Junior League of Philadelphia Welcomes New Members

The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. (JLP), based in Ardmore welcomed 75 new Provisional members with a Kick-off Orientation program at the Radisson Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on September 8, 2012. Provisional Course Co-Chairs Sara Solow and Ashley Crandall hosted the event, which brought together a diverse group of emerging women leaders from around the region.

Among the topics featured during the presentation were the illustrious history of The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) and the Junior League movement, the contributions of the Philadelphia League to the city, the JLP's recently launched Apple a Day (TM) Healthy Living Initiative, and the JLP Thrift Shop and Headquarters in Ardmore. Attendees learned about famous Junior League members such as Mary Harriman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sandra Day O'Connor, Julia Child, Katharine Hepburn, Shirley Temple Black, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford, Kerri Strug, and local notable Lynn Yeakel (a past JLP President and Co-founder of Vision 2020). 

Over the course of the next year, these women will engage in a volunteer and leadership training program focused on utilizing their skills, talents, and higher education to benefit the community. They will be presented with numerous opportunities to serve on and lead committees, organize community service and fundraising efforts, and develop new programs. In addition to 'on the job' training, the League also provides its members opportunities to attend formal professional development and training seminars.

The JLP's 2012-2013 Provisional class will facilitate and implement a series of interactive special events at Smith Memorial Playground where they will volunteer with children from all across the region. They will also participate in League-wide community service days focused on combating hunger insecurity with two of our community partners, Greener Partners and Philadelphia Orchard Project, and volunteer at one of our three fundraising events: Taste of Fall (Oct 14 at Smith), Harvest Hustle 5k Race/1k Walk (Nov 4 at Suburban Square in Ardmore), and the ever popular American Girl Doll Fashion Show (March 2-3 at the Desmond Hotel in Malvern). At the conclusion of the 'League year' in May 2013, these members will graduate to 'active' status and begin rewarding second careers as full fledged, trained Junior League volunteers. 

Provisional 'Kick-off' is one of my favorite days of the year. It is a time when anything is possible, and I always enjoy meeting other women who share a common goal of improving our community and promoting women leaders. This year was no different, and it was my privilege as President-Elect to become acquainted with these amazing ladies.

As one of the featured presenters at the meeting, I reflected on my own 11 years as a Junior League member and how proud I am to be a part of an international organization that began in 1901 when a 19-year-old young woman from New York City, who lacked the right to vote simply because she was a woman, decided to recruit 80 of her female friends to address social issues facing this country. I reminded our incoming Provisional Class that there is no reward without calculated risk. These pioneering and fearless women took many risks, but they would not take "no" for an answer. They mobilized as a unit, advocated for women's rights, and fought to address the economic and educational disparities for immigrants on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Their movement took shape and soon grew wings, spreading across the United States in the decades that followed.

The Junior League of Philadelphia was one of the earliest Leagues in the country, having been founded in 1912. Over the course of the past 100 years, the JLP alone has grown to 900 members while AJLI boasts over 155,000, making it the world's largest and most effective women's leadership and volunteer organization.

I've given a great deal to the Junior League, but the Junior League has given me so much more in return. My eleven years in the Junior League have brought me countless friendships, inspiring mentors, taught me time and project management skills, and helped me realize my own potential. I've learned that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined, that I am in fact a fundraiser despite my claims to the contrary, and that there are instances when the best course of action is to trust my teammates and ask for assistance. Even in this day of social media and global cooperation, there is something to be said for calling a few of your closest friends to join together and make change happen. It does not take much to make a lasting impact; you just need a Junior Leaguer on your side.

The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective leadership and action of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Philadelphia is a registered 501(c)(3) non profit organization. 

The JLP is still accepting new members through the end of September. Membership is open to all women age 19 or older who either reside or work in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.