2014 15 spring scrawls

S p r i n g 2 0 1 5 A publication of the Junior League of San Antonio, Inc.

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Our Mission

The Junior League of San Antonio, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

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Online Boutique ON THE COVER

Board of directors Kristen Henry President Lorena Peña President-Elect Helen Dear Secretary Janet Peavy Treasurer Karen Brown Treasurer-Elect Sarah Wannarka Vice President of Community Stephanie Reese Vice President of Membership Development Emily Christy Vice President of Communications Christina Martin Vice President of Fund Development Brooke Meabon Vice President of Planning Ardella Anderson Board Member-at-Large Cassie Schneider Bylaws/Parliamentarian Danielle Schick Vice Chair of Research & Development Celina Montoya Nominating Chair Delaina Harrison Sustaining Advisor Dana Cleveland Assistant to the President Tiffany Nelson Property Chair Melissa Unsell Community Leadership Liaison Brett Beyer Bright Shawl Chair Lupita Castrejon Tijerina Managing Director jlsa staff Lupita A. Castrejon-Tijerina Managing Director 210.225.1861 ext. 302 / lupita@jlsa.org Shannon Grabill Financial Administrator 210.225.1861 ext. 301 / shannon@jlsa.org Destiny Stivers Membership Program Administrator 210.225.1861 ext. 300 / destiny@jlsa.org

We take a journey through a Junior League of San Antonio year. League members have volunteered thousands of hours this year. Come join us and see what lending a hand is all about.

IN EVERY ISSUE Letter from the President New Member Profile Active Member Profile Recipe Box Calendar

CONTENTS Community A Junior League Year Community Thank you SA Reads Goodwill

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Fundraising Fête du Cuvée Resolve for a Better SA 5K

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Membership Volunteer Extraordinaire LeaderBOARD

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Office info The Junior League of San Antonio, Inc. 723 Brooklyn Avenue San Antonio, Texas, 78215 T:210.225.1861 F:210.225.6832 Email: info@jlsa.org Office hours: Mon-Thurs 9:00am - 5:00pm Fri 9:00am - 12:00pm W o m e n

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

GREAT THINGS START WITH THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF SAN ANTONIO

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By Kristen Henry

hen I reflect on the legacy of the Junior League of San Antonio, I am struck by the incredible reach and lasting change brought about by our organization in its 91-year history. So much of what we now take for granted in our city was started with the support of the Junior League and its members. For example, Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf was founded in 1947 with the help of the League. We still give out scholarships from an endowment started by the Junior League of San Antonio, and handing out those scholarships is a highlight of each League president’s year.

This year also marks the five-year anniversary of Literacy San Antonio as its own non-profit.

This program started as a Junior League of San Antonio signature project and now helps educate the children in the city. These organizations are just two examples of the rich legacy and lasting impact of the Junior League. Others include the docent programs at the McNay Art Museum and the San Antonio Zoo, as well as the Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas and Walk San Antonio.

Our impact doesn’t stop there.

Members of the Junior League extend the effectiveness of our organization far beyond our yearly placements. This is evident in the impressive works of our 36 Volunteer Extraordinaire recipients.

Margaret Tobin, the first-ever winner in 1980, was a key player in the development of the San Antonio music scene, serving on the Metropolitan

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Opera Board, bringing the Metropolitan Opera auditions to San Antonio, and helping to establish the San Antonio Symphony. Another winner, Maggie Saunders, helped start the Southwest Craft Center. In civic matters, past recipient Amanda Ochse was the first woman to serve on the Terrell Hills City Council, leading the way for fellow recipient and Terrill Hills Mayor Anne Ballantyne. This year’s honoree, Alison Boone, is no exception. As Chair-Elect of the Planned Parenthood South Texas Board of Directors, she is helping to raise funds for women’s health and family planning. She has also been president of the Battle of Flowers Association and served on the Lexi’s Place board, an organization that empowers young women who are transitioning out of foster care. All Volunteers Extraordinaire, past and present, exemplify the power of what Junior League members can do in the community.

It is clear to me that great things start with the Junior League of San Antonio. And it isn’t going to stop anytime soon. We still work tirelessly to make a positive impact on the community with League-founded projects such as Let’s Go San Antonio and FAME (Funding Arts and Music Education). And our development of women continues with League-grown programs like GOAL and LeaderBOARD. Ours is truly a rich and ever-growing history, of which every member - new, active, and sustainer - is part.

I challenge each member to actively take part in this rich history. Learn and grow and allow those experiences to help you make an impact wherever your passion takes you. You might become a future board member, president, or even a future Volunteer Extraordinaire. Because of members like you, there is no limit to what starts here in the Junior League.

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Junior league of san antonio COMMUNITY PARTNERs The Junior League of San Antonio is proud to have recently partnered with the following community groups:

1924 society

The 1924 Society was started in the 2013-2014 year to honor the Junior League of San Antonio’s 90th Anniversary. 1924 Society Members have contributed $500 or more to our Annual Loyalty Fund over the course of a single League year. Thank you to the following generous donors who have supported this effort: 2014-2015 Members Liz Foster Crystal Fuller Lisa Keller Celina Montoya Lynn Tidwell Neff Kristen Palme Lorena Peña Cassandra Schneider Andrea Tingleff Kristen Henry 2013-2014 Members Ariana & Justin Barbour Rhonda Calvert Olive Davis Christy Ebrom Lisa Ebrom Gretchen Garceau-Kragh Lauren McLaughlin Brooke Meabon Tiffany Mills Lynn Tidwell Neff (in Honor of Rachel Cole) Celeste Oliver Kristen Palme Janet Peavy Lorena Peña Elizabeth Soto-Brigham Cassandra Schneider Patricia “Patsy” Steves Laura Talley Andrea Tingleff Terence “Terry” Touhey Dana Wilkirson Mollie Zachry

sCRAWLS STAFF Writers: Delaney Alford Amanda Shippey Hannah Steward Photographers: Heather Blazi Rachel Cole Layout Editor: Courtney Ament Vice President of Communications: Emily Christy Communications Vice Chair: Sarah Brouillard

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AccessAbility Fest for San Antonio Alamo Area Development Corporation Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center Alzheimer’s Association American Cancer Society American Diabetes Association Any Baby Can of San Antonio Art In The Park Artpace San Antonio Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio BCFS Health and Human Services Benissimo Music Productions Bexar County Family Justice Center Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas Boys Town Texas Boysville, Inc. Brighton Center Cancer Center Council Catholic Charities Hygiene Product Drive Center for Family Relations Child Advocates of San Antonio Child Safe Children’s Bereavement Center Christian Senior Services Cibolo Nature Center Clarity Guidance Center Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Daisy Cares Family Endeavors Family Services Association Girls Inc. of San Antonio Girls on The Run Go Play Girls Good Samaritan Community Services Goodwill Industries Green Spaces Alliance Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Guide Dogs of Texas Habitat For Humanity Healy-Murphy Center Heidi Search Center Hill Country Mission for Health Human Society of San Antonio

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Institute of Texan Cultures Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kendall County Women’s Shelter Kinetic Kids, Inc. La Presa Foundation, Inc. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Main Plaza Conservancy McNay Museum of Art Mitchell Lake Audubon Center Mothers Against Drunk Driving Northeast Senior Assistance Prevent Blindness Rainbow House Rape Crisis Center Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Ronald McDonald House Roy Mass Youth Alternatives Center SA Youth San Antonio Animal Advocates San Antonio Eye Bank San Antonio Fighting Back San Antonio Food Bank San Antonio Museum of Art San Antonio Public Library Foundation San Antonio River Foundation Seton Home SNIPSA Spina Bifida Texas St. PJ’s Children’s Home Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure Texas Organ Sharing Alliance Texas Public Radio The Arc of San Antonio The Children’s Shelter The Magik Theatre The Saddle Light Center Transplants for Children Unicorn Centers, Inc. Voices for Children of San Antonio WINGS Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

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A Journey Through a Junior League of San Antonio Year Text: Amanda Shippey

The Junior League of San Antonio is on a mission to improve the San Antonio community. League members have volunteered thousands of hours this year. Just in SA Works alone, the Junior League of San Antonio has given our community more than 3,500 hours of volunteer work.

Let’s take a journey, a Junior League of San Antonio community support journey, throughout the year to recap some of the highlights from 2014-2015.

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June 2014 - Reading Camp

While many San Antonio residents are beginning to enjoy a relaxing summer, Junior League of San Antonio volunteers are hard at work making a difference in the lives of San Antonio children. Reading Camp is a League placement that targets students who are struggling to keep up with their reading skills. The volunteers strive to build good reading habits through a scientific approach and literacy connected curriculum. “Our Summer Reading Camp was two weeks of fun filled learning. The children learned about different habitats and worked in small groups that focused on reading, writing and word work.

On the last day they each received a bag filled with nine books, goodies, and a t-shirt to remember the camp.

Studies show that children experience a decline in their reading levels over the summer months. The Junior League tries to help bridge that gap by providing books to these children,” explains Samantha Beyer, Reading Camp Chair. Twenty eager children attended the summer camp this year. These students walked away with wonderful memories and invaluable literacy skills that will forever benefit them.

The Junior League of San Antonio is excited to partner with Girl’s Inc. of San Antonio in the summer of 2015 when we will transition Reading Camp into a Science Camp.

August 2014 - Let’s Go San Antonio

The start of a League year always brings a sense of new beginnings. This year also brought the feeling of excitement and adventure as Let’s Go San Antonio, a Junior League of San Antonio signature project, began its journey. The Let’s Go San Antonio mission centers around eradicating childhood obesity and promoting healthy living in the San Antonio area. The placement directly impacts two community partners, the San Antonio Food Bank (with Mobile Pantry programs) and the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio (with Kids Cafe and Kids in the Kitchen programs). “Kids Cafe has been a rewarding experience in many ways. Seeing children from kindergarten to middle school enjoy and appreciate the lessons of good nutrition and being open to experiencing new foods has been the key to our success,” says Liz Soto Bringham, Kids Cafe Chair. However, the placement does not stop there. Let’s Go San Antonio volunteers also promote an awareness

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of healthy and active lifestyles by educating San Antonio residents at various community events. Some of those events include the downtown bicycle rally, Siclovia, the Junior League of San Antonio Resolve for a Better SA 5K, and several special Junior League of San Antonio Health Fairs. The program has been such a success this year that the Mayor’s Fitness Council, with the program FitCitySA, has endorsed it. Throughout the 2014-2015 Junior League of San Antonio year, Let’s Go San Antonio impacted hundreds of families and children through their healthy lifestyle initiatives.

September 2014 - Project PB+JLSA

Junior League of San Antonio members were greeted with towers of peanut butter at the first general membership meeting of the year. In celebration of kicking off Let’s Go San Antonio, members were asked to bring in jars of peanut butter for the San Antonio Food Bank.

Peanut butter is a wonderful pantry item because children can easily make a healthy snack. According to the San Antonio Food Bank, peanut butter is in high demand.

Members brought in 896 jars for the community partner, enough jars to make 14,336 peanut butter sandwiches.

October 2014 - Prevent Blindness

The Junior League of San Antonio ended October with a BANG! Prevent Blindness screened more than 6,500 children for an eye disease called strabismus.

The screenings were performed in the San Antonio Independent School district by 11 Junior League of San Antonio volunteers. Vision disorders are common amongst school-aged students. In fact, pediatric eye screenings in the United States result in one million children, or one in four students, diagnosed with inaccurate vision.

Uncovering the possibility of visual issues is imperative because it sets the student up for classroom success.

“Being a volunteer with Prevent Blindness the past few years has been an unforgettable experience. I love that I get to change lives by figuring out the root of students’ academic struggles,” says Sarah McKee, Chair of Prevent Blindness. San Antonio Independent School District was pleased by the efforts of Prevent Blindness due to the fact that their students are now on the track to success.

Thanks to McKee and the other volunteers, Junior League of San Antonio and Prevent Blindness will continue to test

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students’ vision well into the future.

December 2014 - Junior League of San Antonio Adopts Families for Christmas

December brings the joy of the holiday season to the Junior League of San Antonio. With it also comes the spirit of giving. This holiday season, Margarita Poulakis, Chair of the Family Endeavors placement, and her team wanted to make sure each family at Family Endeavors San Antonio had something to open at Christmas. They arranged for the families to be “adopted” by Junior League of San Antonio members during the Christmas season.

Together members purchased necessities and gifts for the moms and their children to be handed out at the Family Endeavors Christmas Party hosted by the Junior League of San Antonio. “One mom came up to us during the Christmas party with tears in her eyes. She hugged and thanked each and every committee member. She said if it wasn’t for the Junior League, her daughter would not have had such an amazing Christmas,” explained Poulakis.

Thanks to the organized efforts of Poulakis and her team and the giving hearts of the Junior League of San Antonio, Christmas was quite special for many deserving families.

January 2015 - Sunshine Singers

This year began just as the Junior League of San Antonio Sunshine Singers finished bringing cheer to nursing homes around the city. The Sunshine Singers placement is one of the oldest in the League. This year, 22 volunteers touched the lives of more than 700 elderly residents by performing a thirty-minute choreographed routine to songs from the ‘40s and ‘50s. “The residents’ faces light up when we’re there, and each of us takes joy in connecting with and putting a smile on elderly residents’ faces, who may not get a lot of visits or contact in the facility,” explains Erin Voss, the Sunshine Singers Assistant Chair. The songs tend to spark fond memories for the residents. During the performance of the Judy Garland medley, Rachel Brehm and Maddie Eisenhauer noticed tears forming in one man’s eyes, and the two Sunshine Singers decided to talk with him after the performance.

They learned that the song reminded him of his wife of 72 years who had passed away three years earlier. The three sat and discussed his time with his wife and other fond memories that their performance sparked. In addition

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to their typical routine, the Sunshine Singers performed several special Christmas caroling performances and passed out jingle bells. Nursing home residents were quick to join in the caroling fun. This initiative, and many others like it, prove Junior League of San Antonio volunteers are touching the lives of so many in the San Antonio area.

February 2015 - Rummage Around

February concluded with the 91st annual Rummage Around event. The Junior League of San Antonio joined forces once again with Goodwill Industries of San Antonio to feature an eight-store Goodwill shopping sale.

Junior League of San Antonio members donated goods and merchandise to Goodwill throughout the year, totaling almost $130,000. On February 28, League members volunteered at all eight locations during this special shopping day – leading to Goodwill’s highest grossing weekend and $342,703 in sales for Goodwill. In return for the Junior League’s efforts, Goodwill donated $28,000 dollars in Goodwill gift cards, which the Junior League of San Antonio extended to 20 community partners around the city.

March 2015 - Clarity Guidance

The Junior League of San Antonio performs a special service for the Clarity Child Guidance Center, an inpatient mental health treatment facility in San Antonio just for children. The placement is called Clarity Guidance and is staffed by 14 volunteers who meet two to three times a month with the children at Clarity. During the sessions, the volunteers read and create crafts to help the children feel special. Students love the time they share with League volunteers, begging to sit next to them during craft time and wishing volunteers would stay forever. It is not only the children who are touched by the time spent with the volunteers, but the volunteers themselves. “I’ve been so blessed by the time I’ve spent with the sweet kiddos of Clarity. To see the joy on their faces every time the leaders announce ‘Junior League is here’ and then have them come running to welcome us is truly touching!

No matter what each child is experiencing to bring them to Clarity, it’s never known by their eager and happy embrace when we are there,” says Desarie Waggoner, Clarity Guidance volunteer. Staff from Clarity Child Guidance Center lovingly welcome the Junior League of San Antonio

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volunteers during their visits. One nurse greeted the volunteers by saying, “Are you the Junior League? I’ve been wanting to tell you how much your work means to us. You are a blessing – you really have no idea. Thank you.” The overwhelming impact this placement finished up in late March, touching the lives of 281 children in the process.

April 2015 - Family Endeavors

April showers may bring May flowers, but April also marks the end of one of our most rewarding placements, Family Endeavors. Educating and empowering mothers dealing with disabilities and substance abuse is what the mission of the Family Endeavors placement is all about. The placement works exclusively with mothers and their children who are housed at Family Endeavors San Antonio. Junior League of San Antonio volunteers provide activities and crafts that encourage bonding time for the mothers and their children. Eight Junior League of San Antonio volunteers meet at the facility twice a month to provide this rewarding and nurturing experience.

Margarita Poulakis, Chair of the Family Endeavors placement, explains her experience by saying, “It can be stressful preparing for each event, but as soon as you walk in the doors and see the smiling moms and kids, it is totally worth every second!” The Family Endeavors placement also provides special events like a Spa and Skin Care Day for Family Endeavors mothers around Valentine’s Day and family portraits at the holiday season. The placement hosted a huge Christmas party with Santa, cookies, and presents. This year, 43 children and 19 mothers were impacted by the work of Junior League of San Antonio volunteers. The many activities, crafts, and events will not be forgotten by those children and their mothers.

April 2015 - Mobile Food Pantry

April showers also bring excellent produce to The Bright Shawl. League members from Junior League of San Antonio’s signature project, Let’s Go San Antonio, and the San Antonio Food Bank organized a Mobile Food Pantry unit and health fair at The Bright Shawl. The Mobile Food Pantry unit allowed for fresh and canned food to be given out to hundreds of families in need. League members were also on hand giving out healthy recipes that educated participants about the food they were taking home. The food drive was a huge success.

May 2015 - Placement Sampler

More than 1,200 trained Junior League of San Antonio volunteers dedicate their time and give back to the community in various ways. Sixteen of those volunteers have graciously signed up for Placement Sampler, a placement dedicated to assisting the League and its many volunteer opportunities. From June to May, these 16 volunteers put in 720 hours to make the community a better place. One of those volunteers, Shannan Pfeifer, reflects on her time as a Placement Sampler volunteer, “I have had the opportunity to do a diverse amount of hours with the Placement Sampler position, but by far, my most rewarding experience has been working with the children at University Hospital.

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We had the pleasure of spending Valentine’s Day with a small group of pediatric patients and we threw them a party complete with great food and fun activities. Typically when volunteering, I think I receive more positive benefits than they do. These kids were the most well-behaved, optimistic, humorous, smart children I have ever been around, and I can’t wait to see them again! Through all the obstacles they face, I think we were able to give them a few hours of laughter and joy.” Members of Placement Sampler will finish their mission to impact the community in May. The placement will be back next year to continue making a positive impact in the lives of San Antonio residents.

May 2015 - FAME

The Funding Arts and Music Education (FAME) placement was established by the Junior League of San Antonio this year. “There’s something special and exciting about being a part of a team that is building a new program for the Junior League of San Antonio and bringing a new value to the community,” says Emily Gary, FAME placement committee member. The FAME placement’s mission is encouraging San Antonio youth in the performing arts. This is accomplished through a program where area high school students submit auditions in the categories of vocal, theater, instrumental performance, and dance. The finalists in each of the four categories are invited to perform their auditions live in the Margaret Tobin FAME Awards show on May 3, 2015, at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. The four winning students’ performing arts programs will receive grant awards to help support the arts in their schools.

May 2015 - Green Spaces Alliance

Green Spaces Alliance is a placement full of volunteers hoping to have an environmental impact on the community. “This is a special placement where Junior League of San Antonio members are outside in the community across all of San Antonio. The 50+ community gardens we support reach all corners of the city, all walks of life, and all levels of need. From elderly, to patients, to international refugees, to local youth parolees in the ‘JLSA Children’s Pizza Garden,’ the Green Spaces Alliance placement connects Junior League of San Antonio volunteers to the heartbeat of the Alamo city through a grounded yet far-reaching non-profit,” explains Maggie Willmoth, a Green Spaces Alliance volunteer.

The placement works in conjunction with Green Spaces Alliance San Antonio, who appreciates the work of the Junior League volunteers. One Green Spaces Alliance community garden says “the Junior League of San Antonio partnership has provided the talent and funding for support and cheerleading. Even an hour of volunteering or $100 keeps a garden alive for another year!” Due to the success of this placement, Junior League of San Antonio volunteers will continue working their green thumbs in San Antonio gardens for years to come.

Our Journey together ends in May. This has been a rewarding year for the Junior League of San Antonio, and we will begin a fresh new year in June.

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Thank You to Junior League of San Antonio Members from Some of Our Community Partners

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FUNDRAISING

Text: Delaney Alford

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Fête du Cuvée – and its related events – are collectively one of the Junior League of San Antonio’s largest fundraisers.

The name, “Fête du Cuvée,” is a play on the term “tête de cuvée,” which means the top of the line from any champagne house. The idea behind these events is a celebration of the best of the best, and they certainly were!

Becker Vineyard Tour

On September 20, 2014, committee members from Fête du Cuvée, the Junior League of San Antonio’s signature black tie event, took guests to Fredericksburg, Texas, to kick off the 4th annual Fête du Cuvée activities. This was the first gathering of the Executive Leadership Team, an advisory group for Fête du Cuvée planning, chaired this year by Melissa Unsell. The group gathered in the morning and was whisked away to spend the afternoon in the beautiful Texas Hill Country at Becker Vineyards.

Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker hosted a truly spectacular day that included a fabulous private wine tasting, an exclusive tour of their winery and library, and a delicious luncheon.

The attendees learned so much about the famed Becker Vineyards’ winery during the tour. Fête du Cuvée Vice Chair Stephanie Oosterveen relayed that the tour was her favorite part of the day. She particularly enjoyed, “learning about wine from the Beckers and tasting directly from the barrel.” The group was invited to explore the building, a 10,000 square foot reproduction of a late 19th century German stone barn - a style prevalent to the Texas Hill Country in that day.

Since opening in 1996, two winery expansions have taken place to accommodate 64 tanks and over 2,000 barrels. The winery farms 46 acres of estate fruit. Their philosophy is to promote Texas wine and therefore, Texas grown fruit. Because of this commitment, Becker Vineyards currently contracts with more independent Texas grape growers than any other winery in the state! The Fête du Cuvée committee and the Junior League of San Antonio would like to thank Dr. and Mrs. Becker for their amazing hospitality and generosity. The Junior League was beyond excited to have Becker represented at Fête du Cuvée.

Cellar Party

Over the years, the Fête du Cuvée committee has explored opportunities to expand their reach and allow more Junior League and community members to enjoy the experience that is Fête. Thus, the Cellar Party was born. On Thursday, February 19, 2015, the Fête du Cuvée committee hosted an exclusive preview party at the penthouse at the Alteza Residences above the Grand Hyatt hotel. The event was open to the public and allowed guests to experience Fête du Cuvée in a more intimate atmosphere.

Patrons sipped fine wine, listened to music by DJ Steven

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Lee Moya, and enjoyed a custom menu created especially for the Cellar Party by Starfish chef Diego Fernandez. Starfish recently garnered acclaim as one of two San Antonio restaurants touted on Texas Monthly’s esteemed “Where to Eat Now 2015” list.

League member Rachel Cole commented that, “the caterer’s food was delicious! It was fresh, savory, and easily handled with a glass of wine.” Many attendees agreed that the best part of the night had to be the beautiful panoramic views of downtown San Antonio seen from the Penthouse balcony.

The partygoers were buzzing with excitement as the fast approaching 4th Annual Fête du Cuvée black tie fundraiser was just around the corner. And how could they not be?! Since 2012, wine and food enthusiasts alike have gathered at The Bright Shawl to enjoy fare from the city’s most acclaimed chefs while expanding their personal cellars with purchases from our one-of-a-kind silent and live auctions and celebrating the mission and accomplishments of the Junior League of San Antonio. The Fête du Cuvée committee members were definitely ready to see all the efforts of the past year culminate on March 7th. The buzz wasn’t just about drinking wine and fine dining, though.

These women worked hard to plan an event that is imperative to securing funds that are essential to furthering our mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving our community.

The Cellar Party was a lovely event. The views from

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the Alteza penthouse made the evening extra special, and everyone was buzzing with excitement. The food from Starfish was scrumptious. Cheers to the team for creating a great event to kick everything off!

Fête du Cuvée

Now let’s talk about the moment we’ve all been waiting for: The 4th Annual Fête du Cuvée presented by Wave Healthcare, with special thanks to our stemware sponsor Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry and the Valero Energy Foundation.

This year, the wine auction was held on Saturday, March 7, at The Bright Shawl. As always, the evening started with a wine reception, silent auction, and plenty of hors d’oeuvres. An array of the city’s most celebrated chefs tantalized palates with extraordinary cuisine. Part of the experience involves the chefs pairing their culinary creations with the perfect wine, which culminates in an incredible fine dining experience. The Fête du Cuvée committee really hit the ball out of the park with this year’s line-up. The featured chefs were Chef Zachary Garza of True Flavors; Chef James Moore of TBA Lounge; Chef Lisa Astorga Watel of Bite; Chef Jeff White of Boiler House; Chef Brooke Smith of The Esquire Tavern; Chef Luis Colon of Folc; Chef Tim McDiarmid of Tim the Girl; Chef James Smith of Morton’s The Steakhouse; Chef Caitline Nykiel-Saveurs of 209; and Elise Broz and Stacy Zymboly of Inspired Occasions.

Other honored participants included our hostess Karen Grace from KENS 5 and our auctioneer Rick Shaw.

New this year was the highly successful balloon cork pop sponsored by Americus Diamond. Patrons were able to purchase tickets to select a balloon of their choice to pop in hopes of being one of the three to win a Circle of Support Diamond Pendant generously donated by Americus Diamond (valued at $2,500 each). After the raise the paddle live auction, the entire group popped their balloons in unison and the winners were revealed.

Also new this year at Fête du Cuvée was the committee’s brilliant idea of extending invitations to a handful of the nonprofit organizations that work in conjunction with the Junior League. Five community partners were selected as special invitees to represent the work that the Junior League does in the community. This act offered a unique opportunity for community partners to interface with the sponsors whose contributions and donations benefit their organizations.

Representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association, Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, Family Endeavors, Girl’s, Inc. of San Antonio, and the San Antonio Food Bank were invited as guests to be a real life example of how the League is a “Money to Mission” organization.

The absolute best part of the glamorous evening was that the hard work and generous donations ensured the event’s success – exceeding our expectations – according to Fête du Cuvée Business Manager Jill Peavy. Fête du Cuvée Chair Liz Lamoureux wishes to “thank everyone for their support and generosity to help make Fête du Cuvée 2015 such a successful event.”

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Special thanks to our generouS sponsors and donors The Junior League of San Antonio is incredibly proud to partner with some of the finest businesses, corporations and individuals in town. It’s because of their generous gifts of financial support, goods and services that we are able to advance our mission of promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving our community. THANK YOU to all of the people who have shown their support to us in the 2014-2015 Junior League year. *List current as of March 15, 2015

188 South 2Shelleys Wearable Safety Alarms 4.0 Cellars Accessorize in Style Acenar Adelante Boutique Aguilar Family Health Care Alamo Cafe Alight Pediatric Therapy Clinic, Inc. Alison Bagley Alison Wenger Boone Alteza Residences Amanzi Party Rentals Amberjae’s America’s Incredible Pizza Co. Americus Diamond Amy B’s Amy’s Ice Creams Andie & Barbara Andi Rodriguez Angelita Anne Tiller Annie Armstrong Anonymous Aqua Gypsy Aquarius Boutique Arista Winery Arloom Artworks Art Studio Ashton Teal Asiana Nails Avant Salon at The Quarry Village AwardsMart Bakery Lorraine Ballet San Antonio Baptist Breast Center Barberio Music Co, Inc. BarksALotBowtique Barriba Cantina Barton Design Co. Beast Mode Custom Fitness Center Becker Vineyards Bell Mountain Vineyards Bending Branch Winery Best Friends Kids Boutique Betty James Bianca Zuniga Big Hat Smokers and Grills Bill and Marilyn Youngkin Bird Bakery Bite Restaurant Bjorn’s Audio Video Home Theatre BKD, LLP Bless Your Heart Blo Blow Dry Bar Blue Tree Marketing Corp.

Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden Botanika Boudro’s - A Texas Bistro on the Riverwalk Boutique Niche Bowlero Bradford World Renown Portraiture Brandi Sutherland Photography

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Brett Beyer Brio Tuscan Grille Brooke Meabon Brooklynite C & C Ballroom Dance Caliente Harley-Davidson Callie Hudak Camp Bow Wow Camp Champions Carmie’s Kitchen Carrie’s Consierge Carter & Sheila Mayfield Cassie Schneider & Karen Brown Cataluna Celina Montoya Cellar Rat Wine Tours Central Market Chama Gaucha Chappellet Vineyard Cheesy Jane’s Cherchies Specialty Foods Children’s Museum of Houston Chloe and Isabel via Meghan Oswald Christina Martin Clarify: Cosmetic Choices Made Easy CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery Cookie Cab LLC Copa Wine Bar Core Committee Corner Bakery Cafe Covered in Blessings CreatIve Bangles Crystal Sperber Daniela Gonzalez de Serna Darioush Winery Daughters on the Run Delaina Harrison Designs by Y DBA Funky Chunky Jewels Diane Castillo Don & Leslie Cangelosi Dos Carolinas Dos y Tres Dough Pizzeria Napoletana Dr. Gary Penny Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker, Becker Vineyards Drysafer Corporation, Inc. Elaine Turner Designs Elaine Vornsand Elizabeth’s Boutique Ellie Lance Embassy Suites Riverwalk Hotel Emily Christy Esquire Tavern Events by Reese EZ’s Restaurant Farm Pac Kitchens/Yoakum Packing Company Flair and Company Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Fogo de Chao FOLC

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Fratello’s Market & Deli Frayed Flower Fred Astaire Stone Oak Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers Frost 321 Funky Chunky Jewels Future Sounds Game-Day-Couture Gigi’s Cupcakes GLI Distributing Gretchen & John Kragh Grimaldi’s Pizzeria Grimmway Farms Grove Hill Ltd. Guy Acerra HandCut Design Hanzell Vineyards Heather Lancaster, Independent Stylist Stella and Dot HEB – Lincoln Heights Helen Dear Hip Dingo Boerne Holiday Ole Committee HOMEFIELDS Hotel Contessa Hotel Healdsburg Houlihan’s Restaurant Howl at the Moon Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa i.m. keepsakes IL Sogno In High Cotton Initially Yours Inspired Occasions J. Alexander’s Restaurant Jacy Grantham Janet Peavy Jeff’s Backyard Jill Peavy Jim & Sheri Teal Jimi Olsen JLSA Communications Council JLSA Community Council JLSA Executive Leadership Team J. McLaughlin Joanna Benavidez John P. Edwards MD Jon Hart Design JoyRide Texas Julian Gold Julianne & David Reeves Julie Lewis JUSTIN Wine Society JW Marriott Hill Country Resort – Lantana Spa Kate’s Frosting Kelly O’Neil Kelly’s Treasure Inc. Ken Batchelor Cadillac KENS 5 Kendra Scott Jewelry Kevin G Saunders Photography Kiddie Park Kids Cafe Committee

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Special thanks to our generouS sponsors and donors The Junior League of San Antonio is incredibly proud to partner with some of the finest businesses, corporations and individuals in town. It’s because of their generous gifts of financial support, goods and services that we are able to advance our mission of promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving our community. THANK YOU to all of the people who have shown their support to us in the 2014-2015 Junior League year. *List current as of March 15, 2015

Kristen Henry Kristen Palme La Fonda Oakhills La Tuna Grill Lantana Spa Laura Johnson, Learning Express- Stone Oak Lauren Malitz Lauren Matlock, Tory Burch Laurie Saunders Ltd. Laurin & Bill Cothren Learning Express - Basse Road Lee & Ayla Rahmberg Lee Lee Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry Leigh-Leigh’s little Lagniappe Libby McKelvain Lick Honest Ice Creams Lights Out Candles Lillie Marlene B&B Lily’s Cookies Lisa Howlett Cohick Liz Lamoureux Lopez Plastic Surgery Lorena Pena Lori & Jamie Donnell Lori Hakspiel Lucy’s Doggy Daycare & Spa Luke Lupita Castrejón-Tijerina Lynfred Winery m squared jewelry Maggiano’s Little Italy Maggie Wilmoth Real Estate Magnolia Pancake Haus Margarita Poulakis Marriott Rivercenter MBS Fitness and MBS Spa McAdams Liquor MDC Council Melanie Tawil Melissa Unsell Michele Torres Michelle Sasser Mitzi Sandell Morton’s The Steakhouse My Pillow, Inc Nativa Fine Mexican Clothing Natural Bridge Caverns News 4 WOAI Nicole Cangelosi Nordstrom North East Pet Salon Nothing Bundt Cakes Nursery Couture and Chic Mama Offenhauser & Co. Insurance, Ross Ormond Opera Piccola Orient Expressed Outerwall Paesanos Lincoln Heights Paesanos Restaurant Group Painting with a Twist Panera Bread

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Papouli’s Greek Grill Peju Province Winery Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille Phil Crane Pinky’s Pinot’s Palette Pioneer Lady, LLC Polka Dot Parties Premier Designs Jewelry via Alice Davis Preppy Paints LLC Prestigious Mark Pure Posh Purple Sage - An Aveda Salon Radiance MedSpa Raw Hair Studio Revolution Coffee + Juice Ridge Vineyards, inc.

RidoutBarrett & Co. RIIM, LLC Rodan & Fields, Anne Tiller Rise Bakery Robert Foley Vineyards Robert Shaw Portraits Rudd Oakville Estate Sabor Colombiano Salon Volt San Antonio Children’s Museum San Antonio Gun Club San Antonio International Piano Competition San Antonio Museum of Art San Antonio River Foundation San Antonio Symphony San Antonio Zoo Sarah Bragg, Independent Stylist Stella & Dot Sarah Oliver Handbags Sarah Wannarka Saveurs 209 / La Boulangerie Scarlette Dove Scott Lamoureux Shade Science Shelia Wolfe, Independent Stylist Stella & Dot Shetler Wade Jewelers Shiner Beers Silverhorn Golf Club Singing Cowgirl Shop Six Flags Fiesta Texas Skin Rejuvenation Clinique Slater Zorn Sport LLC Smoke Shack Soluna South Texas Jazz Quartet Southwest Airlines Sparkles Spec’s SPP Owners Assoc.

Spurs Sports & Entertainment Starfish Unbound Cuisine Stella Public House Stephanie Lenzy Stephanie Oosterveen Stephanie Reese Studio Benton Photographic Boutique

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Summer Rose 21 Sunshine Singers Susie’s Antiques & Stained Glass Sustainers SwipeTrack Solutions Taco Cabana Tatiana Herrera-Schneider TBA Lounge Texas Hills Vineyard Texas Olive Ranch Texas Purple Sage Services Texas Ski Ranch Texican Gifts The Beach Group The Bloody Buddy The Boardroom Salon for Men The Buckhorn Saloon & Texas Ranger Museum The Caramel Candy Co. The Cheesecake Factory The Container Store The Dominion Country Club The Fish San Antonio The Holiday Ole Committee The Magik Theatre The Popcorn Place The Porter Loring Family The Shoe Club The Sporting District The Union Yoga + Strength The Wash Tub Tim the Girl Time Out Sitters Top Golf Tory Burch Total Wine & More Trailer Park Trinkets Trinicakes True Flavors and The Fruteria Y Botanero Under Wraps Victory Cup Vineyard Vines Wave Healthcare Waves Blow Dry Bar Wesley Pennington Whitney Ormond Whole Earth Provision Co. Woodrose Winery Wreath’s by Becky Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk Zella Press

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MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP

Emily Hahn Melngailis AFTER MOVING TO SAN ANTONIO, THIS NEW MEMBER IS GETTING TO KNOW THE CITY WHILE TEACHING OTHERS ABOUT HEALTHY LIVING

Text: Hannah Steward

Junior League of San Antonio new member Emily Hahn Melngailis has lived in San Antonio for five years. In that time, she has made big changes in her life and the San Antonio community.

Emily, a teacher and small business owner, is passionate about living healthy and energizing others to do the same.

Emily is originally from Brenham, Texas. After graduating from Texas State University with a degree in business, she moved to Austin to work at Texas Monthly Magazine in consumer marketing.

While she loved her job, she felt disconnected from the community stuck in an office and decided to go back to school to get a degree in Early Childhood Education. After taking a job in a special needs pre-school class, Emily found her calling in Special Education.

Emily loved living in Austin and somewhat reluctantly moved to San Antonio to work as a Special Education teacher. After moving, she quickly realized that she loved all that San Antonio has to offer, especially the food. It was after gaining weight eating “one too many breakfast taco,” Emily, and her husband, Noah, decided to change their diet and their life. They opened One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway at the Pearl Brewery. The restaurant’s goal is to “help you eat healthier, live healthier, and feel amazing.” The restaurant specializes in a more natural and uncooked plant-based diet. They offer made-to-order organic juices and shakes, as well as bottled fresh pressed juices, and One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway packaged snacks, sweets, and salads. They recently started pop-up

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dinners on the weekends at One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway and are excited to begin offering a variety of meals to San Antonio residents.

Emily and Noah are enthusiastic about the revitalization of the Pearl Brewery area and feel fortunate to have been there from the beginning. If they aren’t at One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway, you might find them eating at Cured or any of the other restaurants in the Pearl. They live together in a historic home in Monticello Park with their two rescue dogs, Watson and Marlowe. Emily enjoys book club, running and yoga.

Emily currently works as a special education teacher for the Northeast Independent School District at Walzem Elementary. She works with third through fifth grade students with a variety of special needs. She assists teachers with small group instruction in the classroom, and she works with students on math and reading reinforcement in her classroom. Emily previously worked for Edgewood Independent School District focusing on children in kindergarten through second grade. When talking to Emily, the love she has for her students is evident. She truly cares for each of them. She also works very closely with their families to ensure the progress they make in the classroom carries over to home.

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Emily Tog Duc she de to th nio.

5k,

Emily Melngailis is enthusiastic about living healthier and feeling amazing.

Together with her husband, Noah, they own and operate the One Lucky Duck Juice and Takeaway at the Pearl Brewery (opposite page). Last year she decided to find something just for her that could allow her to give back to the community. She found this outlet in the Junior League of San Antonio. She is pictured on this page above during the Resolve For A Better SA 5k, with a young volunteer during the Buddy Walk and with her husband on their wedding day (top) and on a vacation to Belize (middle left).

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Last year, Emily realized she had put herself on the back burner. If she wasn’t putting all her efforts on school, it was in their business, or vice versa. She decided she needed to find something that was just for her, something that could be an outlet for the everyday stresses of life, but also let her give back to the community. Her friend and sponsor, Michele Jacob, suggested she join the Junior League of San Antonio. Michele knew Emily would be a great asset to the League. “Emily is a ball of sunshine. She is full of energy. She loves her dogs, running, her husband, wine and family.”

Her positive outlook and dedication has not gone unnoticed by fellow members.

Emily has also learned so much about the city she has come to love from League community awareness events and her SA Works Shifts. She was pleasantly surprised to see that the League supported organizations close to her heart. Several of her students have benefitted from the resources at Clarity Guidance Center to help with their emotional needs. Her students have also taken home fresh fruits and vegetables from the San Antonio Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry. “It was so great to see that the League supports these very worthwhile and necessary programs.”

For her SA Works shifts, Emily has helped serve and prepare dinner at the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas. She originally signed up for these shifts wanting to complete as many of her SA Works shifts during her summer vacation as possible. While she signed up for several dinner shifts because of availability on her calendar, she didvulputate not realizenec how muchMaecenas they Sed, diam. would change her. She quickly learned what a consequat venenatis quam special place the Children’sdiam Bereavement Center is. Doing her part to prepare a meal left her feelpellentesque quis rutrum neque ing fulfilled. “Seeing how grateful the families were for our meals sodales. Nunc mi turpis, dignissim really touched me. It is something small I can do to help make malesuada tincidunt their lives easier.” Fellow Neweget Member Carleighet, Cadieux seesquis firsthand the impact Emily hasturpis. on theNullam community.

She says, “Emsem leo, bibendum ily has a way of making people feel included and goes out of her at tincidunt ut, blandit sed metus. way to care for others in need.”

Emily realized quickly that the League was goingsodales to be the Pellentesque ultricies tortor perfect place to grow as a leader and meet great friends too. lacinia.

Morbi a suscipit She has grown very close withac others in her newiaculis, memberleo class.

Emily met Carleigh Cadieux while working the Terrell Heights 4thnibh, scelerisque, lacus purus laoreet of July Parade, and they became fast friends. When asked about necofcommodo nisl diam that et velit. SusEmily, Carleigh says, “I think one the many attributes makes Emily so special is her selfless compassion.

Her genuine pendisse nibh dui, vestibulum eget concern for others can be seen during SA Works shifts, while she condimentum teaches and amongst our group of friends.” cursus, condimentum

This summer, Emily will at continue her love oftristique learning and leo. Maecenas children. She begins work on her Applied Behavior Analysis certification with a focus on children with autism. In her job, Emily porttitor sapien, has worked with many children with autism.

Shequis has consequat seen that dui Applied Behavior Analysis techniques are effective in helping vulputate et. Aliquam velitthem mi, ornare succeed. This certification is an intensive process that will take a atobservation tinidunt et,and suscipit a nibh. Ut orci year and a half and many hours of practice.

Emily is also excited for next year and her first League felis, viverra sed viverra sit amet, placement. Emily can’t wait to share her love of health, food, fitness, and learning with the League and San Antonio. Emily is already making a difference in the lives of her students, friends, and family. We know she will make a big impact on the Junior League of San Antonio, as well.

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MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP

Emily Threet This active member has had many jobs in the junior league and loved them all

Text: Hannah Steward

Active Junior League of San Antonio member Emily Threet has been in the League four years. In that time Emily has grown as a leader, friend, and volunteer. Emily has served placements with SA Works and the Membership Development Council as a New Member Mentor and now New Member Assistant Chair. In each role, she has made a lasting impact and bettered the League and the women she works beside.

Emily grew up in Houston surrounded by strong women. From a young age, Emily’s mother taught her about female empowerment and the importance of hard work. Her mother was very career driven, which instilled a desire to achieve in her daughter. Emily also saw the value of giving back to the community.

Emily moved to Waco to attend Baylor University for her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders, studying to become a speech language pathologist. While in graduate school, she began an internship with University Hospital in San Antonio. Upon graduation, Emily stayed in San Antonio and worked as a speech pathologist at University Hospital for five years.

In 2011, Emily felt her life was at a crossroads. She was grappling with staying in San Antonio or moving elsewhere. A friend encouraged her to join the Junior League as a way to make friends and get more involved in the community. She went to an information session and has never

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heart and passion for her community is evident in her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and lead,” says Reese. Emily’s dedication to the League is evident in her interactions with the new members. “The Junior League is blessed to have Emily within its membership and I am blessed to call her a friend,” says Reese, and we couldn’t agree more.

Outside of the League, Emily works for Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation as their Clinical Coordinator. She works with patients suffering from traumatic and acquired brain injuries.

She not only works with the patients to restore their speech/language and cognition, but works with their families, as well. Emily helps the families adjust to life and caring for their Emily Threet has made a lasting imact in each and every role she has undertaken for the Junior loved one as they re-enter their home League of San Antonio. In her four years in the League, Emily has made many lasting friendships. and community.

She is pictured on the opposite page at the New Member Reception (top right) and on vacation.

After completing her first Emily has had the opportunity to get involved with many areas of the League. On this page she is shown volunteering for the Resolve For A Better SA 5k and with a friend’s son, Grant Waters. League active year as an SA Works volunteer, Emily saw a variety of community organizations that are underserved in San Antonio. On her looked back. Joining the League showed her a side of San Antonio experience Emily said, “I never worked a shift and didn’t get that she did not know. The League gave her the opportunity to something out of it. I always walked away feeling like I had step out of her comfort zone, all the while learning more about given back and learned something in return.” Emily currently herself. coordinates volunteer opportunities for her patients to work in

Emily made lasting friendships during her new member the community while they are rehabilitating. This has allowed year. Shana Gurwitz was in Emily’s new member cluster, and her patients the chance to give back and work with purpose. they have served as new member mentors together the past two The patients have greatly benefitted, as have the community years. Gurwitz says, “Emily is incredibly organized and dependorganizations they serve. able. On top of League commitments and a full-time job, she also Volunteering in the community, both in and outside always manages to looks fabulous.” This year, she has gone above of the League, has taught Emily to be grateful and appreciate and beyond for the League. Gurzwitz says, “She took over anwhat she has. She found her shifts at the Children’s Bereaveother mentor’s cluster who moved out of state, in addition to her ment Center to be most impactful. Serving others in need has placement. She is essentially holding a dual-placement for half helped her be more patient and understanding. It has given the year with two demanding positions.” Emily didn’t hesitate to her perspective and allowed her to take a step back and see take on the extra role and help out. “that there is more to everyone’s story than what meets the

Denise Thieme is Vice Chair of New Members. Emeye.” ily is her assistant, and Thieme couldn’t be happier to have her

Last year, Emily attended GOAL (Growing Our Own help. “Emily is a true Junior League of San Antonio gem. If you Awesome Leaders), a Junior League program offering leaderhave had the chance to work with her, you would agree.” When ship training, personal growth, and fellowship. It is one of working with the new members, Emily “exudes true grace when Emily’s favorite experiences with the League, and she says, “I dealing with difficult situations,” Thieme said. One’s new memlearned so much about myself and was able to apply the trainber year has many requirements and dates to keep track of. For ing to my professional life.” Through GOAL and working on a Thieme, “Emily has been the rational, organized, polite, calm ‘yin’ committee, Emily has learned about herself and team manageto my crazy ‘yang’ with the new members this year.” ment. She recognizes there is more than one approach to com Emiy loves working with new members. She says, “It pleting a task and the importance of meeting people where wasn’t that long ago that I was a new member, so I know what they are to reach their potential. The approach is definitely they are going through. Your new member year can be demandworking. Gurwitz says, “She’s a great person to work with, ing, so I am there to make sure they meet all the requirements and you always know she’ll help out or put you in touch with but also engage in meaningful interactions and hopefully start someone who can!” what is a fulfilling and lasting League career.” Her new members

Emily has greatly enjoyed her time in the League and love having her as a mentor, as well. New member Emily Melnhas no plans to slow down. She says, “Every year has somegailis is in Emily’s cluster. “Emily is so organized and knowledgething to give and I want to continue growing and learning.” able. I always know what is going on and if I ever have a question, Next year, Emily will serve on the Nominating Committee, Emily answers right away. ” which is tasked with preparing the slate of candidates for

Emily and Stephanie Reese also met their new member election to various leadership positions within the League. We year during Holiday Olé Marketplace. They started the shift as know the future of the League is in great hands with women strangers and by the end of the day were friends. “Emily’s kind like Emily Threet as members.

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FUNDRAISING

Fresh Flavors The cookbook tradition of the Junior League of San Antonio is now an attractive bamboo recipe box with over 60 curated recipes.

Our signature recipe box makes gift giving easy and proceeds of Fresh Flavors will contribute to the mission of the Junior League of San Antonio. Get your recipe box for just $35 each, and personalization is available for an additional charge. Orders can be placed at www.JLSA.org and shipping is available.

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Volunteer

Text: Hannah Steward

The Junior League of San Antonio was pleased to present the 2015 Volunteer Extraordinaire Award to Alison Wenger Boone on March 24. The Volunteer Extraordinaire Award has been given annually since 1980 to a seasoned member of the Junior League of San Antonio who has utilized her Junior League training to later lead other nonprofits – exemplifying the true spirit of voluntarism. She is a visionary who served others throughout her League career and continues to dedicate her time and efforts to the San Antonio community. Ms. Boone is the 36th recipient of this prestigious award.

Ms. Boone has been a member of the Junior League of San Antonio for more than 35 years, joining in 1979. She has served as League President and Treasurer among many other leadership positions. For Boone, the Junior League is a family affair. Her mother, Barbara Wenger, served as League President in 1971-1972, and her daughter was a member until recently.

Boone said she, “wanted to join the League because I could see how much her own League membership meant to my mother and a number of my friends were new members the same year.”

Ms. Boone served as League President in 1995-1996.

During that time, the League was faced with making difficult decisions concerning The Bright Shawl. Ms. Boone reflected on that time saying, “during my presidency, the biggest challenge was the financial losses at The Bright Shawl. It was difficult for the Board to come to consensus on a course of action. Eventually, we selected a management company to take over Bright Shawl operations.” While it was not an easy decision, it needed to be done to keep the League financially viable. “When I think back over my years as an Active, I remember a number of times

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of laughter, fun and friendship -- even when the issues were difficult,” says Boone.

In 2011-2012, Ms. Boone served as Sustaining Advisor to the League Board of Directors. The Bright Shawl underwent an extensive kitchen renovation during that time. Gretchen Garceau-Kragh served as President and considered Boone “a voice of reason.” Her “historical knowledge of the League and Bright Shawl was critical as we worked through the renovations,” says Garceau-Kragh. The Board looked to Boone for her guidance and wisdom and credits her leadership and support for the outcome.

Ms. Boone’s community service outside the Junior League is extraordinary and includes service as President of the Battle of Flowers Association, President of the San Antonio Symphony League, President of the Any Baby Can Alliance, Board Member of the Family Service Association, Board Member and Treasurer of the Alamo Heights School Foundation, and Executive Committee Member of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. She now serves as Chair-Elect of the Planned Parenthood South Texas Board of Directors and Senior Warden at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She is also a graduate of the Masters Leadership Program of San Antonio and Bexar County.

Ms. Boone believes she “received incredible training in the League -- reading financial statements, speaking in front of a group, conducting a meeting, strategic planning and so much more -- all of which has proved invaluable over the course of my volunteer career.”

Ms. Boone serves a diverse group of organizations in San Antonio. While varied, each organization strives to better the lives of women and children. As League member Lauren

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Extraordinaire

McLaughlin notes, the organizations are not “just the most popular, but rather the ones she truly cares about.” Boone served on the Board of Directors at Lexi’s Place, an agency that provides residential support services for young women who have aged out of foster care. Gretchen Garceau-Kragh praises Boone for being an advocate for women and girls. “Whether they are young, old, affluent, poor, or disabled, Alison has championed their rights to be independent, educated, healthy and strong.”

She also served on the San Antonio Area Foundation’s Scholarship Committee for over a decade, helping many young people attend college who wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

Ms. Boone comes from a family of volunteers. Her mother, Barbara, was also President of the Battle of Flowers Association, making them the only mother and daughter duo to serve as President. Her father and grandfather both served on Planned Parenthood of South Texas’ Board. Boone and her husband, Taylor Boone, have two grown daughters, Catherine (husband William and sons Taylor and Andrew) and Virginia (husband Alex). It is important to the Boones that they raise their family with a spirit of volunteerism. From an early age, the Boones instilled in their daughters the importance of giving back to the community, just as Ms. Boone’s grandparents and parents did for her.

Faith in God is at the center of Ms. Boone’s life and why she has devoted herself to helping others. She is active in her church, St. Paul’s Episcopal. She sings in the church choir and is Senior Warden of the vestry. Boone serves on the Leadership Team for the Academy of Spiritual Foundation, a program of The Upper Room in Nashville, Tennessee. With her training, she has been able to assist others on their spiritual

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journey in her church community.

More than 120 people attended the Junior League’s Volunteer Extraordinaire luncheon honoring Ms. Boone and to celebrate her accomplishments. Taylor Boone served as master of ceremonies to honor his wife. Lynn Ziegler, last year’s Volunteer Extraordinaire recipient and President of the Battle of Flowers Association, spoke as did Rhonda Calvert, League President in 1999-2000. Ms. Boone’s two daughters, Planned Parenthood’s CEO, and the Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church also presented. A running thread through all of the speeches was Boone’s selflessness and generosity. All mentioned her spirit of volunteerism and the impact she has made on the community. On receiving the award Boone says, “I am truly honored to be named Volunteer Extraordinaire for 2015, the past honorees are talented, capable leaders; it is a privilege to join their ranks.” She still has a deep love for the League and “would encourage other women to join because it is still virtually unique in offering opportunities for training, for making an impact in the community and for deep friendships -- I can think of no other organization that provides all three.”

According to McLaughlin, Ms. Boone “has an uncanny ability to come into a service role, perform it beyond expectations, and leave the position (and the organization) stronger than when she came.” Garceau-Kragh said Boone “uses the training that she learned as a League member to help those less fortunate succeed, to fulfill their dreams, and to make San Antonio a better place for all of its residents.” The Junior League of San Antonio echoes these sentiments and is honored to award Alison Wegner Boone as this year’s Volunteer Extraordinaire.

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MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING

SA Reads

The Junior League of San Antonio’s Lasting Impact Text: Pamela Toman, Junior League of San Antonio Sustainer and Executive Director, Literacy San Antonio, Inc.

Junior League of San Antonio members may not realize the lasting impact the Junior League has on our city and community. History fades when members become sustainers and opportunities to have a community impact are passed to the next generation. New projects are formed and past projects can be forgotten.

We would like to take a moment to share one story of the Junior League of San Antonio’s lasting impact. This is the story of the Junior League’s signature project from 2007 to 2010. Many passionate and talented League members worked on this project during that time period, and their legacy carries forward to the present day.

THE LITERACY ISSUE

In 2006, Junior League of San Antonio membership was concerned about San Antonio’s low literacy levels. San Antonio is the 7th largest city in America and ranked 64th in population literacy in 2005.

THE SIGNATURE PROJECT

Junior League of San Antonio committee members set out on a mission to significantly and permanently increase literacy levels, naming the project Literacy San Antonio (LSA).

They knew it was a long-term effort. Given the magnitude of the issue, the committee began the task of coalition-building and raising awareness. They produced a video that can be viewed on YouTube or at literacysanantonio.com. This atten-

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tion-getting video features former League presidents as well as city and county leaders. The committee also brought together literacy and education leaders for a community planning process that mapped existing literacy services and facilitated cooperation among disparate agencies and organizations.

This effort came to be known as the Literacy San Antonio community literacy coalition, and the Junior League subsequently held a press conference to announce Literacy San Antonio (LSA) as a signature project. The coalition met quarterly in order to discuss new literacy initiatives and report results.

In addition, the Junior League coordinated a bus trip to Austin for Literacy Day at the Capital during the Texas Legislative Session. Former Junior League of San Antonio member Melissa

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Gray oversaw the development of an online clearinghouse for literacy services while Past President Laura Talley led dozens of organizations in hosting a Literacy Fiesta at South Park Mall.

Over 4,000 people participated in the Literacy Fiesta in February 2010. The second image on the opposite page includes the original Literacy San Antonio logo created by former Junior League member Madeleine Highsmith.

A NONPROFIT IS BORN

In 2010, Literacy San Antonio had grown and it was time to move out of the Junior League. We formed a separate 501(c)3 organization, and League member Celina Montoya (pictured below) was our first employee. Like all Literacy San Antonio employees, Montoya learned on the job. We were a “lean start up” in every sense of the word, and we remain committed to developing collaborative literacy programs based on research and data. Montoya worked tirelessly to structure the new nonprofit, organize coalition meetings and establish new partnerships. Former Junior League member Molly Salmon became a founding board member of Literacy San Antonio, and she currently serves as LSA Board Chair.

THE SOLUTION EVOLVES

The Junior League of San Antonio signature project established Literacy San Antonio’s foundation and continues to inform our activities. We began by coordinating a citywide book drive because the community planning process revealed that many children in San Antonio do not have sufficient (or sometimes any) books in their homes. We partnered with then-State Representative Joaquín Castro to expand his annual book drive through partnerships with organizations such as SAYouth, the San Antonio Public Library, Firstmark Credit Union and The Twig Book Shop. Literacy San Antonio created the SAReads® brand to represent contributions of the many organizations linked together and coordinated by Literacy San Antonio. The 2010 SAReads summer book drive was so successful that we formed the SAReads Book Bank. Several years later, realizing we needed a partner with strengths in logistics

and distribution, we formed a partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank to help support the book bank. Our administrative offices are now in a branch of Firstmark Credit Union. We also partner with area Barnes & Noble Booksellers during their Holiday Book Drive and the Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade for celebrations. Since its inception, the SAReads Book Bank has collected and distributed almost 150,000 books in San Antonio. Many clubs and organizations hold book drives that contribute to the book bank.

What was once the community literacy coalition is now an integrated system of strategic alliances supporting the SAReads Book Bank and Grade-Level Reading programs. We refer to this as an ecosystem because organizations contribute to

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SAReads while also benefitting from it. For example, SAReads works with the Texas A&M University – San Antonio College of Education and Human Development to support future teachers by training them and pairing them with elementary school children. This provides support to public schools and striving readers. In addition to serving children, SAReads serves pre-service teachers by exposing them to scientifically based methods of reading instruction: “coursework in just 17 percent of programs equips their elementary and special education teachers to use all five fundamental components of reading instruction, helping to explain why such a large proportion of American school children (30 percent) never learn to read beyond a basic level.” (National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Prep Review 2014). The last image below shows how Literacy San Antonio strategically links partner organizations in the service of our joint grade-level reading and book bank programs.

Today Literacy San Antonio is focused on making grade-level reading a reality for all children. The SAReads Grade-Level Reading program strategically capitalizes on the narrow window from kindergarten through 3rd grade when the promotion of reading achievements is most critical. SAReads is San Antonio’s only one-on-one literacy education service for at-risk children that utilizes:

• A reliable well-trained resource of pro-service

teachers from a local university;

• A widely implemented diagnostic assessment

provided by reading specialists within school districts

throughout the State of Texas; and

• An intensive research-based curriculum.

We supplement the reading instruction program with special events, including End-of-Semester and End-of-Year celebrations, as well as a field trip to the annual San Antonio Book Festival. All of these opportunities are provided free of charge to SAReads students and their families and help reinforce reading support.

Each year Literacy San Antonio, Inc. collects data on its students’ reading progress from our partner school district.

The school district shares encrypted reading score data with us for every child enrolled in the SAReads program. Through this data we are able to identify areas for improving the program as well as areas where the program is working well. We also produce an annual program report (available at sareads.org).

While the children improve their reading skills, we are simultaneously improving our programs to support students and teachers.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

As Literacy San Antonio celebrates our 5th anniversary as a nonprofit, we are grateful for the vision of those Junior League of San Antonio leaders who stepped up to address one of our city’s most entrenched problems. We continue to develop data-driven collaborative programs to intensify support for teachers, students and families. We believe this is how we will ultimately improve aggregate literacy levels.

Without the countless hours and generous resources invested by the Junior League, there would be no Literacy San Antonio, Inc. or SAReads. This relationship, which began almost a decade ago within the halls of The Bright Shawl, continues today. We are proud to number the community-minded Junior League of San Antonio women among our friends, and we thank you for your continued support.

If you are interested in learning more about Literacy San Antonio and SAReads, please contact us at info@sareads. org and follow SAReads on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Frequent Junior League visitor Shannon Cantrell is our Director of Community Outreach, and she is happy to share the story of LSA and SAReads.

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COMMUNITY

Goodwill The Historical Rummage Around Sale is Successful Once Again

Text: Amanda Shippey

If you ask anyone what was special about 1924, you will hear many different answers. Someone in New York might talk about the sights, sounds, and excitement of the launching of the first annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A native Chicagoan would describe the feeling their ancestors felt seeing the opening of the Wrigley Building. Perhaps someone approaching 100 could tell you about the first piece of airmail they received. However, if you ask a Junior League of San Antonio member what is special about 1924, they will proudly explain the founding of their great organization and the importance of the first annual Rummage Around event.

The Rummage Around event was originally hosted solely by the Junior League of San Antonio. This was the first fundraiser for the organization. Junior League of San Antonio gathered highend merchandise and goods to sell to the public. All of the profits from the event were used to fund community programs the Junior League of San Antonio supported at the time.

Rummage Around is still a huge event for the Junior League of San Antonio. The event operates much like it did 91 years ago. League members spend the year collecting goods and merchandise with the event in mind. However, in 2008, the event was modernized when the Junior League of San Antonio and Goodwill Industries of San Antonio partnered up to host it. The partnership birthed a new section in San Antonio Goodwill stores called Julia’s Attic. The merchandise is high-end but sold at a very low price. “I love seeing all of the great treasures in the store. It was also nice to see the customers getting great deals on their purchases and knowing that it is helping further the mission of Goodwill,” mentioned Samantha Nunez, a Junior League of San Antonio member volunteering her time with the Rummage Around event.

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members must donate $100 worth of materials to Goodwill. However, Junior League of San Antonio members are known for their giving hearts, and members have always given more than the required amount. This year, Junior League of San Antonio members gave almost $130,000 worth of items to Goodwill.

Goodwill hosts the Rummage Sale at eight of its Goodwill stores around the city, and League members volunteer at each one. “I truly enjoyed being able to interact directly with the community members that benefit from the Goodwill and Junior League partnership. This hands-on volunteering opportunity allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the community’s needs.

I feel pride in knowing that we continue to make a positive impact in San Antonio and the world around us,” says Candace Johnson, Junior League of San Antonio member and Rummage Around volunteer.

Historically, during the weekend of the Rummage Around event, Goodwill grosses the most amount of money throughout the whole year. This year was no different. The Rummage Around weekend brought in over $342,700 for the nonprofit, making it the highest grossing weekend of the year.

In return for the efforts of the Junior League of San Antonio, Goodwill donates Goodwill gift cards for the League to donate to community partners in need. This year, $28,000 dollars in gift cards were given to 20 area nonprofits. The community partners use the gift cards in a variety of ways.

Residential facilities, such as Boysville, Seton Home, and Roy Maas use the gift cards for clothing and shoes. Girls Inc. of San Antonio uses the funds to purchase materials for after school camps. Green Space Alliance uses the gift cards to buy gardening supplies, sheets, and shoes.

Your great-grandmother may not mention the Rummage Around event when discussing a 91-year-old legacy.

However, the event has proven to be impactful for the San Antonio community.

Joining forces with Goodwill Industries of San Antonio has only made this event more powerful. The event will surely impact the community for many more years to come.

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Grant Recipitents

Each year, the Junior League of San Antonio awards cash grants to community partners who have a special program, project, or initiative in need of support. The purpose of these grants is to provide our partners with additional assistance beyond our planned community projects so they may better meet the needs in our community. The Junior League of San Antonio is proud to have awarded more than $28,000 in grants since June 2014, with more to come in May! The following organizations have received grants this year: Alzheimer’s Association Benissimo! Music Productions Boysville Child Advocates The Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas Girls Inc. of San Antonio Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives SA Youth

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MEMBERSHIP

LeaderBOARD THE Junior League of San Antonio Institutes New Leadership Training Program

Text: Hannah Steward

This year the Junior League implemented a new and exciting training program, LeaderBOARD. The program provides training for all league members (from new members to sustainers), community members, and partner agencies on the operation and function of nonprofit boards. Participants who finish the program will be placed in a database and their names made available to community non-profits for consideration to serve an internship on the board for approximately six months.

For the inaugural year there were 25 participants selected from a large and competitive applicant pool. The applicants submitted a letter of recommendation and a resume.

Those with prior volunteer and community leadership experience were given preference. Of the participants chosen, six are from outside the Junior League and three are males.

League member Stephanie Oosterveen currently serves as Fête du Cuvée Assistant Chair. She joined LeaderBOARD to get a better understanding of how a nonprofit organization works with the goal of serving on a board one day.

She has found the sessions to be very informative, “I like how we started from learning about the roles of board members and working our way up on building/running an organization.”

Oosterveen likes that the speakers have shared their experiences and given real life pros and cons on the topic they are presenting. For Oosterveen the best part of LeaderBOARD “is meeting others who have different careers and getting to network.”

Oosterveen is able to network with participants from outside the League. Teri Grubb is a non-league member participating in LeaderBOARD. She currently serves on three nonprofit boards. She is no stranger to how nonprofit boards work, but wanted the opportunity “to better understand how boards work so that I could be more impactful.” Through

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LeaderBOARD, Grubb hopes to “gain new insight as to what it means to serve in this important role and how I can better put my skills to work to better serve the board and the mission of the organization.” Through the specialized sessions Grubb believes “this education will make me a stronger board member and allow me to make a bigger impact.”

Participant Christina Markell-Balleza is also a nonleague member. She has served on several nonprofit and professional boards in the Dallas area and San Antonio. On joining LeaderBOARD she says, “I joined in order to enhance my effectiveness on the boards I serve.” While she has served on a number of non-profit and professional boards, many provide only training specific to their mission. Markell-Balleza said, “I wanted a broader education to maximize the effect I can have in my board work.” Through the training sessions she also hopes, “ to gain insights, best practices, and new ideas that are common to many nonprofits.”

To help participants learn best practices and make a lasting impact, LeaderBOARD offers specialized courses taught in a classroom environment. Professionals who have extensive experience with the nonprofit world present the courses. They focus on a variety of topics pertinent to nonprofit boards.

The courses start with the basics of board membership and board governance. Former Volunteer Extraordinaire and Past President Jeanie Travis presented on the basics of membership on a non-profit board. Sustainer Kristal Thomson presented on Strategic Planning. Incoming Communications Council Vice President and current Social Media Coordinator Ariana Barbour presented on Public Relations, Marketing, and Social Media.

Current League Treasurer Janet Peavy presented on Finance. Peavy shared her reflections on the session saying, “It was an honor to be asked to teach an eager group of future

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MEMBERSHIP community leaders. Finance is a complicated subject for many, but this group was prepared, eager to listen and had great questions.” LeaderBOARD participants also reached out to Peavy after her session for more advice. She was very impressed with their level of dedication and desire to affect change as future board members.

The program was a priority for current League President Kristen Henry.

She wanted to expand on the success of training programs like GOAL, and further develop our community-wide impact with other nonprofits. It is modeled after similar, AJLI-award-winning programs put on by Junior League of Los Angeles (Board Fellows) and Junior League of New Orleans (Get On Board).

According to LeaderBOARD Assistant Chair Joy McGaugh, the program has already “had a number of people reach out asking about the course, including the San Antonio Area Foundation,” in this first year. She is excited about the future of the program and its participants.

Community Leadership Liaison Melissa Unsell is currently hard at work to set up internships with our community partners.

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program and the continued relationship with the Junior League.

Santiago Jaramillo is one of the male members of LeaderBOARD. He was unfamiliar with the Junior League before discovering LeaderBOARD. He currently serves on professional boards and is active on community boards and in his church.

When asked why he joined, he states, “My main goal of joining the LeaderBOARD program is to gain necessary skills needed to serve my community in greater capacities.” Like many League members, Jaramillo was looking for a way to make a difference in San Antonio too. He says, “I feel that this community has given me many opportunities and I am always looking for ways to give back.”

This program speaks directly to our mission statement of, “promoting voluntarism…and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.” LeaderBOARD is preparing its participants to become leaders and serve the community at large.

“I think our League should take great pride in the opportunity we have to shape the future of these thoughtful leaders,” presenter and treasurer Peavy remarked.

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FUNDRAISING

Resolve for a Better SA 5K Text: Delaney Alford

The 3rd Annual Junior League of San Antonio Resolve for a Better SA 5K was held on January 31, 2015. The League changed things up a bit this year by picking a new location for the race: The San Antonio Museum of Art! This year’s theme, “Polar Bear Dash,” was all about helping the Junior League “freeze” in the New Year. The 5K committee promoted the Junior League’s signature project, Let’s Go San Antonio, which endorses healthy living for San Antonio youth, enthusiastically. Additionally, the Let’s Go San Antonio crew was there with pre-race activities for the kids that were centered on teaching children how to make healthy food choices and become more physically active. The 5K further encourages our League-wide goal of promoting wellness by getting our members and friends physically active and setting an example of health and wellness.

While the Resolve for a Better SA 5K is an important fundraiser for the Junior League of San Antonio, it is also a cornerstone project for the League’s new member class. New members are encouraged to recruit participants and individually raise funds for this event, and much of the race’s success is due to their hard work. Special congratulations to Suzanne Van Ingen, the new member who raised the most funds, and Katherine Binkley’s cluster, the group of new members who collectively raised the most funds. The 5K committee is especially grateful to the hard work of the new member committee who sup-

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ported the new member class’s efforts. New member committee member Melanie Tawil says “through this opportunity granted to us, we were able to see first-hand exactly how League committees function and perform at their best. It was not only a training opportunity for the five of us, but a time to come together and build bonds with one another as well as develop the potential of women, promote voluntarism, and improve our community all in one go.”

Racers were asked to make it a family affair by bringing their kids to participate in the Kids’ Cub Crawl (Half K). The intention was to get the whole family off to the right start in the New Year. For the second year in a row, race participant Beth Blische brought her kiddoes along for the fun. She enjoyed the family aspect of this race and commented that it’s “a great way for the little ones to get involved in the community.”

Choosing the new location at the San Antonio Museum of Art was a huge benefit to all racers. According to Jamie Brunner, a 5K committee member, the venue was “changed to a more central location to entice other runners outside the Junior League community.” The team’s strategy seemed to pay off, as Brunner also noted, “we knew races along the Riverwalk are usually a huge success. Even as cold and rainy as the weather turned out to be, we had an impressive turnout and significantly increased the number of runners.” Participant Julie Clark said, “running in

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FUNDRAISING

the Resolve for a Better SA 5K was fun because we were able to explore an area of San Antonio that we never have seen before.

Running alongside the Riverwalk made for a nice, scenic run, which makes the time go by faster!” Not only did the racers enjoy a picturesque route along the San Antonio River, they received a race t-shirt, bibs with chip timing, plenty of free on-site parking and, as an added bonus, all registered racers were granted FREE admission to the museum for the day (a $10 value).

The Junior League enlisted plenty of community support for the 5K. Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, True Grimmway Farms, SwipeTrack Solutions, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. / Kristen Palme, Daughters on the Run, Humana, KIND Bars, and

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Top Golf sponsored the event. Additional sponsors included Beast Mode, who did warm ups and stretching prior to the race; Studio Benton Photographic Boutique, who provided complimentary race photography; and Corner Bakery who provided coffee and hot chocolate to all attendees. The committee even booked a DJ for the day. Scottie, a personal trainer with OPT Wellness, provided upbeat music to get the runners motivated.

All proceeds from the race go to help Junior League of San Antonio’s numerous community partners. The event raised more than $12,000. In addition to thanking our new members for their efforts, special thanks also to Ayla Ramberg, the active member who raised the most money for the race!

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723 Brooklyn Avenue San Antonio, Texas 78215 T: 210.225.1861 F: 210.225.6832 www.jlsa.org

JLSAcalendar!

2015

April 14

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Taboo Series & General Membership Meeting at the San Antonio Food Bank Board of Directors Meeting

May 3 12 26

FAME Awards at the Tobin Center General Membership Meeting Board of Directors Meeting

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, Tx Permit No.144