Junior League of Miami, Inc.
Annual Meeting May 20, 2003
Speech by Holly Battle, Outgoing President
(Karen Cabrera's Incoming Speech follows)
Thank the Board of Directors for their hard work, leadership, honesty, respect, and continued support through out the year.
This has been an amazing year for me. I have had many opportunities to see first hand the incredible impact JLM can and does have every day in this community. One of those experiences was just last Thursday night when the GAP committee invited me to join them at the detention center. What an amazing program. Many of us have children, nieces and nephews or just friends with children. How many times have you hugged those children. Seems basic! One of the things the committee takes with them each visit is a stuffed bear. The bear is for hugs. You see, the volunteers are not supposed to hug the kids. The bear is their hug medium. There are so many things we take for granted as we live our daily lives.
I have worked with some phenomenal women during my 13 years in the Junior League who have inspired me to take this position as president even when I did not believe I could do this job. I have then turned around and done the same to others (who like me, did not think they could do a job); who have given of their time and resources freely and without hesitation. This is a time to celebrate the successes that we have all had this past year and to focus on how we can continue to have an impact in Miami-Dade County going forward. I would like to take a minute (or more) to share with you YOUR accomplishments and to say thank you to all of you who are truly responsible for this fine work.
Communications Council
We continued to brand JLM with a consistent look to all of our publication pieces
We increased PR for events in local newspapers and magazines as well as notification of project proposals in the newspaper.
We published a quarterly JLM Journal
Completed the binding of 6 years of history to create a permanent record at HQ for future leadership to reference.
Successfully completed the elimination of the executive committee to streamline the operations of JLM and emphasize the use of the council system
Continue to emphasize the use of the website by our members including a new sustainer section.
Presented JLM’s award winning web site at the AJLI Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this year so other Junior Leagues across the country could learn from our successes.
Community Council
Opened Inn Transition South. I had the opportunity after 10 presidents to cut the ribbon in December and we now have residents 56 units of transitional housing for victims of DV and Homelessness is now a reality after 10 years of planning and an extension of our already successful Inn Transition North Project.
We advocated for programs in Tallahassee both current and past that were in jeopardy of being eliminated through budget cuts at the state level.
We worked with over 100 girls in the Juvenile Justice Center with our GAP program every other Thursday night
We have collaborated with a network of community agencies to improve parenting skills and to ensure that all Miami-Dade's children enter school with the foundation of literacy skills they need to succeed with Family Learning Partnership.
We presented our projects at each general membership meeting to inform members of our progress and what we are doing in the community every day.
We had over 75 women of JLM participate in the Race For this Cure this past October as well as 4 other events and the Special Olympics Equestrian Event with our DIAD committee.
Through our All Aboard Story Hour we gave out over 450 books to children and tutored and mentored over 300 children this year.
The 26 children of Inn Transition North had the opportunity to attend summer camp this year for the first time due to the generosity of many of you in this room.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters – Project Reach hosted 22 events for 248 children and 95 hours of service. These children had opportunity to see sites in Miami we all take for granted and do things they never would have had the opportunity to do, although I am not sure who had more fun, the committee or the kids. As a result this year 5 children were matched with mentors and leave the program 3 of which were initiated by committee members.
We completed a Holiday Gift drive for all of our projects with children and hosted parties as well
Development Council
We hosted 3 fundraising events
We continued to expand and fine tune the mailing list for our events.
We celebrated 70th Anniversary of the Encore Shop with a Wine Tasting at the Store
We received a Proclamation from the City of Coral Gables at a Commission Meeting for the Encore Shop
We successfully completed the first year of the Annual Community Partners Campaign. Not only donations for this year, but for 4 years to come; 2002-2003 Cash donations $85,000, In kind donations valued at $16,300 not including Auction items, Restaurants or Encore Shop Donations, Endowment Fund Donations of $6,000, JLM Headquarters Donations of $2,000 and future community partners donations of $46,000.00 for a total of $156,000. Thank you to Meredith and your committee. This program has allowed us for the first time to look ahead with money already committed for future years. On top of that we earned an additional $130,000 for community projects through our fundraiser events.
Finance Council
We are separately Incorporating the Endowment Fund to protect our projects funding.
We reached the financial goal of $250,000 to invest the Endowment Fund and increased the balance to $350,000.
For the first year we budgeted to use the Endowment Fun money to help fund our 2003-2004 projects.
We will receive close to a $100,000 donation from an estate for our IT North program and future programs serving victims of domestic violence
We will receive developer fees for our IT South program to help sustain the volunteer component of this project over the next 20 years.
We revaluated our budget allocations so our fundraising dollars can cover our community impact and our dues can cover our overhead
We began the work of phase IV of the Headquarters renovations to assure the integrity of our home.
Membership Council
Hosted two provisional classes for membership and welcomed a record 140 new members to JLM
Renamed the Volunteer Resource Council to the Membership Council to better reflect its purpose.
Took steps to simplify the Placement process with a new spreadsheet and on line placement opportunities.
Placed 75 new actives in January to help staff committees.
Created an annual Family Fun Day for the residents of Inn Transition South, North and Safe Space hosted by the provisional class in the spring.
Created a library at Inn Transition South by a provisional mentor group and completed a book drive with more than 1,000 books and videos donated for the children’s library.
Added a monthly leadership award to recognize the contributions of the women in chair positions that are not recognized by the super leaguer awards.
Streamlined the membership process to include on line applications, no more searching for a typewriter and multiple copies.
Created a legacy for future members through self sponsorship for Junior League daughters
Continued without interruption the Monday all member e-mails and implemented the new Sustainer monthly all member e-mails.
Hosted the first annual Past President’s Council to share ideas from the past and brainstorm for the future.
Planning Council
Successfully completed the implementation of the Fund Development process to propose healthy fundraising efforts for 03-04.
Audited, Updated and revised the strategic plan as a working document for 2003-2005 in preparation for a new plan for 2006-2011.
Created a database of community agencies to mail grant and project proposals to so we can reach out to more agencies in need of JLM volunteers and funding.
Presented 3 new community projects reaching out into the area of Foster Care and children’s health.
Developed an evaluation process for our projects and our grants that offers feedback to our volunteers and the program development committee.
Hosted an ODI (Organizational Development Institute) here in Miami, with AJLI and a successful SPAC training dinner.
Created a Public Affairs Ad Hoc committee to help review and propose edits to our Public Stands and Position Statements that will be presented to you by the next Board of Directors so we can have a bigger voice in advocacy locally and at the state level.
Created an Encore Shop Ad Hoc committee to evaluate the future of this 70 year old fundraiser.
As you can see you have all been very busy. Isn’t it miraculous what we can do as a group of dedicated volunteers?
I would like to say a special thank you to one special volunteer - my Tuesday night baby sitter - my husband Bob - who is standing in the back of the room tonight who is probably more excited than I am for May to finally be here. He finally has his Tuesday nights back. Thank you!
In closing I would like to leave you with a story. As most of you know, I borrow a lot of my material from other league leaders across the country. This is yet one more piece. This was the invocation at the AJLI Annual Conference that I just returned from in Nashville, Tennessee.
We all know the problems of this community are great and that sometimes it is frustrating to see that what we are doing is only a piece of the puzzle. I know first hand what it is like to try and work my way through a system as I have advocated for services for my daughter every day for the last 3 years, it has made me appreciate the work JLM does on behalf of those who cannot help themselves or just need encouragement to step forward themselves. It is important to remember no matter how many people we touch in a year it is one more than last. I would like to leave you with this as a reminder that your work is important and that the strength we have as a collective unit is remarkable. Our Inn Transition South success is one of those examples.
The Daffodil Principle
Several times my friend had telephoned to say, “You must come see the daffodils before they finish blooming.” I wanted to go, but it was a two hour drive. “I will come next Tuesday,” I promised.
Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, so I went. When I finally walked into Mary’s house and hugged her, I said, “Forget the daffodils. The road is invisible in clouds and fog.
Mary smiled calmly and said, “I drive in this all the time. It’s all right, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.” After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a gravel road and I saw a small house. On the far side of the house I saw a lettered sign that read, “Daffodil Garden.”
We got out of the car and walked down a narrow path. We turned a corner and before me lay a glorious sight. The Daffodils were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons of deep orange, white, lemon yellow and pink. Each different-colored variety was planted as a group so that it flowed like its own river with its own unique color. There were five acres of flowers.
“Who has done this?” Mary answered, “It’s just one woman. She lives on the property. That’s her house.” We walked up to the porch and saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs.” The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer “Began in 1958”.
There it was…The Daffodil Principle. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years, before, had begun – one bulb at a time – to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting, year after year, this unknown woman had changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of beauty and inspiration.
We, the women of the Junior League, practice the Daffodil Principle everyday, learning to move toward our goals one step at a time – often a baby step – and learning to appreciate the journey, learning to use the accumulation of our talents and experience. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too, accomplish incredible things. We can change the world.
The GAP motto is simple. It is:
* Let us be: CREATORS OF HOPE
* BUILDERS OF STRENGTH
* PARTNERS IN DREAMS
It is my hope that you will continue the work of the women who have come before us to make this community a better place for all of us. Thank you for an amazing year.
Remarks from Incoming President Karen Cabrera, May 20, 2003
"This year is about balance and all of us working together to achieve our goals.
I would like to thank the women who agreed to serve on the Board of Directors. Would they please rise to be recognized.
I would like to thank my husband for his support. Honey, I’m not sure what I’ve gotten us into, but it can’t be any worse than Residency or the “Terrible Two’s”.
I think you all know by now I’m a bottom line, to-the-point person, so here’s the most direct picture of the upcoming year I can give you.
And with a special thanks to Dr. Seuss and his book,
“Oh the Places you’ll go”
Congratulations!
Your year is complete.
and after the summer
Again we will meet!
Your placement in hand and a new board to lead
By working together, we shall surely succeed
You’re not on your own, we’ll train you, you know
Our strategic plan tells us all how to go.
Our membership meetings, the Museum will host
Be on time girls, they’ll last 60 minutes, at most.
Placement will guide us
The requirements are set,
While Outreach recruits the best Provisional class yet.
No tickets, no shifts
What’s a member to do?
Why attend ALL fundraisers,
We’re counting on you!
It’s nicer this way, why force you to pay?
Community projects, we’re got more than a few
From the North to the South, there’s something for you.
We can make things happen
Make things better for all
We make a difference
We answered the call.
Finance is watching the bottom line
To create a cost cutting opportunity
So each and every penny we save
Can be put back into our changing community
Snail mail, phone mail, email
Smoke signals or shout,
PR and Communications will tell the world
What JLM is all about
For our look toward the future where we will go
Those planning girls and our president elect will let us all know.
And will we succeed?
Yes! We will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)
We’ll build a better community!
So...
be your placement in league or out,
You’re a great volunteer!
Thanks for your heart!
Miami is waiting.
So...go do your part!
Send email to Karen
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