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees. He is also a diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Rozek was recently appointed Vice Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's Health Industry Group for the Chamber Year of July 2001 to June 2002.

No stranger to the world of the Junior League, Mr. Rozek also served on the Community Advisory Board for the Junior League of Detroit.

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