Honoring ALL Who Served

JLSA blogger Jessica McAnelly reminds us how our military members and veterans should always be close to our hearts in the Alamo City.

Veterans Day always falls on November 11, the day that formally ended the hostilities of World War I. It is the day set aside to honor and thank ALL who have served in the military for the United States. We will show appreciation for our heroes' contributions, for the sacrifices they made, and for our daily freedom. All around our country, on 11-11-11 at 11 a.m., churches, VFW Halls, schools and civic organizations will be celebrating our veterans and giving thanks to ALL who served.  Flags of red, white, and blue will be hung and pride will be felt throughout our great nation.  Where will you be at 11 today and who will you honor?

When I first started this blog, and was interviewing our fellow Junior League members, I kept asking who they will be honoring,  "Will you be honoring your father, husband, or grandfather, this Veterans Day?" One of our new members, Diane Miller, pointed out to me something wasn't quite right with my question: what about   ALL who served? She's right. What about the great women who have served our country? We should not forget the women who have served their country in the armed forces. Diane mentioned they might be our next-door neighbors, a mother from a playgroup we have joined, our sisters, cousins, a high school classmate, or even a Junior League of San Antonio member.

Diane, who spent six years serving in the Air Force, says, "I had the privilege and honor of knowing many a woman who sacrificed time taking care of their own needs, and time with their children and husbands to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of these women even had mothers that served in the military." She continued, "I feel confident in saying that as a female, and a veteran, I am proud of my time in the military."

In 2007, the VA estimated that there would be 1.8 million female veterans by 2010. That is a humbling statistic when I think about how blessed I am to spend the holidays with my loved ones this year, while others, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters may be spending their holidays on the front lines for United States of America!

On Veterans Day, spend time honoring not only your own loved one connected to the military but  ALL who have served our country and remember to honor the men and women veterans who have sacrificed so much for us!

Thank you so much, Diane, for your service. We honor you and thank you for your insight and for making our community a better place.

Welcome BACK !

Jessica McAnelly, a member of the communications council team and our newest blogger extraordinaire, has seen autumn off to a busy start this year. In this latest post, she reminds us not to just get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this season, but also to welcome challenges, growth and opportunities.

Welcome back to another wonderful year in the League.
Welcome back to school.
Welcome back to a routine.
Welcome back to being more involved.
Welcome back to personal growth and development.

As I ran around town in a whirlwind of buying backpacks and school supplies, I saw other moms in the same panic of finishing up their own "to do lists." I, as well as the other moms around me, were all getting ready to get our kids, and ourselves, into a back-to-school frame of mind! It made me think back to how exciting the first day of school really is, kind of like going to our first JLSA General Meeting! You get to see friends you haven't seen all summer; you hear about all the new things that are planned for the year; and you learn new skills!  It's truly a time to get back to growing yourself, to embracing new opportunities to enrich your life!

No matter what stage of life we are in, it's never too late for us to build and grow on the foundations the Junior League of San Antonio has instilled in us. Our league continues to develop our potential and improve our leadership skills through education and our charitable work. So ladies welcome yourselves back to growing within our league and within your life!

This fall, consider taking advantage of opportunities for personal development, whether they're within the League or in our wonderful South Central Texas community.
*Take an online course in a subject that interests you
*Start or finish that Master's degree
*Learn a new Language. Oui ? Si?
*Take on a leadership role within the league
*Take a Toastmasters class and finally get over that fear of public speaking
*Sign up for training sessions the league offers and sometimes get a Member Credit. Double Bonus!

Whatever you have on your mind to do, remember it's never too late to get back to growing yourself!

And mark your calendars to attend our first General Meeting, Sept. 13 at the Bright Shawl. We want YOU to get in that back to school mode by showing us your college pride (prizes will be awarded)!

I don't know about you, but I already feel those first day of school butterflies and can't wait to see old and new friends and hear about the things we will accomplish in the League this year! Hope to see you there!

Is Betty Draper a Role Model for Today's Women?

The fictional star of TV’s Emmy Awarding-winning Mad Men is a stay-at-home mother, an active member of the Junior League of Tarrytown (now called the Junior League of Westchester-on-Hudson) and a key mover in the League’s local environmental efforts.

But how typical is Betty of real Junior League members (all 160,000 of them)?

While many Junior League members take time off from work to raise families, 71% of members work full or part time outside of the home.  Many members do some combination of both:  work, stay at home, and go back to work again.  And all, like Betty, are actively involved in civic leadership in their own communities.

Here are just a few of The Junior League’s change agents. 

•Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), member of the Junior League of New York and the proud sponsor of a House bill to establish a National Women's History Museum on the Mall in Washington.
•Jan Langbein, The Senior Policy Advisor at the Office on Violence Against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice and a 27 year member of the Junior League of Dallas.
•Betty Simms, U.S. Senate, Missouri, has made significant contributions to improving the health, economic, and social well-being of women and children.
•Rose Hudson, President and CEO of the Louisiana Lottery Corporation.
•Kay Hagan, U.S. Senate, North Carolina, “one of the smartest, hardest working, most effective senators in North Carolina” according to Governor Mike Easley, credits her experience with The Junior League.
•Gena Lovett, COO Alexandra Investment Management, a New York hedge fund.
•Glenda E. Hood, former Florida Secretary of State and Mayor of Orlando.
•Pat Evans, former three-term Mayor of Plano and was Plano’s “Citizen of the Year” in 2004.
•Dee Dickinson, one of the world’s foremost experts on learning and human development.
•The Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice on the US Supreme Court.

Which Junior League women have positively impacted your community?

Article provided by The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. Founded in 1901 by New Yorker, Mary Harriman, the Junior Leagues are charitable nonprofit organizations of women, developed as civic leaders, creating demonstrable community impact.

Today, The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) is comprised of more than 160,000 women in 292 Junior Leagues throughout Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.  Together, they constitute one of the largest, most effective volunteer organizations in the world.