Junior Leaguers on the Run!

Spring has sprung and Jacksonville Junior Leaguers have been busy... running! Check out the great photos from our members who have participated in road races over the past few months.


Julie Merten (far right) and Natalie Taylor (far left) are pictured here with a friend after completing the 26.2 With Donna half marathon on Sunday, Feb. 12. The annual event, based in Jacksonville, is the nation's only marathon dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research and support.

Looking good (but maybe a little cold?), ladies!

Julie is a New Member of the League this year, and Natalie currently serves on the First Year Active commitee.

Blake Barkoskie finished her first ever Gate River Run in March. Way to go! Blake is pictured at left, smiling at the finish line between her "Running Buddies."

Blake currently serves as chair of the Placement Committee and is a member of the Community Research and Project Development (CRPD) Committee.

On Sunday, March 18, Elizabeth Green completed the New York City Half Marathon. She ran in 2:14:35, shaving 6 minutes off of her previous half marathon ...

Which she ran just 5 weeks earlier -- The 26.2 With Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer in Jacksonville, Florida. Way to go, Elizabeth!

This past year Elizabeth has served on the Membership Enrichment and Training Committee as well as the Nominating Committee.

Kathy Waller participated in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Disneyland in California on Sunday, January 29.

"I love running and organized a girlfriends' getaway to run a half marathon," says Kathy. "I figured I'd have some fun with my friends and get the side benefit of a little training plan to keep me in shape!"

She says she was "completely starstruck" when she ran into movie star Sean Astin at the finish line.

Kathy serves as secretary of Junior League of Jacksonville's 2011-2012 Board. Learn more about Kathy by re-visiting her board member profile!

Jaime Haskin completed a relay in the 26.2 With Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer on Sunday, February 12. Jaime says she had a great time, and didn't let the record-setting cold temps of the day dampen her spirits!

Jaime is part of the first-ever Junior League of Jacksonville Spring New Member class.












Katrine Strickland completed the 35th Annual Gate River Run on Saturday, March 10. She didn't set any records, but was running for two! Congratulations to you and your (soon-to-be-bigger) family, Katrine!

The Gate took place in downtown Jacksonville and attracted more than 17,000 participants. It is currently the largest 15K race in the US.

Katrine currently serves on Junior League of Jacksonville's 2011-2012 Done-In-A-Day (DIAD) Committee.

Dig A Little Deeper: The Shannon Miller Foundation

Join thousands from the community for the Shannon Miller Lifestyle Women’s 5K and 1 Mile Children’s Fun Run on Saturday, April 7th! Visit race vendors and enjoy a community health fair with free health screenings. Bring the whole family for a day of health and fitness at the Jacksonville Landing; fitness, community and plenty of fun. Register Today!

EVENT INFORMATION
Date: Saturday April 7th, 2012
Time: Children’s 1 Mile Fun Run: 8:00 a.m.; Women’s 5K Run/Walk: 8:30 a.m.
Place: The Jacksonville Landing

Proceeds from the race benefit the Shannon Miller Foundation to fight childhood obesity. The Foundation works with programs in our community that encourage children to become more physically active, provides nutrition training in local schools and advocates for healthy lifestyle choices. It is founded by Shannon Miller, 7-time Olympic Medalist, Jacksonville resident, cancer survivor and mother.

The Shannon Miller Foundation's mission is an important one that is close to the Junior League of Jacksonville's heart. Many of our members are looking forward to volunteering at the Shannon Miller Lifestyle event on Saturday, April 7th.

"It is shaping up to be a record breaking year, and we are so excited to have the Junior League involved with our event!" says Jackie Culver, Executive Director, Shannon Miller Foundation. "We are so grateful to the Junior League for all of the work they do in our community.”

A Whale of a Makeover!

The Junior League of Jacksonville added a new community component to our 21st annual Whale of a Sale - with a Whale of a Makeover for one teen transitioning from foster care!

For over 20 years, the Junior League of Jacksonville’s Whale of a Sale fundraiser has brought the community gently used, quality merchandise at low prices while raising much-needed funds for JLJ’s community projects that benefit children and families in Jacksonville. This project has been a great opportunity for JLJ volunteers to add a positive community impact component to the event.

For the first time, JLJ members are using items, including furniture, decorative items and clothing, donated to the annual Whale of a Sale fundraiser to decorate the new apartment of Caneilua Barber, an 18-year-old woman transitioning out of the foster care system.

Carneilua, or CC as she prefers, came into foster care at age 16, following the death of her mother, and aged-out of care when she turned 18 in October 2011. She attends Drop Back In Academy. She plans to attend college to study criminal justice and aspires to be a judge. As a young adult transitioning out of foster care, CC is receiving services through the Independent Living program offered by Family Support Services of North Florida (FSS).



League members started at 7am on Sunday the 19th painting and decorating CC's apartment, getting it ready for the Big Reveal.

At 4:30 Sunday afternoon, the reveal came!

"I'm so excited! Its gorgeous!" said CC, "This is way past what I imagined and what I ever thought was going to be in here!"

"We are so excited to be a part of giving CC a room that reflects her personality, as she moves in to her first apartment," said Becky Patel, Junior League President. "She is a lovely girl and we're excited for her as she begins this new phase of her life."

Interested in seeing what Whale of a Sale can makeover in your house? Don't miss out - join us at the Preview Party, Friday, Feb. 24th! Tickets are on sale now.

More Makeover Pictures!





Special thanks to Corporate Suite Shoppes and Cort Furniture for their help in making over CC's apartment!

Check out the news coverage on the makeover:

Coming Home

by: Jen Kinsella

“There’s nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”
--Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

I am counting many blessings this year: my family, good health, wonderful friends, and a job I love. But I am particularly thankful that my family and I have “come home” to Jacksonville.

Two years ago, we moved to the Washington, DC area because my husband had accepted a two-year assignment on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. While it was a great professional opportunity for him, I was sad to leave a city that I had grown to love and the many friends I had made while living here.

I joined the JLJ after moving here in 2007 as a way to meet new people and get involved in the community. Over the course of the next two years, I had the opportunity to volunteer for some outstanding community projects, like CARES, and I also made some wonderful friends along the way. When I was pregnant with my oldest son in 2008, four other FYAs were also expecting their first children. Those women and I became very close while we shared the joys (and aches and pains!) of pregnancy. We found support in one another as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our little ones – with our five children being born about 7 weeks apart (and two of us actually delivering on the SAME day!).

When we moved to DC in 2009, I was able to keep in touch with everyone - thanks in large part to Facebook, email and the work travel that brought me down here on a monthly basis. And when we found out last year that the Navy was bringing us back to Jacksonville, I was thrilled!

My husband and I have often asked each other, “What is it about Jacksonville?” “Why does this city feel like ‘home’ to us?” It isn’t perfect – there are so many needs in this community, but there is also so much potential. And as members of the JLJ we are charged with helping to make Jacksonville a better place for ourselves, our families and those less fortunate than us. So this Thanksgiving, let us all count our blessings and continue our work to improve this special place that we are blessed to call “home.”

Board Profile: Becky Patel

Board Member Profile: Becky Patel

Age: 36

Resides In: Mandarin

Family Details: Husband – Rakesh, Kids – Jaden, 5 and Malana, 3

Pets: Australian Shepherd Mix named Daisy

Hometown: Miami

Current Board Position: President

College and Major: Florida State University – Finance; Nova South Eastern University - MBA

Professional Details: Vice President, Sr. Underwriter at Bank of America

Community Involvement:
Junior League of Jacksonville, August 1998 – Present
President, Board Member 2011-2012; President-Elect, Board Member 2010-2011; Community Council Director, Board Member 2008-2009; Provisional Vice-Chair 2007-2008; Provisional Advisor 2006-2007; Volunteer of the Year 2006-2007; CARES Chairman, 2005-2006; CARES Vice-Chairman, 2004-2005; Volunteer of the Year 2004-2005; Provisional Vice-Chair, 2003-2004; Treasurer, Board Member 2002-2003; Treasurer-elect, 2001-2002; Communications Council Administrative Assistant, 2000-2001; Provisional Member, 1999-2000

Junior Achievement, Classroom Volunteer, January 1998 – Present

Sigma Kappa Sorority, Beta Tau (University of Florida) Chapter Advisor, August 2000 – May 2006

Sigma Kappa Sorority, National Officer, May 2006 - Present

Sigma Kappa Alumnae Chapter of Jacksonville, Various Board Positions, January 2001 – Present

Bright Horizons Parent Group, Various Volunteer Roles, March 2006 - Present

Girls on the Run of Northeast Florida, Coach, Fall 2009

HandsOn Jacksonville, Blueprint for Leadership Cohort, Spring 2011

Member of JLJ since: 1999

Why did you join JLJ? Volunteering in the community has always been a priority to me. I think it is very important to give back and it is something that I enjoy very much. In addition to the volunteer aspect, I was new to Jacksonville and thought joining the Junior League would be a great way to make new friends.

What is Your Goal for this year? I have been an active member of the JLJ for 10+ years and I have seen us do some truly great things. I have served in a variety of leadership roles with an emphasis in Finance, Community and Training & Development, and I hope to leverage this experience as President. I would like to build upon the foundation that has already been established. I want to continue to focus on making the JLJ fun! I want to get people excited about coming to meetings and volunteering. Retention is also a key goal. We are working to meet member’s changing needs and interests through social activities, and more training and community opportunities. We also want to get more sustainers involved by encouraging them to participate in more events. We also are working to enhance our fundraising activities. This will help us in so many ways – more funds to support our community goals, but also gets our name out there in the community.

What has been your most rewarding moment in JLJ? Seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces at CARES or KITK events. I think we are really making a difference in these kids’ lives by giving them our time.

What has surprised you most about your time with JLJ? Just how much fun it can be. If you find the right committee and dedicate yourself to it, every meeting can be a fun experience.

What has been your favorite placement? Why? I loved CARES. It was great to be a part of that committee. We did so much for Norwood and I really felt like I bonded with some of those kids given the amount of time I spent at the school.

How have you been able to use skills you learned in JLJ in your everyday life? Definitely – I am more confident overall.

Give us a reason why you would encourage other women to join JLJ: It is a great way to work together with like minded women to give back to the community. You will also make some great friendships.

How do you think JLJ most helps the community? We help the community in so many ways. We give of our time to so many organizations and we help so many kids. Whale of a Sale is also such a big community service and I think we sometime forget that aspect of the event.

Dig a Little Deeper: Give and Go!

Give and Go!

Give and Go! is your chance to purchase the lowest priced Jaguars tickets while supporting your favorite charity. For every ticket you purchase to any of the Jaguars 2011 preseason and regular season games through the secure Give and Go! site, you automatically donate $20 to Junior League of Jacksonville, Inc..

Give and Go! is a partnership between the Nonprofit Center, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and WeGive.org.

Let's get started! Choose the game you want to attend

Board Member Profile: Meredith Schmidt

Age or Birthday: 30, October 19

Resides In: Intercoastal West

Family Details: Looking forward to an October wedding with finance Josh Guess

Pets: Tango, my 40 pound Jack Russell mix. He is my strong willed little man that loves to hug company, cuddle and then dart out the backyard gate any chance he can get.

Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma & DeLand, Florida

Current Board Position: VP Finance Council

College and Major: Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Graduate School of Banking at LSU and currently taking classes at UNF to sit for the CPA exam.

Professional Details: Vice President Commercial Banker Fifth Third Bank

Community Involvement: Leadership Jacksonville, Girl Scouts, Girls on the Run, Art & Antiques Show, Junior Achievement, American Cancer Society.

Member of JLJ since: 2005

Why did you join JLJ? I joined the Junior League when I moved to Jacksonville as a recommendation from a coworker who thought it was a great way to meet friends and get to know our community.

What is Your Goal for this year? My goals this year include streamline the League’s fund development programs and aligning our finance council structure to serve our changing needs while implementing new areas for sustainable revenue that maximizes our volunteer time.

What has been your most rewarding moment in JLJ, so far? Hands down my time spent volunteering with Kids in the Kitchen, especially at the Sanctuary on 8^th. There were many Friday afternoons I would be rushing to an event after a busy work week and all my real world stress would melt away getting out of my car. The kids would run out the door to greet us with welcoming hugs, cheers and chants of “Kids in the Kitchen!” Getting to interact with the kids through a lesson offend left me with a bigger life lesson.

What has surprised you most about your time with JLJ? The Junior League has allowed me to experience Jacksonville, learned about our community organizations and build lasting friendships. Six years later my closest friends here in Jacksonville I met in my provisional group.

What has been your favorite placement, so far? Kids in the Kitchen.

Dig a Little Deeper: Children's Miracle Network

Looking for opportunities to dig a little deeper in serving the Jacksonville Community? Our Dig a Little Deeper features will highlight opportunities outside of your JLJ obligations.

This month? Children's Miracle Network!

On July 21st at 7:00 pm, the Jacksonville Destroyers Soccer Team is hosting a book drive for the patients at Shands Jacksonville and Wolfson Children's Hospital during their game against the Central Florida Kraze. The team is encouraging members of the community to come out and support Children's Miracle Network while donating child friendly books to children in the hospital.

What a great summer activity for League members. Might even be a great family activity!

Need more info? Check out the event flyer below! Need more info? Visit the team web site.

The Junior League and The Help

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon, “The Help” stars Emma Stone as Skeeter, Acadamey Award® nominated Viola Davis as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny – three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi in the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk.  From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed – even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

 Deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope, “The Help” is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

Because many of the characters in the book and the movie are members of the local Junior League, Dreamworks Pictures has invited members of the Junior League of Jacksonville to attend two local screenings for the film:

Regal The Avenues Stadium 20 - Wednesday, July 13 at 7:30 pm
AMC Theaters Orange Park 24 - Wednesday, July 27 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are limited to 20 passes (for two people) for each screening, so don't wait! Plan to arrive early as seating is first come, first serve and are not guaranteed.

An EPass for you and a guest will be emailed with your online registration confirmation.