General Membership Meeting Minutes for November 19, 2008
A General Membership Meeting of the Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills was called to order by President Sandy Loprete at approximately 7:45 p.m. in the Women’s Club of Maplewood.
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
Introduced our 19 new provisionals for 2008-09.
Minutes for the September General Membership Meeting and the October Small Group Meetings were approved.
Sandy taped an episode of One-on-One with Steve Adubado, which has a viewership of 9 million, to discuss JLOSH and The Littlest Volunteer. Will air on Dec. 9 at 5:30 on Comcast’s CN8 network.
COMMUNITY
CBI – new partnership with Family Intervention Services, a facility in South Orange founded by former WOV Jeanne Warnock. Mentoring four young women ages 15-19. Recently the committee took the girls to the Visual Arts Center in Summit for a pottery making class. On Dec. 10, the group will visit Kings for a demonstration in its Cooking Studio. The committee is considering conducting another “Aging-out Workshop” with Child Advocacy Clinic. The first Workshop included a college and job fair with local schools and employers, preceded by an information fair on aging-out of the foster care system. This event may be a possible DIAD in March.
Working with SPAC to address issues surrounding DYFS and foster care. May possibly offer local DYFS office tickets to JLOSH Family Theater Fundraiser, James and the Giant Peach.
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER VICKI CLARK
JLOSH is moving toward 100 years of volunteering. We have been impactful in our community. What does it mean to have an “impact?” We are impacting our community, our partners and two generations of volunteers: this generation and the next generation of volunteers. Everything that we do, from public relations to community to sustainer activities, has an impact.
There are four basic ways to make an impact:
Direct Service: Done in a Day events, hands-on work in the community
Indirect Service: giving grants, work to help people in the community through a partner organization by donation our volunteer service, money or goods.
Capacity Building: building Junior’s Closet or Junior’s Room
Advocacy: SPAC
The membership broke into groups to draft, in “layman’s terms,” a description what we do to impact our community. Couldn’t use esoteric words or descriptors such as DIAD, Junior’s Closet, Save Haven, etc…Upon completion, the descriptions were posted on the walls of the meeting room. Members noted that the descriptions helped to visualize our impact; it was hard to describe our work in real terms, but it personalized the history and experience; had a “wow” impact on new members; by describing the work without terms like DIAD, the work seemed more inclusive – didn’t segregate particular members or committees.
Vicki reminded us that “we are not our placement. Everybody’s job is not a requirement, but an opportunity.” We are all one community and we are all impacted by what’s going on in it. To be a happy member and a happy league, know yourself, your mission and your vision. Step outside your comfort zone to learn new things; that every member’s contribution – from fundraising to community to administration – is a means to an end.
FUNDRAISING
Will host three fundraising events in December: a shopping event at Pierre Deux on Dec. 4, a shopping event at Barnes & Noble in Livingston Mall on Dec. 6and gift wrapping for $ donations at Barnes & Noble in Livingston Mall on Dec. 13.
Open meeting on November 24, 7:30 p.m., at JLOSH building to select Women of Vision Community Service Award honorees.