ISSUE 1 | FALL 2021
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME IN THIS ISSUE • President’s Welcome • Committee Briefs • 100 Year Anniversary Projects • Holiday Shoppes News • Congratulations • New Member Events • Sustainer Updates • Book Club Dates
MARK YOUR CALENDARS 09/14: September GMM and Mix and Mingle Meetup • 6:00pm Social • 6:30 Meeting Starts • Mix & Mingle -Following GMM 10/12: October GMM • 6:00pm Social • 6:30 Meeting Starts 11/12: Holiday Shoppes • November 12-14 • Back at NYS Fairgrounds! Check the member’s website for full registration and event details.
Hello and welcome to the 20212022 League year! Let me start by introducing myself: I am Amanda Perrine, the 2021-2023 Junior League of Syracuse president. This is my 6th active year in the League and I have been at all levels of the Membership Council as well as on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and in the book club. This year I am also leading the Holiday Shoppes Task Force. I am the branch manager at Soule Branch Library and spend any time not at work or at JLS events with my friends, reading, traveling, tracing my family tree, and exploring the world with my husband, Aaron, and son, Julian. As we begin our new strategic plan, which is approved for 2021-2026, I am looking forward to a successful start to our next 100 years. I know our Centennial League year was not what we all had imagined it would be, but I also know that members continued to work hard on all councils and committees and we accomplished more than we may have thought possible at the end of the 20192020 League year. After the past almost year and a half, I hope that we are able to come back together and get to know each other again while also using this year to decide what we have missed and what we are happy changing or getting rid of. This year I am most excited by the prospect of in-person meetings and events. We began in-person Board meetings in June and plan to have GMMs and other meetings and events in a hybrid
model (in-person or virtual, depending on your comfort level and state and local guidance). I’m also looking forward to our 25th in-person Holiday Shoppes, and, at long last, our Centennial Celebration this June! Additionally, AJLI has created a potential new mission statement: Connecting women, cultivating leadership and collaborating with communities for meaningful impact. We will be discussing this in depth at the November GMM and I will give your feedback to AJLI. AJLI is celebrating their Centennial this year and, with their new CEO, is looking to update the image of the League. I am honored to be part of the JLS Leadership team. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me by phone, text, or email. I look forward to seeing you, virtually or in-person, this fall at one of our many events!
Amanda Perrine
President
The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 1
NEW BOARD MEMBERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRS We are pleased to welcome in our new Board Members, VPs, and Committee Chairs for the year. You may notice a couple changes to the org chart beginning this year. We have officially begun to reimagine our leadership into a Governance and Management Team.
This is reflected in the Org Chart for this year. We will be meeting separately beginning in October and hope that this brings a positive change for our organization. Additionally, we have made a couple changes to the names of some of our committees. You will notice that our former PR Committee is now our Marketing Committee, and they have combined many of the former Communications positions into one committee. As well, we have added a new Visual Identity Chair who will be responsible for all of the amazing graphics that we need throughout the year. On the Membership side, we have also renamed Education and Training to Member Education and Engagement. We believe these changes better reflect our current membership and committee duties. We are excited for the year ahead with these changes, and look forward to continued growth!
Kate Zwecker
Executive Vice President
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 2021-2022
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF
SYRACUSE GOVERNANCE BOARD
PRESIDENT Amanda Perrine
PRESIDENT-ELECT
TREASURER
SECRETARY
EXECUTIVE VP
Name
Nicole Davis
Holly Scrano
Kate Zwecker
MEMBER(S) AT LARGE
SUSTAINER DIRECTOR(S)
NOMINATING DIRECTOR
Name
Cheryl Ward
Susan Shubmehl
NOMINATING ADVISORS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
2020-2022
Name
Rea Carver Casey Duffy 2021-2023 Julie Garcia Jennie Junta Francesca Neiley
MANAGEMENT TEAM
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Kate Zwecker
COMMUNICATIONS VICE PRESIDENT
COMMUNITY VICE PRESIDENT
FUND DEVELOPMENT VICE PRESIDENT
MEMBERSHIP VICE PRESIDENT
Katina Karl
Season Seferyn
Jen Baker
Julia Kane
Visual Identity Chair
Marketing Chair
Heather Wallace
Emily Holdorf
Community Collaborations Chair Camille Marcotte
Public Policy Chair
Holiday Shoppes Chair
Jessica Pease
Name
AD HOC COMMITTEE
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI)
100 YEAR PROJECTS
2 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021
Fund Development Chair Jill Grant
AD HOC COMMITTEE
CENTENNIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Member Education & Engagement Michelle McGillivray Vicky Wejko
New Member Recruitment & Development Chair Maeve Lanning
AD HOC COMMITTEE
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
MEMBERSHIP UPDATES New Member Recruitment: Membership will be recruiting members for both a Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 class again this year. Our Fall 2021 Class will begin in the middle of September and run through December when our new members will be voted into the league! Maeve Lanning will be running New Member Recruitment and Training. Please contact us at membership@jlsyracuse.org if you want more information about membership or know someone who is interested in joining the league!
CONGRATULATIONS! Congrats to Amanda Perrine and Jen Baker for being named to the CNY Business Journal 40 Under 40 awards for 2021! Congrats to Amanda Richie Terzian who competed in the Mrs. New York Pageant in July and was awarded Mrs. Congeniality! Congrats to Carolyn Souser who won the election to the Jamesville DeWitt School Board! Congrats to Aminy Audi who is the honoree for the 2021 Crouse Health Tribute Evening Gala! Aminy and her family have been long-time supporters of Crouse Health as well as numerous other community endeavors. In particular, Aminy has served as the Crouse Health Tribute Evening General Chair and Community Committee Chair. Thank you to Michelle McGillivray, Lynne HamiltonJohnson, and Season Seferyn for your work on the AccessCNY 100th year project. Due to that project, the JLS will be recognized as an AccessCNY torchbearer for their upcoming AccessToday awards dinner! The award is honoring individuals and organizations who pushed our community to be safer, more compassionate and more equitable even in the midst of a pandemic. Welcome Tana Heer and Katherine Stewart to the Junior League of Syracuse! Tana is a transfer from the DC League and Katherine from the NYC League.
Member Engagement and Education: Member Education and Training is now called Member Engagement and Education, and that is our hope for the year! Michelle McGillivray and Victoria Wejko hope to lead the year by having us get to know each other a little better and by having meaningful GMMs which each have a take away!
Congratulations to Violetta Raddell on the birth of her daughter Aria Rose! Congratulations and thank you to all the Sustainers who agreed to take on responsibilities for the upcoming year! In Appreciation Sincere thanks to everyone involved in my selection for the 2021 Mary Harriman Award…I am truly honored! Barb Stratton
FAREWELLS
Mark your calendars now, as there will not be sectionals this year, which means there will be a February GMM. In place of sectionals we plan to have larger quarterly social events which friends and family can take part in!
Goodbye to Heather Russell, she and her husband will be moving to North Carolina and she will be joining the Winston-Salem League!
Julia Kane
Goodbye to Liz Lane who has moved to Long Island and will be joining the League there!
VP of Membership
Goodbye to Audra Mueller, she and her family moved to Texas and she will be joining the Austin League!
Goodbye to sustainer Peggy Howard who has moved to Georgia and has joined the Savannah League! The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 3
2021 HOLIDAY SHOPPES NEWS The Junior League of Syracuse will be hosting our 26th annual Holiday Shoppes, celebrating our 25th in-person event, this year November 12-14 at the New York State Fairgrounds. Planning for this year’s event began with an ad-hoc committee of former Holiday Shoppes committee chairs, sustainers, and activities and has continued with a task force, rather than the usual committee.
guidelines based on guidance from Onondaga County, NYS, and the Fair throughout this entire process and will comply with any guidance that is being We have made changes to make administered. For any questions processes easier and more on Holiday Shoppes this year, efficient for our members and please contact Amanda Perrine. merchants. We are looking to welcome back our favorite merchants as well as welcome many new merchants! At this President writing, we have had multiple meetings and look forward to bringing all of our ideas to the membership at the September GMM! the best event we can in order to allow the League to continue its mission of training women and improving the community.
Amanda Perrine
Thank you to all members who have served on one or both of these groups! The task force is focused on the health and safety Please also keep an eye on of our members, merchants, and email blasts for updates. We attendees, as well as offering will continue to reassess safety
JLS MEMBER AWARDS 2020 - 2021 The League Cup In-League Award New Member Award Presented to a League Presented to a member(s) for Presented to a member(s) with member who has dedicated outstanding contributions to one to three years of League an extraordinary amount of committee work. experience for their dedication volunteer time both in the to our League and to the Awarded to: League and in our community. community. Julie Palmer This member has actively participated in committee work Jessica Pease Awarded to: and spent many volunteer hours Kimber Doolittle in the community. Michelle McGillivray Awarded to: Anna O’Neil
Congrats to all the winners!
4 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021
FUND DEVELOPMENT UPDATES
Fund Development and Holiday Shoppes would like to thank two new sponsors for this upcoming year: Price Chopper / Market 32 Holiday Inn Express Syracuse / Fairgrounds
Price Chopper and Market 32 will have tickets on sale starting in October for Holiday Shoppes. They will also help promote our event to their customers! The Holiday Inn Express provided a generous discount to our merchants who are traveling for Holiday Shoppes and need to stay for the weekend. We are very excited that both are supporting the League with over $5000 through in-kind gifts!
In addition to sponsorships, the League was awarded 2 grants totaling $10,000! These funds are designated for support of the Cooking and Writing Workshop for children ages 12 and under in the refugee population. The workshop is a bi-weekly skills based program providing children an opportunity to plan, prepare, and cook nutritious meals and create a book of their very own to keep. The Boeheim Foundation awarded JLS $5,000.00 in June. The Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation issued its first grant in the Fall of 2010. Over the past ten years, $5.4 million dollars in the form of 650 grants have been awarded to 226 unique 501c3 organizations. The League is grateful to be awarded this grant and have the money go directly back to the Syracuse community. The Women’s Fund of Central New York provided a grant for $5,000 in July. Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive. It is the largest charitable foundation in Central New York with assets of more than $366 million and has invested more than $230 million in community improvement projects since its inception. As a grantmaker, civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the region and address the most critical issues of our time. Their partnership with the League has benefited us in various ways throughout the years. The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 5
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
This summer the DEI Task Force completed work associated with the AJLI Accelerator Fund grant awarded to the JLS in March 2021. In addition to the all-member education opportunity offered at the May 2021 GMM, Accelerator Fund grant funding was utilized to purchase books for the JLS’ Little Free Libraries built and stocked by the League. The book selections were titles included in the 2021 edition of the Syracuse Citywide Book Club, appropriate for all ages to explore topics relating to diversity and civic engagement.
We are starting this league year on a new and uncertain foot. With the resignation of Andrew Cuomo, it is another reminder of the inequality that women struggle against daily.
“Diversity is a fact, inclusion is an action, and belonging is an outcome.”
Our focus this fall will be on continuing our efforts on the Adult Survivor Act. It passed in the Senate before last session ended; however, it was not brought to the floor of the Assembly. We will be creating a plan of attack to hopefully get this bill finally passed and get pathway to justice for the adult survivors of sexual assault. With everything going on in the world there has been a lack of focus on woman’s issues, NYSPAC will be working on focusing on bringing awareness to 3 areas: economic empowerment, women’s health, and violence against women.
- AJLI CEO Patsy Doerr, in AJLI update video “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy”
Finally, this summer AJLI announced the release of the Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategic Plan. Included in AJLI’s June All Member Email is a short video with AJLI CEO Patsy Doerr, in which Patsy discusses the process used to develop AJLI’s DEIB plan - including establishing a governance model, continuing to offer tools and resources for Leagues and members, and building the DEIB strategic framework - and the importance of belonging to organizations. If you haven’t yet had an opportunity to review the plan or watch the video with Patsy, check out the links below: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Strategic Plan: ajli.org/?nd=deib_strategy AJLI Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Strategy, with AJLI CEO Patsy Doerr: 1901.ajli.org
Jessica Murray DEI Task Force Chair
6 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021
The result is that we have the installation of Governor Hochul, New York State’s first female governor in state history. She has been a champion for women’s health and empowerment, and will hopefully prove a strong ally for the Junior League and our mission. This year we have a full docket of bills that we will be advocating for.
For more information on the advocacy efforts follow NYSPAC on Facebook and Twitter or contact Jessica Pease.
Jessica Pease Public Policy Chair
SUSTAINER NEWS I want to start off with a salute to last year’s Sustainer VPs, Donna Hamilton and Janet Berman They had a tough year with COVID in full strength but managed to provide a variety of opportunities for Sustainers. Well done! Next, congratulations go out to Janet Berman for being our Sustainer of the Year. Last, but certainly not least, the Mary Harriman Award presented to Barbara Stratton was a well-deserved and fitting recognition of a long standing loyal Junior Leaguer. We are off and running with Sustainer activities: • Our first R&R took place on August 28 at The Chop House on Waring. Long time R&R supporters Barb Stratton and Mary Richardson stepped up as hosts. • Next up is the Annual Golf & Dinner Outing on September 20rd at Drumlins Country Club. Golfing is optional but socializing is not. We send our thanks to Susan Cronin and Anne Miller for again coordinating this very popular event. • October will bring us to Skaneateles for an R&R. Date is TBA. This one will be hosted by Michelle Alexander, Diane Steckel & Mary Bradly. • There are some other things in the works for upcoming months but nothing concrete at this time. • The very popular December Pie Baking is “iffy.” I spoke to Sheila Corbishley who has been coordinating this event since its start. She tells me that she doesn’t know at this time if Blessed Sacrament School will be open to having non-school gatherings. She assures me that at soon as she knows we’ll know. Let’s hope for the best! Please keep checking your email for more information on the upcoming events. I am not sure at this time what the protocol will be regarding COVID but I want to assure you that all precautions will be taken and rules will be followed when planning these gatherings. I hope that I will see you at one of our upcoming activities.I am always looking for input on what you would like to do, see, or share for this League year.
Cheryl Ward Sustainer VP
The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 7
100TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT UPDATES As everyone knows, our 100th year as a league was certainly memorable and made it impossible to follow through with the plan we had. In true JLS style, we found great ways to still pull off our projects and make it work!
Update: On Point for College May 2020 Andrea Marshall - Director of Development for On Point, was scheduled to speak at our May GMM. Cancelled due to COVID. June 2020 We donated the promised $5,000 to On Point to purchase refurbished computers for students who will be attending college virtually in the fall. April 18, 2021 Drive thru donation drop off - 14 members participated by dropping off school supplies to help fill backpacks On Point gives to students each fall. July 1, 2021 10 JLS members and guests filled 175 backpacks. Students arrived every 15 mins to pick up backpacks and dorm room supplies. August 9, 2021 Sam Rowser - Executive Director of On Point spoke to the members in-attendance about On Point’s mission and outreach. Sam and Theresa Hadlich Office Manager, thanked us for all our help!! 14 JLS members and guests filled 100 backpacks, bagged 50 towel sets, and counted and filled bags with masks.
8 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021
100TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT UPDATES (CONT.) Update: Rescue Mission Youth Shelter
As everyone knows from earlier NOTES editions, the bulk of the physical work that we did for this project in readying the kitchen and dining space was completed in January 2020. With the pandemic causing many delays, they recently purchased the furniture for the dining space. In addition, they had the state come by and look at the facility, and things are progressing. However, due to everything being out of synch from the pandemic, the state is behind on their end, so the Rescue Mission is now thinking opening will be in early 2022. They will be having at least one preview event prior to the opening and stated that they would love to have the Junior League involved. Stay tuned!
Update: PEACE, Inc
Finished Kitchen Remodel
Currently in talks to attempt to complete in October 2021; tentative only.
Update: Nascentia Health
Currently in talks – COVID is still driving cleaning supply costs up and is making it difficult to volunteer for projects with our elderly.
Update: Boys and Girls Club
If you remember, this project was started in March of 2020, right before everything shut down. The major culminating event, though, had to be cancelled at the time. This project has been pushed to 2022. The SMART Girls on the GO! group is going to be starting up again in the Fall of 2021 and we plan on moving this project to one of the Boys and Girls Clubs locations in the first part of 2022!
Season Seferyn
Community VP
MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES...
The whole sandwich crew Sandwich Making Fun!
Salt City Farm in August The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 9
CELEBRATING OUR 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
2020-2021
$40, 000
784 VALUED AT
INVESTED INTO OUR SIGNATURE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PROJECTS
26
$22,273
Sept 2020-August 2021
9
MONTHLY MEMBER
EVENTS
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Sept 2020-August 2021
THROUGH GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
$18,000 IN GRANTS TO MOVE OUR MISSION & VISION FORWARD
BUILT
7
LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES
$50,000
INVESTED INTO 100TH ANNIVERSARY
10
MEMBERS TRAINED
THROUGH AJLI WINTER LEADERSHIP
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The Junior League of Syracuse is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
www.jlsyracuse.org 10 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021
BOARD BRIEFS July 2021 • Management Operations ° Filling Office Coordinator Position ° Establish Meeting Dates for the Year ° Leadership Training Follow-Up ° Procedures for Transfers, Dues ° Approval of 2021-2022 Budget • Membership ° Buying Microphone for Zoom GMMs ° Slides for GMMs • Fund Development ° Streamlining Grant Process with new Form ° Holiday Shoppes RaffleTickets • Communications ° Email Blasts will be Bi-Weekly ° Best uses of Text app ° Create a Form for Campaigns ° Communications with Sustainers • Community ° Awarded Boeheim Grant for $5000 for B&G Club Project ° Will be looking for Grant from Salt City & Community Foundation • Nominating ° Ad-Hoc for Centennial Scholarship- Place a Chair ° Change Two Committee Names: - Education and Training ---> Member Education and Engagement - Member Recruitment and Development ---> New Member Recruitment and Development • Holiday Shoppes ° Establish Task Force for 2021 ° Draft a Letter for Inform Membership about Holiday Shoppes
BOOK CLUB
August 2021 • Management Operations ° Approve Job Description for Office Manage ° Establish Interview team ° Establishing Chair Reports ° Board Report Changes ° Covid Updates at CNY Philanthropy Center ° Strategic Plan- Everyone is aware ° Policy Committee Updates • Membership ° Adding back in February GMM ° New format for SectionalsBigger Events throughout the year instead of one week • Fund Development ° 26 Vendors so Far for HS ° Working on Recruiting New Vendors • Communications ° Wednesday is deadline for Email Blasts ° New lead time for Communications Requests ° Holiday Shoppes Advertising for Merchants • Community ° Final Week of On Point Project ° August Sandwich Making Event • Nominating ° Meeting to slate open positions (Asst Treasurer, PE) ° Please email all Committee Meeting Minutes • DEI ° New Members have Joined ° Update and Survey to all members soon • Holiday Shoppes ° Merchant Prospects
The JLS Book Club is excited for the 2021-2022 selections, and everyone is welcome to join regardless of whether you have read the book. We will be determining the host/location for each discussion, so stay tuned. Any questions, please contact Anna O’Neil.
Anna O’Neil
Book Club Chair
UPCOMING MEETINGS: September 23, 2021 Know My Name by Chanel Miller
November 18, 2021 Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021 | 11
431 E Fayette St ¥ Suite 225 ¥ Syracuse, NY 13202 OFFICE: 315.423.9773 ¥ FAX: 315.471.1464 office@jlsyracuse.org ¥ JLSyracuse.org
Get Social With Us!
Visit JLSyracuse.org for direct links.
MISSION: The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. (JLS) 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. VISION: The JLS will be an organization of diverse women committed to enriching the quality of life for women, children and their families in the Central New York community. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT: The JLS welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities. 12 | The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • Fall 2021