Junior League of Monmouth County 2014-2015 #Sparkle #DreamBig

Lazy days of summer already seem far off as I run around frantically trying to find a non-fiction book my son will read at school and a PWTII-34 calculator that my 7th grader needs, needs to have on the first day. But just the other day on the way home from the beach at the end of a truly perfect summer day, my 7 year old asked my advice about a fundraiser she thought we should organize. Her idea what pretty good, but what struck me of course was how she got to be thinking about fundraisers and who were we raising funds for? I posed the question and she told me that there is always someone who needs help and there is always some way even one person can give that help. Truer words never spoken! I asked how she knew this and after a short silence she told me that I was the reason she knew this. That volunteers at the Junior League figure out what is not ok and think of how to make it better.

OK, I don’t take much credit for my kids’ accomplishments – they belong to them. And I certainly don’t want to carry the blame for all of the mess ups. But at that moment I admit I felt I had done something right! My actions as a volunteer were impacting not only the community, but my small “village” as well.

It is a bit of a cliché’ but after I had my three children I did wonder what else I could take on. I wasn’t looking for a new hobby, but something in the public realm where I could use my skills, be an effective volunteer with the limited time I had and truly and measurably impact those most in need in my community. I didn’t want my small contribution to be lost at sea. I found out more about the Junior League of Monmouth County as an organization dedicated to voluntarism, training effective volunteers and having a positive impact where we live through the actions of volunteers. I jumped in six years ago and I am still absolutely captivated by the best the league has to offer its members and what we consistently offer our community through trained and effective voluntarism that creates lasting connections with our community every day. What started out as a way to spend a little time away from my home responsibilities has created a strong foundation of voluntarism in my house with knowledge of its importance in every life and an enthusiasm for understanding the power of one action, one connection with one person and what kind of impact that can have. Making connections, encouraging success, inspiring others and ourselves by our effectiveness, and our responsiveness to our community - this is our impact. This is the Junior League. I am a member and volunteer because the Junior League utilizes my skills, trains me to develop new ones, gives me the tools to positively impact and allows me the opportunities to make connections with my community.

The Junior League is a place where you can learn what you don’t know, utilize what you do and lead in change. Where voluntarism is sacred, your time is valuable and effectively utilized and your success is measurable.

What I told my 7 year old is that the opportunities to help others are vast, so dream big and let’s plan that fundraiser.

-Deborah Petrone

Member of the Junior League

JLMC 2014-2015 President

The Junior League of Monmouth County (JLMC) membership has a wide range of backgrounds, interests and professional pursuits. They all share an interest in and a commitment to voluntarism. Each member has her own personal story of how the JLMC has made a difference. The JLMC is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The JLMC focuses on facilitating the empowerment of girls to become confident women.