Framework of Effective Leadership for Community Impact

Within the AJLI‘s (The Association of Junior Leagues International) Roadmap for the Future of Junior Leagues, their Strategic Plan has created a vigorous program aimed at developing women as community and civic leaders who create community impact. They are calling this program the Framework of Effective Leadership for Community Impact. The Framework clarifies The Junior Leagues' approach to community and civic leadership development and the lasting and meaningful impact the Leagues are able to achieve in their communities. It is designed to reflect the Junior League experience and how it supports enduring community impact through the development of contemporary women as an exceptional community leadership force. The Framework also illustrates how, through The Junior League, women have a place to deepen their understanding of the issues challenging communities, acquire and sharpen skills to address those issues and share with their communities and other women in The Junior League network. It also illustrates how the Junior League Mission and Vision are fulfilled.

Through the Framework, members will learn from ALJI experts and one another. The Framework was intentionally created as a collaboration between AJLI and individual Leagues to support personalized member development at every stage of ability and level of engagement, while cultivating a vibrant network of Junior Leagues. Success in doing this will yield sustainable, high-impact programming created by a steady stream of effective, female leaders who will ensure improvements to our world for decades to come.

The Framework is the first step in creating a new development program that will be broader than the traditional model of a course curriculum and will be offered via webinars and self-paced online courses. This new learning platform is an exciting step in our Roadmap journey that will better support what makes Junior Leagues unique.

Alice Gardner-Boreta
President - Junior League of Calgary

For further information you can access the Framework in the Strategic Planning Process section at http://www.ajli.org.

JL Calgary Blog Featured in AJLI Conference Workshop!

Every AJLI Conference, as part of its training mission, offers attendees many interesting and informative workshops on various aspects of League organization and management.  At this past Annual Conference on May 12-14th, 2011 in Philadelphia, Susan Chavez, AJLI Consultant, Marketing & Communications, presented a workshop entitled "Social Media 201: Advanced Tips and Strategies".  In the section on "Blogging" she used the JL Calgary’s blog as one of her three "Case Studies".

It was an honour for our League to be so featured, and we are grateful to have been recognized for our blog!

JLC Bestows Three Bursary Awards!

Three young women affiliated with Highbanks Society received Bursary Awards from the Junior League of Calgary at the Annual Celebration Dinner. The three recipients, Cheylynn Bell, Yesenia Cardona and Rain Wondrasek, were awarded $2000, $1000 and $1000 respectively to assist with their education tuition expenses.

To apply each woman submitted an application outlining her educational, employment and volunteer history. Two references provided information in support of her application, and the applicant submitted a brief essay on why she should be awarded the JLC Bursary Award.

Members of the Program Planning Group for Highbanks Society (MUM Program) with the JLC Bursary Award recipients: (Back L to R) Donna Fan, Marie Starich, Cecilia de la Rocha, Stephanie Schoenberg and Deb Vanderberg; (Seated L to R): Yesenia Cardona, Rain Wondrasek and Cheylynn Bell

Cecilia de la Rocha, Executive Director, Stephanie Schoenberg, Community Coordinator, and Bette Mitchell, Founder and President of the 2010-2011 Board of Directors of Highbanks Society, were present for the awards.

JLC Receives Community Spirit Grant

For the third year in a row the Junior League of Calgary has been successful in our application to Alberta‘s Community Spirit Donation Grant Program. The League recently received a 2010 Community Spirit Grant award of $13,362!

The Province of Alberta established the Community Spirit Donation Grant Program to encourage cash donations to qualified organizations by individual Albertans. Our 2010 grant was based on individual donations from members and supporters received from June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010. This year‘s program matched our first $10,000 in donations at 90% and the balance at 55%.

Many thanks to all who have given generously to the JLC – with this program your donations have accomplished even more. The extension of the Community Spirit Grant Program beyond its original three years (2008-2010) was recently announced and we look forward to benefiting from the program in the future!

JLC Community Impact for 2010-2011 Celebrated at Annual Dinner!

Our Issue Area of "Healthy and Active Living" was our guide to successfully promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving our community during the 2010-2011 program year. We delivered over 2,600 volunteer hours. We impacted over 3,000 youth and 120 families.

HIGHBANKS SOCIETY is a residential agency that offers a safe home to single mothers between the ages of 16 and 24 and their children while the mothers complete their high school or post-secondary program and create a career path. Cecilia de la Rocha, Executive Director, Stephanie Schoenberg, Community Coordinator and Bette Mitchell, Founder and current President of the Board of Directors, attended the Celebration Dinner.

The Program Planning Group for Highbanks Society developed and implemented a program that benefits the mothers and children residing at Highbanks. The name of the program is "MUM", which stands for "Moms U Matter", and it targets the key issues of food preparation, meal planning, healthy eating, kitchen safety and food budgeting. We implemented eight MUM sessions between September and May at the Co-op Downtown Market kitchen; the Co-op location was required because the Highbanks Society facility was being remodelled. We look forward to refining the scope and components of the MUM program, running it in Highbanks’ new kitchen, which will be completed in June, and moving into the second year of program delivery.

One of the programs under the umbrella of the Children’s Cottage Society is BRENDA’S HOUSE. Brenda’s House is a re-housing program with a sheltering component aimed at supporting families toward independence and their own sustainable housing. Brenda’s House opened on February 1, 2009 and has served over 317 families. Joining us from Brenda’s House at our Celebration Dinner were Angela Hutchinson, Program Manager and Michelle Louisy, Child Development Team Lead and Patty Kilgallon, Executive Director of the Children’s Cottage Society.

Michelle Louisy (L) and Angela Hutchinson with Brenda’s House

The Program Planning Group for Brenda’s House developed a program that benefits the children and parents at Brenda’s House. The "Treasure Trunk" program targets key issues of nutrition and healthy eating (Kids in the Kitchen), literacy (Kids in the Story), music and movement (Kids in Motion and Music), the arts ( Kids in the Arts) and reading to babies (Babies in the Story). We implemented 15 sessions of Treasure Trunk between September and May. We look forward to refining the scope and components of Treasure Trunk as we move into the second year of program delivery.

The Fall Provisional Class members were given the opportunity to implement our eighth year of creating Teen Totes. Under the guidance of their advisors, class members planned and implemented the Holiday Tote Bags for 300 Calgary teens. The bags were distributed in December through the Alex Youth Health Centre and Calgary Community Resource Centres.

The Winter Provisional Class members learned about the JLC by implementing the sixth annual Kids in the Kitchen event. Advisors guided class members through all the components of a JLC project. The KITK program and accompanying Tote Bags were delivered to 175 grades four, five and six students at Cambrian Heights School on May 3.

In March, the JLC participated in Safety Expo at City Hall, demonstrating Kitchen Safety techniques at our double-wide booth, providing JLC members with the opportunity to impact over 2,500 students at this two-day event.

Check out this youTube video to see more highlights from the 2010-2011 year.   

• In the 2011-2012 JLC year, Community Impact program components will include: Treasure Trunk at Brenda’s House, which will start at a later time on Wednesday evenings;

• MUM program being delivered at the new Highbanks Society kitchen on Tuesdays and Thursdays;

•  Fall Provisional Class creating Teen Totes;

• Safety Expo on March 14-15, 2012;

•  Winter Provisional Class implementing KITK on May 1, 2012 at Rundle School in NE Calgary;

•  A Future Program Planning Group starting to explore new Community Impact opportunities within our Issue Area.

Thank you to our Kids in the Kitchen Sponsors!

We would like to give a special thank you to our extraordinary guests and generous Calgary sponsors who supported the 2011 Kids in the Kitchen event.  It wouldn't have been possible without you!

• BMO Bank of Montreal’s Volunteer Grants Program - for their $1200 donation in support of our Kids in the Kitchen program.

• Chef Will Kwong - for donating his time and food to this event.

• Dr. Emily Roback and Natalie Wynn-Dempsey - for donating their time and energy to encouraging active lifestyles.

• Booster Juice - for donating ―2 for 1 Smoothie coupons.

• Calgary Board of Education - for donating Food Frisbees to educate our kids about serving portions and food groups.

• City of Calgary Recreation Department - for donating a 20% discount on Family Swim Passes.

• Health Canada, Alberta Health & Wellness and Alberta Milk - for donating various brochures to educate students on healthy food choices for life.

• Safeway - for donating gift cards which purchased supplies for the event.

• Scholar’s Choice - for donating the reusable tote bags that held the recipes, nutrition information and healthy and active living gifts for each student to take home.

• Sorrenti’s Catering - for donating the lunch for the JLC volunteers working at the event.

• SportChek - for donating shoelaces so each student would have new laces for their shoes.

Passing of JLC Sustainer Sydney Turner

SYDNEY TURNER - July 10, 1922 – June 11, 2011
It is with great sadness that we must inform you of the passing of long-time JLC member Sydney Turner. Sydney joined the JLC in 1950, and served on many committees during her 61 years of dedicated and loyal membership in our organization. To honour Sydney’s many years of volunteer work, in 1986 the Sydney Turner Sustainer Award was created to recognize members of the JLC whose efforts went above and beyond the expectations of a sustaining member. Her kindness, generosity, humour and style will be greatly missed by us all.

Sydney with her daughter, Susan, addresses JLC members at the 2011 Annual Celebration Dinner

For Sydney’s official obituary please see the Calgary Herald, June 14 edition or visit their website at www.calgaryherald.com.

Cambrian Heights Students Learn About Healthy Food and Active Lifestyle Choices Through Kids in the Kitchen

On May 3 the Junior League of Calgary hosted its 6th annual Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) event at Cambrian Heights School for over 175 students in grades four, five and six.   KITK is a fast-paced educational program that aims to inspire children to make healthy food choices and active lifestyle decisions. 



The morning and afternoon sessions allowed children to explore four separate learning areas: food preparation, creative dance and exercise, the Mission Nutrition Lab and a Food Group relay race. "I think the Food Relay was an excellent activity",  commented Rosemarie, a teacher at the school. "The students are learning about nutrition and the Food Guide as well as being very active. It fits the Healthy and Active Living theme perfectly!"   Principal Bonnie Bilcox stated "The opportunity you provided for the students was wonderful. Thank you for selecting our school for your program!"

Two fitness instructors, Dr. Emily Roback and Natalie Wynn-Dempsey, led students in moving and grooving to Hip-Hop and African-themed music in the gym.  Chef Will Kwong, Executive Chef, Premium Seating, Calgary Stampede, dazzled the students with his culinary skills and healthy recipes.
In the Mission Nutrition Lab, students participated in four interactive learning stations:

• Station 1 - Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide: Teaches the number of servings and serving sizes of each of the four food groups required each day for a healthy eating pattern. It uses a hockey puck to demonstrate some portion sizes.

• Station 2 - Rate Your Breakfast Cereals: Teaches how to read labels to make healthier food choices and what nutrients to look for when comparing breakfast cereals.

• Station 3 - Quench Your Thirst: Teaches the importance of making healthy drink choices. The station shows the amount of sugar in common beverage choices using sugar cubes.

• Station 4 Fast Foods: Teaches how to make healthier fast food choices by comparing the fat content of common meal selections, including "super sized" versus "regular sized" meals.

The impact of this day was felt not only by the kids but by our volunteers. "I was in the Mission Nutrition Lab in the afternoon where there seemed to be a lot of kids surprised about just how much sugar is in pop and how much fat is infast-food," commented Jessie Seymour. "Overall I feel that the different stations really had an impact on the kids (and the teachers)."  When one class was asked "What are the alternatives to fast food?" a grade 6 student piped up and said "slow food", which got quite a chuckle from everyone.

At the end of the fun day each student received a certificate for completing the program and a reusable tote bag full of recipes, nutrition bars, a Frisbee, a Booster Juice coupon, a pair of shoelaces, a hockey puck, a tennis ball, a KITK measuring cup, a Canada Food Guide booklet, a Smoothie Cookbook and the Healthy Eating and Active Living booklet to continue their learning at home.  Three copies of the Junior Leagues‘ In the Kitchen with Kids: Everyday Recipes & Activities for Healthy Living cookbooks were donated to the Cambrian Heights School library for the use of all the students and staff. A cheque for $100.00 was also donated to the school, which they will use in those school programs that support healthy life styles.

JLC mentioned on Volunteer Calgary's Blog

A member of our Community Advisory Panel, Janet Burstall, posted some wonderful comments about the Junior League of Calgary and voluntarism on Volunteer Calgary's blog today.  Check it out here http://volunteercalgary.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/volunteers-fill-the-need/