JLBR Diaper Bank Featured on Channel 5 News

For more information about the Junior League of Boca Raton Diaper Bank, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BocaRatonELB.

Junior League of Boca Raton Kicks off its 25th Anniversary Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon with Neiman Marcus as the New Fashion Show Sponsor

Andrianna Ames, Melissa Whelchel, Jennifer Shesser, Michelle Silverstone at the 25th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Kick-Off Luncheon

By Jennifer Barner

Junior League of Boca Raton recently held its 2012 Woman Volunteer of the Year (WVOY) luncheon kickoff luncheon announcing Neiman Marcus as its new Fashion Show Sponsor. In its 25^th Anniversary year, the annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon will be held Thursday, October 18, 2012 at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The luncheon will celebrate local women in the community and their pledge to outstanding volunteerism. The 2011 netted more than $162,000 to support the Junior League of Boca Raton’s mission to improve the community.

This year the prestigious 25^th Anniversary WVOY luncheon, Chaired by Holly Meehan with Honorary Chair, Deanna Wheeler, will recognize nominees from various non-profits throughout Palm Beach County for their dedication and expertise as volunteers. These women are nominated for making significant and noteworthy contributions to the lives of children, families, individuals and seniors within our community. Over the past 24 years, the Junior League of Boca Raton has helped recognize approximately 500 women volunteers in the community through this event. 

Jackie Reeves, the President of the Junior League of Boca Raton commented “We are excited to celebrate Woman Volunteer of the Year's 25th Anniversary! We have a tremendous legacy is this community, just wrapping up our 40 years of service. Think about that--the JLBR has been educating women, serving the needs in our community, training our members and cultivating community leaders for 40 years. Celebrating and encouraging volunteerism is a priority of the Junior League of Boca Raton!”

Neiman Marcus will serve as the WVOY luncheon’s new Fashion Show Sponsor. Patty Soltis, Vice President/General Manager of the Boca Raton Store stated, "For more than 100 years, Neiman Marcus has been privileged to support philanthropic organizations in its stores' local communities.  The Boca Raton store is honored to continue this tradition by partnering with the Junior League of Boca Raton for its 25th Anniversary Women Volunteer of the Year luncheon.  Neiman Marcus is bringing excitement about fashion to a community that truly embraces style and trend.”

For the fourth consecutive year, the Junior League of Boca Raton is proud to have The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation as Award Sponsor.

Junior League of Boca Raton and Whole Foods Market Team Up to Tackle Childhood Obesity!

By Shawn Sherlock

After months of event planning, watering crops and a ton of waiting…it was FINALLY time for the Kids in the Kitchen- Whole Foods Healthy Outing Extravaganza! Our mission: to empower a group of kids from the YMCA to make healthier lifestyle choices.

First stop: The Community Garden!

For months our dedicated K.I.T.K. crew worked diligently to grow carrots, radishes, tomatoes and many other healthy snacks here. Once the bus arrived, the kids jumped out eager to see and hear about these crops up close and personal! Check out “Betsy the Gardener” giving the kids a tour!

  

And of course, the more Betsy talked about the crops, the hungrier these cute kids got. So….FINALLY, they got their wish and picked away!!!

Next stop: 

JLBR Drives the Community Foreward

See how we were all punny in that title?!

Anyway, Friday, April 27th is the big day! Golfers will enjoy an 18-hole scramble at the beautifully designed golf course at Broken Sound Club. There will also be a putting contest, a betting hole, raffles, silent auction and much more.

Before the tournament, participants will enjoy a buffet lunch and unlimited cocktails and snacks will be available throughout the day on the course. Come out to discover why Arnold Palmer said, "Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the great game mankind has ever invented."

Afterward the tournament, golfers and guest will be treated to an awards reception at Broken Sound’s Club. The reception will include live entertainment, heavy hors d’oeuvres, unlimited cocktails, raffles and a silent auction.

For more info, check out the Junior League of Boca Raton Golf Classic Facebook page.

Are you planning on heading out to the Broken Sound Club on the 27th? If so, see you there! If not, we'll let it slide if you leave us a fun quote about golf in the comments. Yes, Happy Gilmore and Caddyshack quotes count.

Boca Helping Hands and Kids in the Kitchen Mix it Up For One “Sweet” Event!

By Shawn Sherlock

While it was one of the quieter nights I have had the opportunity of volunteering at the Boca Helping Hands facility, the laughter coming from the families inside this past week rang loud and clear!

On Thursday, a handful of us dedicated Kids in the Kitchen committee members headed over to “Family Night” at the BHH. Our mission: to whip up some healthy dessert alternatives for those less fortunate.

Upon our arrival, we whipped up one yummy treat for all to eat! A mini-chocolate- fruit- parfait- dip of sorts. Check out the pic below.

Families rolled in around 4 pm. The moment the kids spotted our table -- dinner wasn't even on their minds! It was priceless. Everyone was so appreciative of the dessert we brought. We truly enjoyed bonding with the families at this event. A night I know our group will never forget!

For more information on the Kids in the Kitchen, visit http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org.

For more information on Boca Helping Hands, visit http://www.bocahelpinghands.org.  

It's Time for Chocolate Decadence!

The 2012 Chocolate Decadence Committee

I love chocolate. Really love chocolate. I actually list it among my interests ("volunteering, writing, chocolate") and dietary needs ("anything involving chocolate").  So when I joined the Junior League of Boca Raton and learned that they hold an annual event named Chocolate Decadence that features a whole lot of chocolate, it was just another sign that I was in the right place! Since then, I have attended Chocolate Decadence every year, and this year will be no different. 

The 11^th annual Chocolate Decadence (also known as “The Sweetest Party in Town”) will be held at the Shops at Boca Center on February 9 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.jlbr.org. Prices are $35 for General Admission and $75 for VIP.  Since tickets for VIP always sell out, order your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

The VIP section will feature a “White Chocolate Lounge.”  This concept was created by our awesome Provisional members known as Team Chocolate Decadence. In addition to Atlas Party Rental, we have the décor support of Boca by Design who will be contributing to this all-inclusive section featuring open-bar, swag style goodie bags, and other extras making the VIP experience super-luxe.

Our VIP restaurants include City Fish, Philippe Chow, Potions in Motion Catering, Dapur, Euro Fusion, Morton's Steakhouse, Season's 52, Truluck's, and Hoffman's Chocolates. General area restaurants include Absinthe, Blue Martini (Town Center), Fitz Food Cafe, Ocean's 234, Potions in  Motion Catering, How Sweet It Is, Publix's Apron Cooking School, Sinless Cocktails, Tasti D-Lite, Rocco's Taco's, Palm Beach Confections, Melting Pot, and Johnson's Custom Cakes.

The silent auction is full of some new offerings this year. The International Polo Club of Palm Beach is auctioning Brunch and Polo for 4 (valued at $500). Elite Fantasy Events/Elite Wedding Planner has coordinated an event planning and vendor package towards a wedding or other milestone celebration which includes planning,  photography services by Alex David Photography, video services by LaFrance Film and Video, and DJ services by DJ LuisLG totaling $4,000 in value.

Honored as Community Sweethearts this year are Dr. Marta Rendon and Dr. and Donna Zoley. We are very grateful to have their support and generosity to help make our projects and programs possible.

A raffle of fabulous prizes and live entertainment will provide the “icing on the cake.” For more information, visit http://www.bocachocolate.com or email bocachocolate2012@gmail.com. 

Will I see you there?

Five Networking Mistakes Women Make

Photo credit: http://moyna16.wordpress.com/

Did you know that part of the Junior League of Boca Raton's Mission is to develop the potential of women?

At our January General Membership Meeting, we got the opportunity to listen to guest speaker Liz Radzick from Manifest Consulting.  Liz's topic was "Passionate Pitching: Promoting Yourself With Clarity and Confidence." As part of her talk, Liz discussed five mistakes that women often make in their pitching. I jotted them down and thought about how I do make these mistakes -- and how I can improve on them.

Mistake #5 - Monologuing vs Dialoguing: I was out with a friend about a month ago and somewhere in the conversation the Junior League came up. She asked me about it and I went off on a tangent. When I paused (to breathe, most likely) she cut in to ask me to bring her along next time I volunteer somewhere. It ended well in this case, but imagine how the conversation could have gone if I had just given her a brief synopsis, then asked her if she likes volunteering, about her involvement in her community, etc.

Mistake #4 - Alienating your audience with jargon: So far in this blog post, I could have referred to a "GMM" in the first sentence and a "DIAD" in the last paragraph. Members and Sustainers (more jargon) would have understood. But anyone outside of the Junior League would have no idea what I was talking about. I tend to be pretty good about this one -- I am able to catch myself as the jargon is coming out of my mouth and reword my statements.

Mistake #3 - Not providing enough detail: The Junior League of Boca Raton is an amazing organization. We accomplish a lot and help a lot of people in the community. Even now, I know I am not providing enough detail about what we do because I am ready to move on to the next item. The key here is providing enough detail to get across what we do, while being sure to keep in mind #5. A work in progress for me, I think.

Mistake #2 - Using minimizers: Liz notes the words "just," "sort of," and "kind of." At least in that last point I did not say, "The Junior League is kind of an amazing organization. We accomplish sort of a lot and help a lot of people in the community." No -- the Junior League of Boca Raton IS an amazing organization.

...and the #1 Networking Mistake Women Make....

Mistake #1 - Using "we" and forgetting "I": This is especially important on a blog, where people want to hear personal experiences and not just see the same information stated the same way it is in other mediums. That is why Christine Hanna told us about her experience volunteering with the Boca Raton Community Garden. That is why Sara Ritzler talked about her experience at the Association of Junior Leagues Organizational Development Institute. That is why Shawn Sherlock shared her experience as a Provisional, which is a woman who is learning about the Junior League in anticipation of becoming a full Member.

So now that I've shared my experiences, I am going to toss the ball. Can you relate to any of these five mistakes? Are there any you do? Don't do? Continue to do, but are trying to quit? Let us know in the comments.