Author: JL Works

Submitted by New Member Program Chairs Lauren Smith & Meghan Kaiser

Greetings from the New Member Program Committee!

Over the summer, we successfully hosted 27 “Meet the Junior League of Philadelphia” recruitment events throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. These intimate meet-up style gatherings allowed New Member Program Advisors, Chairs, and Actives to effectively convey our mission, vision, impact, and experiences to potential new members. In response to our President’s call to action, we went the extra mile and organized “one more” round of “Meet the Junior League of Philadelphia” events during the second week of September in Media, New Jersey, and Rittenhouse. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to every JLP member who helped us spread the word about recruitment!

Through our collective efforts, we warmly welcome 111 women of diverse backgrounds into the Junior League of Philadelphia 2023-2024 New Member class! New Members’ journey began with a Kick-off on September 10 at the Warwick Hotel with opening remarks, a delicious breakfast, and the opportunity to meet and connect with New Member Program Chairs and Advisors, Vice-President of Membership Development, President-Elect, President, Chief Operating Officer, and Sustainer Leadership Council Representative. Over 40 New Members attended this event! We then hosted a virtual Kick-off event on October 22, after extending our recruitment deadline to mid-September.

We are delighted to provide New Members with opportunities to connect through Advisor-led small groups based on their geographic location and encourage New Members to attend trainings, socials, and volunteer opportunities aimed at deepening their understanding of JLP’s mission as well as meeting their requirements. Our efforts to engage New Members don’t stop there—we are thrilled to announce that New Members received name badges so they can be easily recognized at JLP events! Additionally, we are actively working on collaborative initiatives across councils, including a lineup of signature events. We wish to thank the Thrift Shop Committee for assisting us by presenting an informative session at the Thrift Shop and Headquarters on November 9. We were delighted to host the Annual Winter Holidays Cookie Exchange as it made its return for the third consecutive year, along with the ever-so-popular Ugly Sweater Party! Lastly, we’re excited to present the informative and inspiring “Meet the JLP Councils” series in the coming months as part of our continued New Member programming.

We could not do this impactful work on our own. Our committee is comprised of 10 dynamic and dedicated Advisors, each bringing a wealth of Junior League experience and enthusiasm: Carolyn Zaccagni, Christine Scott-Waldron, Frances Cannup, Jamila Robinson, Jane Nevins, Kate McKelvey, Lauren Sneed, Meredith Caemmerer, Rachel Silver, and Whitley Harris.

New Members, your Junior League adventure has just begun, and we can’t wait to meet you on the other side as Active members in the spring.

Submitted by event Co-Chairs Annamarie Hellebusch & Debbie Vozzo

Sustaining members of the Junior League of Philadelphia gathered at The Union League’s Liberty Hill in Lafayette Hill on September 27 for the fall dinner and evening program. While mingling, many enjoyed a spectacular view from the event room of the beautiful fall foliage before sunset.

Our speaker, Bill Valerio, PhD, who is the Director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill engaged 44 Sustainers in a wonderful discussion about the stories of artists in Philadelphia. Dr. Valerio was born in Italy and came to Philadelphia in 2002 to attend Wharton. Dr. Valerio said, “In the two years of my education, I came to realize Philadelphia is a wonderful place to live, and I became involved through MBA internships with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. After many years here, I was offered a position at the Woodmere.”

Dr. Valerio shared with the audience that Woodmere is undergoing a major expansion as it renovates a newly acquired estate, which is named the Frances M. Maqurie Hall for Art and Education. Woodmere will create fourteen new galleries for its collection and an art studio for education.

Dr. Valerio was an engaging and incredibly knowledgeable speaker and art historian. It was a wonderful evening and a great start to the JLP Sustainer year.