JLSS Schenexus August-September 2010

August 2010

SCHENEXUS

2010-2011 JLSS OfficersPresident: Deneen Palmateer

President Elect: Julie White Eklund

Treasurer:Sarah Stotz

Secretary: Lindsey Fargnoli

Committee Chairs

Communications:Leesa Perazzo

Community:Kathy Ozimek

Membership:Jae TraceyTraci Koppenhafer

Ways & Means: Lyn NiemeyerMarilyn Gibbons

Nominating:Lisa Grieg

Supporting Roles

Schenexus Editor: Deanna Fox

Sustainer Advisor:Joanne Coppola

NYSPAC Delegate:Kathy Van Allen

JLSS Welcomes back DeneenPalmateer as our 2010-2011

President!

Due to changes in slated officers for 2010-2011 (best of luck Jackie Baker!), the League is happy to welcome Deneen Palmateer for a second term as our President. Many of us came to know Deneen when she was President in the 2008-2009 year. Her steadfastness and dedication to the Junior League was crucial to our success! Deneen has proven herself as a forward-thinking leader, always eager to take on a challeng-ing role, promote and explore new practices and ideas, and keep the best interests of our members in mind. Deneen, we are so happy back. Thank you for continuously offering your time and support to JLSS!

On June 19th, more than 20 members attended JLSS’s Kick-off 2010 Open House at Deneen’s home. It was a great occasion to come out and meet the members of the JLSS Board and also provided Board members theopportunity to visit with the members and gather valuable information and

feedback for the up-coming year. Thank you to all those that attended, and avery special thank you to our sustainers, Freddie Anderson, Joanne Coppola, Carol Cascio, Jette Jackson, Rose Knauss and Barbara Piper for always being there!

SCHENEXUS JLSS ~ August 2010

A member of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc.

Holiday Revelry is the focus of New JLSS Fundraiser

The Ways and Means Committee is excited to announce the plan for our holiday fundraiser. Tentatively called the JLSS Holiday Bazaar and Fashion Show, we will host a holiday shopping experience at the Saratoga Hilton on Broadway the weekend of December 4th and 5th.

The Bazaar is an extension of the Holiday Mart that has achieved success for chapters in Syracuse and Rochester. Syracuse, who has been doing it for several year, draws over 150 merchants and 5200 shoppers with revenue reaching close to $50,000 annually. Our pilot event this year will be much smaller with 20 vendors offering their goods for sale in the hallway between the Saratoga Hilton and the Saratoga Civic Center. We hope to replicate the success of other Leagues on a smaller scale. We will also test out local market as a proof of concept and decide whether to launch a larger event in future years.

The JLSS Holiday Bazar and Fashion Show will boast designs by Leaguer favorite, Saratoga Trunk. Goods from approximately 20 other area favorites will be available for purchase. We will sell raffle ticket items do-nated by the vendors themselves leading up to the event. We are also discussing a JLSS Holiday party to be held in conjunction with the Bazaar to afford JLSS members and opportunity to relax, shop exclusive deals and socialize in one evening!

Our goal in hosting this event is to diversify our fundraising and sponsorship sources and find new events for income. Furthermore, the JLSS Holiday Bazaar and Fashion Show will serve to broaden our visibility in the Saratoga area. To meet both of these goals, we are designing an aggressive, yet low-cost, marketing campaign that relies on our collective ability to get the word out to friends, donors, potential members and media sources alike. We will provide posters and fliers, but we need you to share the news and excite your neighbors!

This is an ambitious venture that requires everyone’s engagement. There will be no requirement to sell tickets, but we still need you to sell them to achieve success. We will not mandate shifts for the event, yet the event requires staffing. We implore you to think about your personal abilities and preferredcontribution method. Any help is great help! If you plan to be out-of-town or otherwise unavailable that weekend, please make extra effort to help publicize the event and sell tickets in advance. If you areuncomfortable selling tickets, please keep your calendar clear the first weekend of December as we surely could use your support at the event.

We look forward to exploring this opportunity and start a new Holiday tradition for the League whileexploring new fundraising venues. Stay tuned to Facebook and email for membership feedback surveys, further information and ways to get involved. This event will be the main source of revenue for the 2010-2011 year. If you have any ideas or questions, please contact Lyn Niemeyer ([email protected]) or Marilyn Gibbons ([email protected]). Thank you in advance for your sup-port and participation!

SCHENEXUS


JLSS ~ august 2010

To submit news, please contact Deanna Fox at 527.8448 or [email protected]

The membership committee has kicked off its recruiting efforts for the 2010-2011 League season with a bang. June’s social mixer at Bellini’s in Clifton Park drew a handful of potential provisional members and also provided the opportunity to welcome transfers from other Leagues. Membership will be working hard to organize activities for all League members this year, focusing on recruitment and retention.

Membership Committee Starts New Year with a Bang!

Jae Tracey and Traci Koppenhafer have begun to outline this year’s provisional class training sched-ule with some potential revisions to allow for roll-ing admission into the League year-round. Traci Koppenhafer has revised this year’s new member intake survey to include various questions that will gather demographics as well as interest informa-tion. It will also be available as an online tool for future use. Nancy Hart will be leading this year’s provisional mentoring-match program, which is designed to align new members with existing members. This program was very successful last year and will be enhanced this year to provide a smoother transition for potential members.

In order to keep provisionals involved and allow them to inter-mingle with various members, Beth Frear (nee Fetcho), Sarah Fetcho and Megan Feuz will focus their efforts on creating a wide variety of social events this year to recruit and retain members.

Thanks to all the committee members and the many other JLSS members who have participated in making our various events so successful thus far. We have a lot more to come this year and we ap-preciate the membership committee’s dedication to the League. If you have any questions, com-ments or suggestions, please contact at [email protected] or 518-810-4854.

This month’s Eager Leaguer is Nancy Hart. Nancy is one of our longest serving ac-tive members and remains engaged despite a busy family life. Nancy spearheads several activities, including the mentor program and organizing mixers. She is vital to the Membership committee and finds many new recruits. A regular at events, Nancy once climbed three flights of stairs while pregnant and with two toddlers and a giant stroller in tow to attend a General Membership Meeting. Nancy is eligible for sustainer status this year, but chose to remain an active. Her hard work and valuable experience is very appreciated by fellow Leaguers!

The Eager Leaguer is a member who has put in a little something extra that makes them extraordinary. If you know of someone whom you believe is an Eager Leaguer, we would love to hear about it and acknowledge her commitment to the League and the community. Simply send an email to [email protected]

SCHENEXUS

May Your Wishes

Come True!SeptemberAnn DiSarroElizabeth VeederStacey MidgeBelinda WagnerAnne YunickSusan ArmeniaMeredith OakesCindy PhillippeTerri LittleKatelyn GalbraithCharlotte GreenwoodLissa StempekBeth FrearJoan IpsenSara Simson

OctoberBetty Kay CullenKaren D’AscoliMary DeMasiMarilyn GibbonsAshley HarperSusan RennaMiriam PetersJoanne CoppolaPatricia KramerSally FergusonCristina HarterMary Jo Pierpont

BJ Pierce

Happy Birthday!


JLSS ~ August 2010

Eager-Leaguer Recognition

We are always looking for energetic, engaging women to join our ranks,

but September marks the beginning of the provisional year. If you know

someone who is interested in learning more about the league, please

contact Jae Tracey at [email protected] or Traci Koppenhafer at

[email protected].

Looking for New Members!

The JLSS Makes “Summer Nights” Sizzle!


SCHENEXUS JLSS ~ August 2010

On July 9, JLSS participated in the SchenectadySummer Nights event in Downtown Schenectady.An interactive basketball game with small prizes forchildren brought many attendees to our table on JayStreet. Staying true to our message of Healthy Living,we handed out reusable water bottles to visitors. Theevent drew about 10,000 people for food, music andfamily fun - capped off by a fireworks display overState Street. League volunteers distributed literatureon JLSS and held a 50/50 raffle to raise funds for ourcommunity programs. The night had great synergy,fulfilling the missions of the Community, Membershipand Ways and Means committees all at once! Manythanks the night’s volunteers: Kathy Ozimek, Patty Christensen, Traci Koppenhafer, Johanna Roche, Lisa Greig, Shannon Kelly, Julie White Eklund and Deneen Palmateer, as well as the many members who stopped by with family and friends.

Summer’s been sweet for patrons of Schenectady’s City Mission. The League has committed to donating homemade, individual desserts to the mission for Saturday meal service once a month. The program will continue through August and September. Recent volunteer bakers include Marilyn Gibbons, Shannon Kelly, BJ Pierce, Melissa Palmucci, Joanne Coppola, Freddie Anderson, Traci Kop-penhafer and Leesa Perazzo. If you would like to donate desserts for this program, please contact Joanne Coppola at [email protected].

City Mission Desserts Sweeten Life for Many

Active member Christy Potratz opened her offices to JLSS on July 13th for the League’s Board meet-ing. In correlation with the League’s commitment to training and member betterment, Christy of-fered a presentation on Social Media for the members in attendance. She detailed the bestmarketing practices using Facebook. Twitter, Foursquare and YouTube. The Communications com-mittee is working diligently to develop a greater online presence through these tools.

Sorry you missed the presentation? Or want to see it again? As part of revamped website, members will be able to view the presentation online and post comments and feedback. Stay tuned for more details and more training opportunities.

JLSS A-Twitter with New Social Media Tools

SCHENEXUS


Summer ImmerTransfer

JLSS ~ August 2010

Summer Immer is a recent JLSS transfer from Florida. She moved here with her husband, Chris, and children (son Darby, 18 months, and daughter Roxanne, 5 months). Summer is a Chicago native, moving to Florida to obtain her BA from Florida State University. Summer is a proud Sigma Kappa. She has always been active in her communities, serving on the board for several Florida woman- and family-focused non-profits. Summer joined the Junior League in 2008 and served as Chair of Marketing/Public Relations and assisted in the production of the internal newsletter. Summer is very excited to be part of our chapter, becoming more involved in her new community and making lifelong friendships.

Margaret is a recent JLSS transfer from Troy, where she was a member for 5 years and chaired the Communications and Ways and Means committees. She cur-rently serves as Deputy Director of the New York State Association of Health Care Providers, where she represents home care agencies statewide at the State Leg-islature and at State and Federal regulatory agencies. Margaret attended Albany Law School (graduating in 2002), and has an extensive history of working for both the State Assembly as a whole, and for various committees, Assemblymen and Senators. Margaret is originally from Oswego, NY, and is a 1998 graduate of Le Moyne college. Margaret currently resides in Ballston Spa with her husband, Bryan.

Margaret GormanTransfer

The Community Committee has been very active in scouting new volunteer opportunities for our members. In August, the League will be asking members to help pack and unpack items at theNortheast Regional Food Bank. We are looking to do this as a Done in a Day, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 21st. September brings our annual Apple Gleaning event at Riverview Orchards. Because the orchard lost over 80% of its crop this year due to frost, we might be seeking opportunities elsewhere.

JLSS is considering participation in the Great Pumpkin Challenge (Walk/Run) for Saratoga Bridges in October. The event is held at 9:30am on Saturday, October 23rd, and is located in the Saratoga State Park. More information is forthcoming. As we continue our reach into Saratoga County, we look to partner with CAPTAIN on upcoming volunteer events.

If you would like more information on League activities, or if you have an idea for a volunteer project, please contact Kathy Ozimek ([email protected]) or Shannon Kelly ([email protected]).

Member News and Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities A-Plenty This Fall

SCHENEXUS


JLSS ~ August 2010

This year’s Board Looks Ahead

This June, the 2010-2011 JLSS Board met to strategically discuss the upcoming year. The Leaguecontinues to grow by leaps and bounds and the Board aims to encourage programs that perpetuatesimilar growth. With an active agenda at hand, the Board quickly “got down to business.”

One of the Board’s first tasks was to assign active members to committees. Carefully considering each members’ available time and interest, the Board worked to find the right fit for each member. On the same note, the Board discussed the responsibilities of each committee and what new milestones the League can reach for each.

Many of this year’s Board members are newcomers to the JLSS Board. These members had spectacu-lar ideas for invigorating the League, and were eager to learn how to incorporate those ideas with the thoughts of more experienced Board members and the best leadership practices. Deneen Palmateer, the League’s President, facilitated workshops on servant leadership, the importance of delegation, as well as other tips and techniques for effective leadership.

One of the highlights of the Board Retreat was promoting the notions of the “League career,” as detailed by the AJLI. Tactics for this include creating a new “stay interview” and how to increase member engage-ment and retention. Placing more priority on member trainings and opportunities (many of which are available through AJLI) is something this year’s Board looks forward to exploring. The Board will actively examine the needs of the League’s members and will work throughout the year to institute new ways to meet those needs.

Other Retreat objectives included positioning the JLSS as a community leader, developing innovative problem solving techniques, and the immediate integration of provisional and new active members into the League. The past several years have produced highly engaged and motivated provisional classes. Developing ways to harness this momentum is key to maintaining new member involvement, and also helps the League start programs that will attract more provisionals.

The notions of working in depth with local leaders and continuing expansion into Saratoga County were heavily discussed at the Retreat, as they are two major goals of the League. It is important to be more inclusive to our Saratoga constituency, and make our name and mission familiar with various influencers and decision makers in that area.

Overall, the Board Retreat was very successful. The League is in good hands with Deneen back on board as our president. It was a day full of ideas, activities and excitement, and all Board members are looking forward to a very fruitful year!

For more information on the board, please see this issue’s front page. Contact information is available on the JLSS website, www.jlschenectadysaratoga.org.

SCHENEXUS


Out & About!

JLSS ~ August 2010

2nd Annual JLSS Day At The Saratoga Race TrackSunday, August 15, 2010 $40 per person

Come join fellow League members, their families and friends for a fun day at the track! This is a great way to network and get to know one another while experiencing one of the premier summertime events in our area.

We will be enjoying the day in a new location this year, as the Paddock Tent is not available. Our event will take place at the Carousel, located on the second floor of the Clubhouse and overlooking the picturesque picnic area of Saratoga Racecourse. There will be a hot and cold buffet served. The Carousel Restaurant features betting windows and numerous television monitors. Dress code is business casual. No jeans, shorts or other abbreviated wear is permitted. Men must wear collared shirts.

The cost of attendance includes Clubhouse admission, the Post Parade Program and the buffet. Note that drinks are not included in this price. Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with post time scheduled for 1 p.m.

Lunching Ladies Moves to Friday Nights!

We will be gathering together on the last Friday of each month this summer to share libations and catch up with friends. We’ll be meeting at 6:30 on the following dates:

August 27th - Bellini’s Italian Eatery - Clifton Park

September 24th - Aperitivo Bistro - Schenectady

Please RSVP by sending your check made payable to “The Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties” to PO Box 857, Schenectady, NY 12301.

Updates to the JLSS web-site are about to begin! If you have any ideas or suggestions as to items you would like to see on the website, please con-tact Deanna Fox [email protected]

Website Updates

SCHENEXUS


JLSS ~ August 2010

If you care at all, you’ll get some results. If you care enough, you’ll get incredible results - Jim Rohn

“JLSS women don’t just care: We live what we do and it shows in everything that we have accom-plished not only as an organization, but also as women!” says Deneen Palmateer, the 2010-2011 JLSS President. This thought has rung true throughout the years, and is more prevalent than ever as JLSS prepares to celebrate our 80th anniversary in the 2011-2012 year.

While our League was incorporated in 1932, our first members began working to change theircommunity in 1929. So, for more than 80 years, JLSS has been instrumental in shaping our community and driving awareness of those in need beginning with our very first project - the establishment of Family and Child Services of Schenectady, which is still operating all these years later. That is amazing!

Moving Forward While Looking Back - JLSS Gears Up for 80th Anniversary!

Most organization flounder trying to achieve this success, but our League has flourished. And how is that possible? “Because of our members and their commitment,” Deneen states. She continues, “At a recent social gathering, we were able to hear from some of our sustaining members what the Junior League has meant to them both personally and professionally. It was a very rewarding discus-sion and one that is worthy of being repeated.”

Membership co-chair Jae Tracey is initiating a historical “look back” project that will archivemementos and documents from the League’s past. We are in the process of creating a survey that each member will be asked to complete. This survey will help us detail what the League means to our members, your families and your careers. “As time passes, it is important for us to remem-ber all of you who have committed yourself to our mission,” notes Deneen. We look forward to mark-ing our 80th year of incorporation in the Association of Junior Leagues with a video andbiographical history of our League and our members. Special thanks to Ms. Deneen Palmateer for assistance with this article. Pictured in an article from the Schenectady Gazette, dat-

ed April 12, 1951, are (seated, left to right) Mrs. John E.N. Hume, Jr., Vice-President, Mrs. Helen W. George, President, and Mrs. John Howe English, Recording Secretary, as well as (standing, left to right) Mrs. William Ham, Correspond-ing Secretary, and Mrs. Robert Insley, Treasurer.

Get Involved!

August 3 JLSS Board Meeting, 5:30pm, Home of Julie White Eklund, 237 Green St., Schenectady

August 15 JLSS Day at the Track - see inside for details!

August 21 Food Packing at Northeast Regional Food Bank Time TBA

August 27 Lunching Ladies - 6:30pm-8:30pm Bellini’s Italian Eatery, Clifton Park, NY

September 24 Lunching Ladies - 6:30pm-8:30pm Aperitivo Bistro,Schenectady, NY

October 23 Tabling at the Great Pumpkin Challenge Saratoga State Park, 9:30am

P.O. Box 857 | Schenectady, NY 12301

Non-Profit OrganizationUS Postage

PAIDPermit #460

Schenectady, NY 12301

Have You Created Your Profile?

The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) has a terrific web site. If you have yet to visit, please do! www.ajli.org

Use your member number to create a profile. You can even upload a photo. It’s a great way to stay in touch with Junior League friends, make new connections and keep track of what is going on locally and nationally.

In addition, the AJLI web site is full of news, resources and inspirational stories.

Our Mission

The Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the

effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

JLSS Schenexus August-September 2010

Documents

Transcript of JLSS Schenexus August-September 2010