Junior League of Saint Paul member Rachelle McCord Receives 3M Community Volunteer Award!

For 25 years, 3M has honored employees who help shape their communities through service. On September 12th, fifteen 3M volunteers, including Junior League of Saint Paul (JLSP) member Rachelle McCord, were recognized at the 3M Volunteer Rally for their outstanding efforts.

Rachelle was nominated for the prestigious 3M Community Volunteer award for coordinating a mentoring program with 3M employees and students at the Johnson and Harding Saint Paul Senior High Schools. She is also very active in the community, both as a six-year member of JLSP and with her sorority Delta Sigma Theta’s Alumnae chapter, which provides annual scholarships for college, an enrichment program for junior and senior high school girls, and social action for underrepresented communities.

Rachelle shared that she is motivated to give back because “volunteering is in my blood. My parents were community workers when I grew up and always taught me the importance of helping others with no expectation or desire of return.”

Along with recognition as an outstanding community volunteer, the 3M Foundation donated $1,000 to a non-profit of each award recipient’s choice. Rachelle has chosen JLSP as the recipient of this donation.

Congratulations Rachelle, for the recognition of your exceptional work in serving the community!

Junior League of Saint Paul Holds Annual Next To New Sale, Saturday, October 1st, 2011

The Junior League of Saint Paul will hold its annual Next To New sale on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at the Dairy Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The sale begins at 8:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. Shoppers looking for bargains will find hundreds of new and gently used items at this one-day event. Prices will be reduced by ½ starting at 12:30 pm, and the bag sale will begin at 2:30 pm, when shoppers can fill a bag with merchandise for one low price. For additional information, visit JLSP.org.

The sale provides an opportunity for the community to purchase high-quality merchandise at affordable garage sale prices. The selection includes men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing as well as toys, sporting goods, books, furniture, household goods, antiques and collectibles.

What: JLSPs 62nd annual Next To New Sale
Where: The Dairy Building at the Minnesota Fairgrounds Directions
When: Saturday, October 1st, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Proceeds from this years Next To New Sale will support JLSPs’ costs as well as its community initiative “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Brains.” Lack of nutrition and other factors associated with poverty are shown to retard brain development and function. The longer a child's nutritional, and in turn, educational needs go unmet, the greater the likelihood of future struggles to learn. JLSP helps to make a difference by providing meals over the weekends through our Backpack Buddies initiative, as well as hosting family nutrition nights during which kids learn to cook and families can learn inexpensive yet healthy recipes. The Next to New Sale plays an important role in ensuring the continuation of these programs and developing further new and exciting efforts.

Hunger-Free Minnesota

The JLSP has joined the movement - The movement to end hunger in Minnesota!

Hunger-Free Minnesota is a movement formed by a growing coalition of organizations across the state, including corporations, communities, nonprofits and emergency food resources, to close the missing meals gap in Minnesota.

The JLSP has joined the movement as a nonprofit to support Hunger-Free Minnesota’s goal of closing the missing meals gap for Minnesotans, especially for children. You will receive updates from your Advocacy Committee about our ongoing collaboration with Hunger-Free Minnesota.

To succeed, Hunger-Free Minnesota needs all Minnesotans to join the fight – nonprofits and individuals - JLSP has joined as a champion of this cause and you can too. Join the movement at www.hungerfreemn.org.

Click here to ask others to join Hunger-Free Minnesota by posting this update to your Facebook status.

For more information, please contact the Advocacy Committee at advocacy@jlsp.org.

AJLI Organizational Development Institute Recap

Contributed by Amy L., Jordana K-V, Sarah F. and Jill S.

Every year the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI), hosts the Organizational Development Institute, or “ODI”. These incredible trainings provide an opportunity for incoming Junior League leaders to meet fellow League members from around the United States, Canada, Mexico, and England, while sharing ideas about how to build on the existing success of each of our Leagues. Sarah F, Jordana K-V, Amy L and Jill S traveled to Tampa in mid-March to grow their expertise and bring new ideas back to the League. Each attended a different training track, and are excited to share what they learned. What follows are their favorite takeaways from the conference.

Sarah F., Membership Track
My track was facilitated by Naomi Chavez Peters, Past President of the Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula. The focus of her presentation was on membership engagement and retention. It was enlightening to discuss the various types of League members and the different ways to energize and engage members at various points in their League careers. Engagement can come in many forms and will mean something very different for every member. The great news is that engagement is the responsibility of all members. Through every placement we have the opportunity to make sure our fellow members are engaged and in turn continue to be committed to JLSP for a lifetime!

ODI was an amazing experience. It was invaluable to network with hundreds of League members from around the world, and to also get to know my fellow JLSP members better. I truly appreciated the opportunity to attend and would encourage other members to take the opportunity in the future. It was a great way to get re-energized to start a new League year.

Jordana K-V, Fundraising Track
ODI was for me a great learning experience in many aspects. I learned a great deal about the women with whom I will share my board experience next year. I discovered how bright,independent and wonderful these women are, which made me even more excited to share my next placement with them. In addition, I met Junior League members from all over the U.S., and discovered that no matter the state, we all share an amazing dedication to Junior League, the mission, and the many community projects. I also discovered that no matter the size and location of the League, we are all experiencing similar challenges in the realm of fundraising and resource development. Even though such news was unsettling, I was not discouraged,but rather comforted because I was in a room full of resourceful women who never give up on a challenge, but rise to it and find a way to succeed. I could not get enough of the experiences that my speaker shared with us on fundraising, resource development and all their elements. Her experiences were like little pearls of wisdom that I tried to collect in my notebook, and hope to use them in my term as the Director of Development next year. I am very grateful to this year’s board for giving me the opportunity to be part of this year’s ODI, and I am looking forward to sharing all of my learning experiences with the amazing women on next year’s board.

Amy L., Nominating Track
My track was facilitated by Anne Dalton, AJLI’s Chief Offi cer for Strategic Initiatives. Anne provided some great ideas for nominating and placing members, but another primary focus of the track this year was to encourage participants to think about and discuss how their League is governed and managed. It was fascinating to listen to the experiences of other Leagues from around the country, and their experiences with designing their leadership structures.

These conversations allowed for further reflection on how Leagues are structured from a leadership perspective, and how to be most efficient and useful of members’ talents while also considering how best to provide leadership opportunities to members. Attending this track really reinforced how much work JLSP has put into strategic planning and the encouragement we give our members to seek leadership roles within the League. Additionally, I left these sessions feeling energized and excited about the fact that JLSP has been selected by AJLI to participate in the Action Learning Team (ALT) program, which will allow our League to review and learn more about our structure, governance and leadership development in the coming years!

On the second morning of ODI, Vicki Clark from AJLI facilitated a session on promoting diversity and inclusiveness in our individual Leagues. While it was evident that there is much work to be done, I was incredibly thankful to participate in the session, and also very proud of the League for making diversifying Leagues a key priority. Vicki provided some helpful takeaways and tools for implementing some of the ideas she shared, which I look forward to discussing with next year’s board. Saint Paul is a richly diverse community, and it is my hope that we as a League will continue to develop plans which will assist in enriching and diversifying our membership, making it an even stronger reflection of the community in which we live and serve.

Jill S., Community Track
My experience at ODI confirmed that the research we have been doing through the Project Research Committee is in line with where AJLI is currently. It was very interesting to talk with other Leagues to learn about their projects. It was also interesting to hear firsthand how best to provide a diversity of projects or tactics that engage members and grow membership. Additionally, my track helped remind me of the importance of collaboration. For so many non-profit organizations, it seems there are so many big issues to tackle and JLSP cannot do it all alone. However, if we partner with another community organization, hopefully we can pair our expertise with theirs, and together make a profound impact in the community. I’m really excited for having gone to ODI, and for this being a new issue year for us at JLSP. I’m hopeful that the incoming leadership team can put together new tactics which result in a successful year!

Junior League of Saint Paul Selects New Book to Distribute to Pre- Kindergarteners as Part of Early Childhood Screening

Contributed by Ginger C. Director of Community

Early Childhood Screening (ECS) is a Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) program that helps to identify health and developmental needs of young children before they enter Kindergarten. The screening includes vision, hearing, height, weight, development, speech, social/emotional, and review of health and immunization information. The screening is required by law for entrance into Kindergarten in Minnesota Public Schools.

Saint Paul Public Schools provides the screening without charge to children ages 3, 4, and 5 years old. It is important to have children screened at an early age so there is adequate time to obtain help for any identified concerns before the child enters school.

Since the beginning of JLSP's Building Bonds through Reading and Play initiative, JLSP has delivered over 3,000 books to SPPS to be distributed to children as they attend the Early Childhood Screening. The nurse of the program stated that for many kids the JLSP book is the first and potentially only book that they will own. The Eensy Weensy Spider book was the first book to be distributed and was very well received by the children.

When the supply of Eensy Weensy Spider books was completely distributed, the Community Projects committee was tasked with finding an alternative to offer. The criteria that they had to meet made the selection process very challenging. They searched for a book that was sensitive to race, gender and religion. It also had to be at the correct level for reading as well as understanding. It had to be cost effective and a quality book that a child will be proud to own. The committee set out to find local publishers who sent them numerous book options that were then reviewed thoroughly. In May, 650 copies of the selected book were ordered and distribution will begin in the next few weeks!

The Community Projects Committee is Pleased to Announce the New Book Selection:



It is Penguin Dreams by J. Otto Seibold! Penguin Dreams gives young children a delightful look into the imaginative dreams of Chongo Chingi, the sleeping penguin. After he drifts off to sleep, he finds himself soaring above his home in the zoo, flying with geese and airplanes, and finally drifting past funny looking planets and stars in outer space. From the fun rhyming text to the colorful and vivid illustrations, the book provides children with an entertaining and enriching story that they will want to talk about after the book is finished. Children will constantly find new characters and pictures in the book to point out to parents, and enjoy seeing a penguin dream about things he can not do during his waking hours! Parents will be provided with tips to build pre-reading skills while sharing this exciting book with their child.

Congratulations to our 2011 Standing Ovation Award Honorees!

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Junior League of Saint Paul last Tuesday. It was wonderful to celebrate everything you accomplished over the past year. Congratulations to the recipients of the Standing Ovation Awards ! You are all remarkable women. Thank you for your exceptional service to JLSP and the community!

From left: Erica Giorgi, Priscilla Brewsteri, Angela Urbanek, Jill Skogheim, and Britney Thew

Rising Star Award: Britney Thew
The Rising Star is awarded to an individual new member who has been an inspiration and mentor to the rest of the new member class. She is an outstanding example of voluntarism for fellow New Members.

From the very beginning Britney has been a JLSP Rising Star. She was the first one to join the 2010 Fall New Member class. She has been very involved in all the New Member events throughout the year, as well as with JLSP community projects. She attended the September General Membership Meeting and got involved right away in the Next-to-New Sale. She took charge of the technology aspects of Blue Jeans and Bling, reaching out to learn Digital Cheetah, and coordinating the training of the Blue Jeans and Bling Committee prior to the event. Her attention to detail was a great asset to the Committee and brought a professional presence to the event materials, including the printed auction program. She has shown herself to be reliable and a go-getter. She exudes the JLSP spirit and truly has the passion to make a difference in our rganization and community. Since the Holiday party she has said how she was willing (and excited) to be a part of the 2011-2012 Leadership Team, and we know she will be an utstanding leader this next year as Vice Chair for Blue Jeans and Bling. We are fortunate to have her as a member of JLSP.

Unsung Hero Award: Jill Skogheim
The Unsung Hero Award is presented to an individual whose participation has a great incremental impact on JLSP, to an individual who stepped up to the plate on short notice or goes beyond the norm to get things done on a project or fundraiser.

Jill’s leadership and diligence this year has resulted in an incremental impact for JLSP, as the organization now has the tools, resources, and framework to make an impact in our community service work. She went far beyond her job description and the Committee charge. Taking the time and initiative to learn, understand, and teach the membership about the AJLI Impact Based Community Project model was not required of her, but she knew the Committee and JLSP would benefit from the following the model. She spent countless hours studying and becoming an expert on the issue-based community impact model and how it applies to JLSP. She provided strategic leadership in determining the specific groups to turn to for knowledge, guidance, input, and education for her Committee.

Her hours of research with potential community partners and of gathering input from JLSP members were invaluable. She was mindful of the needs of the League and mixed that well with the needs of the community. Her dedication to ensuring that our new issue will be something both JLSP members and community partners are able and willing to tackle is inspiring! As a leader, she mentored, and allowed herself to be mentored - resulting in a rewarding experience for the entire Committee. She truly embodies the spirit of JLSP and has been and will continue to be integral in moving our organization forward. We are set to start a new League year with a clear focus on our new issue, and this is all possible because of her, her diligence and her hard work. She did all this while going to school and having a more than full-time job. And as always with a smile on her face.

Elizabeth Ames Jackson Founder Award: Angela Urbanek
The Elizabeth Ames Jackson Founder Award is presented to an individualwho is a good role model in all aspects of JLSP (projects, fundraising,administration, etc.), shows consistent outstanding achievement in projects and fundraisers, and represents the embodiment of what JLSP isabout.

Angela certainly embodies the spirit of JLSP. Throughout her years as an Active member she has served in many roles and has brought critical thinking to all of them. Administratively she has served on the Bylaws Committee, Cross Functional Committee, Investment Committee, Budget Committee and as Treasurer-Elect and Treasurer. She served on the Next-to-New Committee and continued her role with that fundraiser as well as Blue Jeans and Bling and all the other small fundraisers through her work in the Finance office. She is consistently thinking outside the box on how to grow the success of JLSP fundraisers so that we can give more back to the community. She has been a consistent participant in JLSP community projects, volunteering at Women’s Advocates, the Saint Paul Recreation Centers, and working on Kids in the Kitchen. She takes her JLSP responsibilities seriously and is a reliable leader and supporter of all JLSP events. She has also committed to working with AJLI on the Action Learning Team, the goal of which is to improve governance and management practices to ensure greater community impact.

Sustainer of the Year Award: Priscilla Brewster
The JLSP Sustainer of the Year Award honors a Sustainer who has gone on to fulfi ll the mission of JLSP by serving the needs of the community at large, in either a volunteer or professional capacity. This year’s recipient is an outstanding leader for JLSP, Saint Paul and other organizations to which she is devoted.

After serving as an Active member for nearly twenty years, Priscilla has continued her support of JLSP through her involvement in Sustainer events and generous support of our projects. Outside of JLSP her leadership and support of organizations she loves is no different. She has quietly served as President of the St. Paul Garden Club and has created and displayed beautiful floral arrangements for the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s annual Art in Bloom. She is currently president of the Minnesota Colonial Dames. She as served ten years on the Board of Regents Gunston Hall in Fairfax County, Virginia. She ended her tenure by serving as the First Regent, the equivalent of President of the Board of Regents. During her term, major renovations were completed to Gunston Hall, the colonial mansion estate of George Mason, in preparation for the 250th anniversary. With her leadership, the Friends of Gunston achieved a record breaking year in both the numbers of donors and dollars raised. In addition, docent and volunteer satisfaction was at an all-time high. In 2008, she was asked to serve as the inaugural president of the Board of Directors of the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy. Under her leadership and with the invaluable support of community partners, in only a few short months the Conservancy raised over half of its first project goal of $559,000.

We are proud of her legacy of service to JLSP and these many other organizations. She is a model of service and leadership to each of us, and we are honored to recognize her with this award.

Sustainer League Service Award: Erica Giorgi
The JLSP League Service Award honors a Sustainer who continues to fulfill the mission of JLSP with exceptional service to the League itself, either by serving in an active role on a committee, as an advisor or mentor, or has shown a multi-year commitment of time and effort to the JLSP.

Erica is thoughtful, strategic, practical, and trustworthy. You can count on her to do her work and then some. She was amazing support to the Chair and other members of the Committee she worked with this year.

JLSP knowledge, and truly knows how to connect with others so that they feel like a valued part of the League. When her committee needed additional help researching this year, she dug in and took on an equal role as an active Committee member, helped organize focus groups, and offered support at General Membership Meetings where the Committee was on the agenda. She has been a sustainer advisor to other Committees, including ad hoc committees. She has previously served as a Sustainer Representative to the Board of Directors, bringing new ideas for the Sustainers and keeping them engaged. She is one of those sustainers who continues to volunteer for activities and events. She works at Next to New, comes to General Membership Meetings, and participates in focus groups. She continues to provide service to JLSP and for that we are all extremely grateful. She is definitely the type of woman who makes JLSP great!

New Members Bring Kids in the Kitchen to Dayton’s Bluff

by Tara B., New Member Chair

Kids in the Kitchen is an initiative by the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices; reversing the occurrence of childhood obesity and associated health issues.

The Fall New Member class took on this initiative and hosted Kids in the Kitchen at Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center on January 27th to educate approximately 30 youth about the importance of healthy diet, exercise, and safety. The goal of this event was to share with the children fun and simple strategies in food selection and preparation along with the benefits of

exercise in order to motivate them to take care of their bodies’ every day. The children were

divided into three groups with each group participating in various healthy living stations including: educational activities, physical activities, and hands on cooking using the colors of the rainbow.

It was an honor to partner with Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center in building a foundation of healthy eating habits that will guide the children into their teenage years and beyond.

Thank you to the Fall New Member class (Jeanine C., Julian M., Diane L., Beth L., Kimberly M., Ashley R., Andrea S., Dawn S., Britney T., Jenny Z.) for making this an event to remember.