How to be a Successful Volunteer

By Heather Blazi, Vice Chair of Communications

So! One of our first major Junior League of San Antonio events of the new year took place this past weekend, our annual Volunteer Training. I have to say, this was one of my favorite events I have been to in my League career thus far.  We opened up with a video from Admiral McRaven (see it here) giving us 10 life lessons from a navy seal. I believe everyone should take 20 minutes to watch this video – it will be well worth it. I promise the 10 lessons will make sense once you watch the video.

Even if you've never been in navy seal training (which I am be willing to bet 99.9% of us have not), we have all experienced moments where these life lessons really hit home. Several Junior League of San Antonio board members shared a personal story that aligned with each of these lessons.

Katie Kuznair, one of our new members this year, was inspired by their stories. “I enjoyed hearing the personal stories of the board members relating to the 10 life lessons. It was nice to get a little insight on who they are as women and some of the things they have struggled with and overcome.”

In the video, Admiral McRaven talks about how one person can make an impact. Just one person. That's what we are doing as members of the Junior League and leaders in our community. We are making an impact, each and every one of us. But, it helps to know how we are making an impact. Enter phase 2 of the training.

This part was pretty incredible. Four of our community partners- Prevent Blindness, Family Endeavors, Green Spaces Alliance, and Clarity Guidance- spoke to us about how the Junior League of San Antonio has made a positive impact on their program.  There was so much gratitude for what we do, it really shows you how important our work is within our community.

Holly Pirruccello, a 8-year active volunteering in an SA Works placement this year, said the Family Endeavors’ story meant a lot to her.

Holly said, “it was amazing listening to the beautiful lady from Fairweather Family Lodge speak about her past, the transformation she has undergone, and how grateful she is to the JLSA volunteers she met for their time and support while she was mending herself and her spirit.”

Hearing their stories just solidified my reasons for joining the Junior League. It was so phenomenal to hear what they had to say. Our volunteers are out there almost every day representing what we do. So it's important for us to learn how to SUCCEED as a Volunteer too. Lorena Pena and Sarah Wannarka shared with us five steps to become a successful volunteer. These lessons are so important, I want to shout them from the rooftop, and share them with everyone I know. If you take nothing else away from this post, I hope you take these five tips seriously.

Every time we go out into the world, we represent the Junior League. Even more so when we volunteer with our community partners. So, here they are.

1. ENERGY & PASSION – If you are scheduled to volunteer, make sure you show up on time and are full of life. You are there representing JLSA, and there is nothing worse than a Debbie Downer showing up... so lesson number one, “Fake it 'till you FEEL it.” not make it... FEEL it. We should all be just as passionate about Junior League events as we are about Starbucks or our fur-babies (two things I’m pretty passionate about). We do such amazing work, and we should all be super proud of what we do!
2. FLEXIBILITY – This is a group of volunteers. We are all people. We all have lives outside of the Junior League. If a shift lead doesn't show up, or you signed up for playing with kids and you end up painting at your shift, repeat after me... “it is not the end of the world.” Life will go on. If your shift lead didn't show up, just let your Mentor know, or email saworks@jlsa.org and the SA Works team will make sure you get your credits. If you signed up for one thing and ended up doing another, it’s all ok! You helped a community partner with something they needed, and that is what we want to do. We want to help! So, take a deep breath, smile, and know that what you are doing is truly making a difference!
3. INTEGRITY – You may be the only representative of the Junior League that someone knows or sees. If you are at a shift and you sit in a corner and look at your phone the whole time (that is another topic in itself) and don't talk to anyone or take initiative, our community partners notice! We are there to be WITH them. Put your phones up, they will be there when your shift is done. Just remember, you may be the light in someone's day! Make the most of it, and get to know some of the people we are helping... who knows what you will learn!
4. RELIABILITY – This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you sign up for a shift, be there. If something major happens (this is not to be used as an excuse to “get out of something”) call the shift lead and let them know you can't make it. Life happens, and everyone understands (see “Flexibility”). The thing to remember is there are lots of women out there looking for opportunities to volunteer. If you sign up for a shift and don't show up, you are taking a spot away from someone else! And way more importantly, our community partners are relying on us to be there. Don't let them down!
5. EMPATHY & COMPASSION – Be mindful of where you are going. Some of the people you interact with may not be as blessed as we are. Don't distract from the AWESOME work you are about to do. Don't stand there and whisper with your friends in the corner, even if it’s about something totally unrelated, when people are vulnerable and self-conscious, they may think you are talking about them. We are there to represent the League and do some amazing work!

So, in summary...You are the Junior League of San Antonio! Embrace it! Love it! Shout it from the rooftop! The Junior League of San Antonio does some phenomenal work in our community, and each and every member can truly make an impact. Now go out into the world and remember our theme this year...

JLSA 2015 Cellar Party

By Ashton Teal, JLSA Fête du Cuvée Communications Chair

Excitement is building as we are fast approaching the Junior League of San Antonio’s 4th Annual Fête du Cuvée black tie fundraiser presented by Wave Healthcare, Saturday, March 7, 2015.

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.

Over the years, the Fête du Cuvée committee has explored opportunities to expand our reach and allow more JLSA members, and the community as a whole, to enjoy the event experience. Thus, the Cellar Party was born.  We hope you will consider joining us Thursday, February 19, 2015, for this exclusive preview event open to the public where guests will experience Fête du Cuvée in a more intimate atmosphere.

Patrons will sip fine wine, listen to music by DJ Steven Lee Moya, and enjoy a custom menu of created especially for the Cellar Party by Starfish chef, Diego Fernandez. The best part of the night may just be the beautiful views of downtown San Antonio from the Penthouse at the Alteza Residences above the Grand Hyatt (610 East Market Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205). Starfish was one of two San Antonio restaurants who recently made it on Texas Monthly’s esteemed “Where to Eat Now 2015” list.

The Junior League of San Antonio works year-round to secure funds that are essential to furthering our mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community.

We hope that you will join us at both events to wine, dine and give back. Tickets to this event are $75 and on sale now at sanantoniowineauction.com.

2015 Resolve for a Better SA 5K

By Jaime Brunner, JLSA Resolve for a Better SA 5K Outreach Coordinator

The 3rd Annual Junior League of San Antonio Resolve for a Better SA 5K Polar Bear Dash is on January 31, 2015 at 9:00am, at its new location at the San Antonio Museum of Art! Join us to help the Junior League of San Antonio “Freeze” in the New Year! The Junior League’s signature project is Let’s Go San Antonio, which promotes healthy living for San Antonio youth.  Please bring your kids to join us for the Kids’ Cub Crawl (Half K) so we can get San Antonio’s youth off to the right start in the New Year. All proceeds from the race goes to help Junior League of San Antonio’s numerous community partners.

Why do we do a 5K? Our signature effort, known as Let's Go San Antonio, is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among San Antonio youth by teaching children how to make healthy food choices and become physically active.  The 5K further promotes our League-wide goal of promoting wellness by getting our members and friends physically active and setting an example of health and wellness.

Where exactly is the race? I don’t want to get lost on the way there! The race will start at the San Antonio Museum of Art (200 West Jones Avenue, San Antonio, Texas 78215). Bonus: there’s free parking on-site (look for happy JLSA volunteers pointing out the lots!). Registered racers will also be granted FREE admission to the museum for the day (a $10 added value).

The route along the San Antonio Riverwalk

Registration Details: Registration available at www.jlsa.org and on-site on the day of the race. All registered runners will receive a race t-shirt, bibs with chip timing, access to the San Antonio Museum of Art for the entire day!

Registration options:

- General Registration: $40 through January 30.

- Day of Registration: $45 on site

- Cub Crawl: $20

- Team Registration: Team of 5 = $150

- Hibernator: $35, support the Resolve for a Better SA 5K effort from the comfort of your warm bed. Hibernators will receive a race t-shirt

Packet Pick Up will be at Soler’s in Alamo Heights on Friday, January 30. Details will be on the website.

If you'd like to support the Junior League of San Antonio by donating to our 5K fundraising efforts please visit us online and help us reach our goal of $20,000!

And a big thank you to this year’s sponsors!

You Say You Need a Resolution

By Sarah Bragg, Junior League of San Antonio Admissions Chair

Okay, so about this time a few years ago,  Christmas was over and I’d eaten my entire body weight in sugar cookies. What to do before the sugar wore off? Make an ambitious list of New Year’s resolutions of course!  

1. I wanted to get fit
2. In order to get fit I needed to eat healthier (remember all those cookies I just confessed to eating?)
3. Learning something new is always good
4. So is getting organized
5. I thought about how I could give back to the community
6. In order to know my community better I needed to explore San Antonio more

Wow, that’s 6 resolutions that I’d come up with; it sounded a little bit daunting. I questioned how I was going to do all these things over the next year. There’s a myriad of organizations to volunteer for in San Antonio and so many new and up and coming areas to explore. 

I asked a couple of my friends if they had any suggestions. 

One very smart friend suggested that I check out the Junior League of San Antonio. After reading about the organization online at jlsa.org I decided to fill out an application- I had nothing to lose! 

I read all about JLSA’s Resolve for a Better SA 5K and the Let’s Go San Antonio Program; it looked like I could get two of my resolutions checked off my list right away especially because the 5k is at the end of January… I found my running shoes fast! There's still time to register for the race in 2015! 

2014 JLSA Resolve for a Better SA 5K

Let’s Go San Antonio seemed like a really great way to give back to the city and to pick up some healthy eating habits too. I’m slowly I can’t eat mac n’ cheese forever. (The key is moderation.) And I loved the fact that Let’s Go San Antonio is a city wide initiative to help children develop healthier eating habits. 

I also was ready to get organized and when I learned more about the Junior League's partnership with Goodwill for donating I thought it was awesome that the donations basically counted double: support Goodwill's mission of changing lives through the power of work and earn gift cards for JLSA to give to our community partners! 

One resolution kept sticking out in my mind-volunteering. I wanted to be a part of an organization that had rich history in my city, part of an organization that could help me development myself as a better leader, an organization that would guide me. The Junior League of San Antonio seemed like a great fit! I knew a couple women in the organization already and both spoke very highly about how the Junior League helped them to grow as women and as leaders, and honestly I had been looking for an organization just like this since I graduated college. I truly felt like JLSA could really help me accomplish my New Year’s Resolutions.

The single biggest way I could accomplish all of my resolutions was to join JLSA. So I did and you can too! If you’re interested in joining the Junior League of San Antonio you can fill out an application online at jlsa.org. There will also be an information session on Tuesday, January 13th at 5:30 pm at the Bright Shawl prior to the January General Membership Meeting.

Sunshine Singers Spreading Cheer!

By Tiffany Stevens, Sunshine Singer Volunteer
Edited from original post

This year I’ve really enjoyed being a part of a group of women through the Junior League called the Sunshine Singers. We meet once or twice a week and gather together to spread smiles and warm hearts to the seniors of our community. We enjoy seeing their faces light up when we start singing to their favorite music that seems to bring back fond memories for them. Here are some photos from our visits to these special elderly friends.

This time of year we sing a lot of Christmas carols in honor of the holiday season and we pass out Santa hats and jingle bells as they sing along. After the singing portion has commenced, we visit with them as they tell us stories, laugh, hug and hold hands.

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the elderly and since my grandparents have passed I look forward to these Monday evenings! It is so fulfilling knowing that you have just brought a bright spot to those in the senior community who may only have your visit to make their day.

I’m thankful and proud to be a part of this special group! The Sunshine Singers, spreading cheer among the elderly!

If you or someone you know would like to join the the Junior League of San Antonio please find more information on jlsa.org. Make the holidays memorable by doing something special for someone. 

Christmas in Toyland

By Whitney Ormand, Holiday Olé Market 2014 Chair

Trees and lights at HEB, red cups at Starbucks, peppermint bark at Williams-Sonoma… It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  In fact, it looked a lot like Christmas, Christmas in Toyland, that is, at the Expo Hall last month.

  

We had 115 fabulous merchants from all over the country, and I know I got a lot of Christmas shopping done.  I may or may not have bought a few things for myself, too, but isn’t that part of the fun?  I think I took four loads of shopping bags to the car! 

And the special events the party team put on were absolutely amazing!  We kicked off the weekend with Sneak Peek featuring a silent auction, live music, fabulous food…and of course, shopping!  And lots of husbands enjoyed the big screen and whiskey in the Reindeer Stable that night.  I know mine did!  

Sneak Peek Silent Auction

Friday morning, we enjoyed a brunch event complete with Kendra Scott door prizes and a truly wonderful speech about friendship, motherhood and real life by Melanie Shankle.  If you haven’t read her best seller, Sparkly Green Earrings, I suggest you run to Barnes & Noble and pick it up!  Consider it your Christmas gift to yourself – enjoy!  

Author Melanie Shankle at Ready, Set, Shop!

Friday night capped off with Girls’ Night Out where ladies ate, drank and shopped ‘til they dropped!  

No one went home empty handed!

Saturday morning was my favorite event, and I don’t even have a little one…not yet anyway!  He’s scheduled to make his debut next month.  

My little one is due any day now!

Pajamas & Pancakes was such a fun morning!  Precious kiddos in their pajamas, delicious pancakes, painting, letters to Santa, and even a performance by the Sugar Plum Fairy!

The Sugar Plum Fairy enchanting everyone

And of course everyone wanted their picture with her

Want to know the best part of the weekend though?  ALL the funds raised by this event go right back into our community!  Our mission is to promote voluntarism, develop the potential of women and improve the community, and each and every dollar raised at Holiday Olé Market does just that.  We’re working on final numbers, but we’ll absolutely share those as soon as they come in!

The history of  the Junior League of San Antonio

All of our merchants, donors, sponsors, shoppers and volunteers make this event possible every year, and for that, we are eternally grateful!   We appreciate the support of our major sponsors: Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, Capital Group Companies, Baptist Breast Center, News 4 WOAI, Bjorn’s, South Texas Money Management, Broadway Bank, Brio Tuscan Grille, Magnolia Pancake Haus, Corner Bakery, and especially our presenting sponsor, Valero, for their continued support!

Thank you to our sponsors!

And I would be remiss if I didn’t take a minute to thank the fabulous women on the Holiday Olé Market committee for their time, hard work and dedication.  Without them, this event would not be possible!  It is truly an honor to work with such an amazingly talented and committed group of ladies, and I continue to be amazed by the strength and character of our Junior League of San Antonio volunteers.

2014 Holiday Olé Committee

On behalf of the JuniorLeague of San Antonio, thank you for your support of this event!  And you better make plans now to join us in 2015!  My assistant chair has great things planned for next year’s show.  Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!

JLSA Stuffs the Bus for 2014

By Sara Briseño Gerrish, 2014-2015 New Member

One of the things I have grown to love since joining the Junior League of San Antonio, is the opportunity to learn more about our city’s wonderful non-profits and the chance to roll up my sleeves to lend a helping hand. Over the weekend, I had the chance to work with Communities in Schools of San Antonio’s (CIS-SA) Stuff the Bus event. This event was held at 24 H-E-B’s across the city in conjunction with the city’s tax-free weekend. Our mission was to help raise awareness and collect/organize the donations. All the donations collected are to be distributed to school age children in San Antonio.

Some of our group passed out flyers with suggested supply needs as customers walked into H-E-B, and others organized pre-bundled bags of school supplies.The bags included popular school supply items such as: crayons, folders, and spiral notebooks. Customers picked up these bags and bought them with their groceries. Each bag was priced less than $3!

I was really blown away by our city’s generosity. People would selflessly drop off bags of supplies and empty out their purses and wallets for a donation; even school-age children emptied their pockets so that others would be able to go to school with their needed supplies. This was a great opportunity to give back to our community! Thank you Junior League and Communities in Schools of San Antonio!  

Board of Directors Food Bank Project

July 2, 2014, by Hannah Steward

On Saturday, June 28th, members of JLSA worked with the Food Bank Mobile Pantry, and The Fountain Christian Church, to sort and distribute food baskets to over 200 needy families.  The JLSA Board of Directors, "Let's Go San Antonio" Leadership Team, and JLSA Staff sent home baskets filled with fresh meat and vegetables, in addition to non-perishable goods, with the grateful families.  JLSA Members enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community and work alongside the church congregation.  It was a terrific start to the 2014-2015 League year and put our Mission to action.