Celebrating Babies and Their Parents with The Alex

On November 1, the JLC hosted The Alex Baby Shower. This Impact Event  was designed to give pregnant and parenting youth clients of The Alex Youth Health Centre an opportunity to celebrate the birth of their unborn babies, new babies and toddlers. Streamers and decorations transformed the basement of the Wild Rose United Church and the room was filled with laughter and focused on love for these precious children.

 The afternoon was fun-filled with songs and stories, and the crafty creation of memory books by the parents for their children. The toddlers in attendance had the opportunity to personalize a super hero-sized cape. 

A delicious, hot meal was served and the celebration wound up with baby shower cake and small gifts of books, activities and practical items personalized for the age of the babies and toddlers.  Of greatest importance was the gift of time, energy and dedication supplied by JLC members.

President's Message - Sustaining the JLC

Commemorated on November 15, National Philanthropy Day recognizes the great contributions of philanthropy to the enrichment of our world.  It is a time to reflect on the meaning of giving and all that it has made possible. 

By definition, JLC members are philanthropists giving generously of their time, talent and financial resources.  In addition, our members SUSTAIN the Junior League of Calgary through their exemplary work and leadership with other community organizations, by recommending membership in the JLC to talented women, and by remaining loyal members. Your continuing membership provides great strength and stability to our organization.

I’d like to offer my appreciation to all our sustaining members.  We value the contributions you’ve made to establish and sustain the legacy we continue to build upon and I invite you to maintain or re-establish a connection with the JLC in a manner of your choice.

 

IMPACT: Changes Lives and Changed Conditions

Vicki Clark leads a group exercise for members at
the October Annual General Meeting

Vicki Clark, our guest speaker at the October Annual General Meeting, began her presentation with a group exercise that challenged  members to describe the JLC without using internal acronyms or program names.   As the responses from each group were read aloud, it was immediately apparent that this is the way we should describe the JLC and our programs.  

Using the example of our next Impact Event of collecting feminine hygiene products for The Alex at the November GM, the JLC will be “supporting young at-risk women in Calgary by building their self-esteem, dignity and removing the trade-off of personal hygiene versus other essential needs.” 

By avoiding the use of internal language, Vicki coached the membership to effectively communicate the impact of the JLC within the Calgary community, by describing how we change lives and conditions for at-risk groups.  Vicki then introduced the membership to the four areas of issue-based community work;

Direct Service – hands-on programs

In-Direct Service – collections and donations

Capacity Building – resource and fund development

Advocacy – focus on all levels of the issue within the community

Vicki also addressed transition of Junior League community programs from building “branded programs” that are transitioned to community groups, to development of sustainable partnerships that address a specific issue in order to change lives and conditions within the community.  The focus now must not be on what JLC can do for our partners, but instead what we can do with partners. 

Early the following morning, Vicki facilitated a program development workshop attended by several Junior League of Calgary members. The group worked through AJLI’s Issue-Based Community Impact Model for program development to address the issue of at-risk youth in Calgary.

The outcome of the workshop was a framework to guide further development of a focus on three key areas that fall under the issue of at-risk youth in Calgary; effective parenting, development of life skills and nutritional health and wellness.

Jocelyn Egden