A Very Merry Market

The Junior League of Greater Winter Haven kicked off the Holiday Shopping Season with our 4^th Annual Merry Market at Olde Towe Square in downtown Winter Haven!  Vendors from Central Florida and around the United States participated in the shopping event.  One of the League’s most festive fundraisers,  Merry Market is a 2 day event filled with premier shopping, food and entertainment.  Merry Market is a great way to get a head start on shopping for the Holidays and the funds raised benefit the local community and the JLGWH’s projects.  

 Junior League Members Volunteering at Merry Market

Photos with Santa were a hit at the Holiday Market

Photo Booth Fun at the Hops & Grapes kickoff party

Hops & Grapes is almost here!

We are just around the corner, about 3 weeks to be exact, from the JLGWH's biggest fall fundraiser!!  To kickoff Merry Market, we are having a beer and wine tasting event called The Hops & Grapes Cocktail Kickoff Party.  This event will be at Olde Towne Square in downtown Winter Haven from 6pm to 9pm on November 11th, 2011.  Tickets are only $35 dollars per person and include a night of beer and wine tastings, heavy Hors D'oeuvres, live entertainment, holiday shopping, gift bags, giveaways and more!  We are very excited to be inviting both men and women this year, as the kickoff party has typically been a girls night only.  We are jazzing up the usual with more fun and excitement!!  There will be a professional photographer taking pictures throughout the night and a photo booth that fits up to 12 people! This is the perfect night to get dressed up and have some fun with your friends or your better half all while supporting a fantastic organization that helps the women and children in your community!  This is truly an event you don't want to miss!   

Let's Get Ready to ROCK!

This evening marked the unofficial kick-off of the 2011-2012 JLGWH year.  Gathered at m.marie boutique , active members mingled with wonderful women from our community interested in what membership in JLGWH can offer.  In addition to welcoming potential new members hugs and handshakes were exchanged as members greeted each other after a summer break from the action of volunteering.  President, Jae Lynn Akin, addressed the group with the many benefits of membership in this unique organization.  The hostesses for the evening were the provisional chairs, Holly Hughes and Megan Smith, who will lead the new member group through an exciting year of training and personal development. A very big THANK YOU to Meghan Gullen, JLGWH member and owner of m.marie, for opening her doors to us and providing some awesome coupon incentives for the purchases made this evening.

Interested in learning more about Junior League but unable to attend tonight? No worries. Join us Saturday, August 13 from 1:30-3:00 at The Stable in Lake Alfred for another new member social before the year officially kicks off Tuesday, September 13th at the Chain of Lakes Club Room.

Rock the League!

Are you digging the new background? It seems entirely appropriate for this year's theme: Rock the League! Rock the Community! Rock the Future! Looking forward to a great year with our "Queen of Rock" Jae Lynn Akin.

Spirit of the League

When you think about our mission statement, does any one member pop into your head?  We are fortunate to have 

so many incredible women in our organization. The JLGWH is able to accomplish so much with women committed to changing our community for the better with their selfless, caring attitudes and leadership abilities. Among our many exemplary volunteers is there one woman that rises above?  I challenge each of you to read our mission and nominate the active member you feel embodies the “Spirit of the League”.   I know it is a difficult decision with so many hard working women in our league.  

Please take a few minutes out of your busy day to send me an email with your nominee and an explanation of why she deserves this honor.  The recipient will be announced at Spring Dinner.  

DOWNLOAD SPIRIT OF THE LEAGUE CRITERIA

Past Winners 

2010 Tammi Haas 

2009 Jill Barton 

2008 Cindy Baxter 

2007 Marianne George 

2006 Sharon  Garber 

2005 Sarah Case 

2004 Anna Coco 

2003 Peggy Threlkel 

2002 Cindy Bruce 

2001 Jayne Bates

Submitted by President, Jennifer Myers

What's in a Name?

Perhaps it's just an agenda to those who pick it up at each general membership meeting. But for years "League Lites" have informed members of important upcoming dates, meeting agendas, birthdays, and other tidbits of information.

Our former paper newsletter, "League Lines," has gone to digital email form.  Each month members receive this update with a note from the president and relevant news and dates.

Now, in an effort to cultivate communication within our league as well as extend into our community we are creating an updated newsletter that, in addition to current and upcoming league information, will also provide readers articles with pertinent information on health, nutrition, education, and family. We hope to deliver this publication biannually in both paper and electronic forms to be as far reaching as possible. Alas, one thing is missing, a name.

What's in a name? Plenty. A professional naming firm may charge as much as $80,000 to develop a business name. Wow! Many of the 294 Junior Leagues currently have a newsletter or magazine publication. Some have names with geographic relevance as in Junior League of Atlanta's, Peachtree Papers and Junior League of St. Pete's Causeway. Others have adopted names with meaning to the league as in the Junior League of Los Angeles' publication, Inspire. Our publication is in search of a memorable name that conveys the value and uniqueness of our organization and we are leaving it to you to decide. After a brainstorming session at a general membership meeting last fall, three selections were chosen: Blossom, The Chain Affect, and JL Just Lead.  All can be a part of this new publication as column heads etc., but only one will be the feature title. What do you think it should be?  Cast your vote in our poll.

Happy New Year!

What a gift! 12 new months to live life to the fullest, to enjoy new adventures, and to learn, grow, and help others along the way!

2011 will be a great year for JLGWH. Watch for posts about our A Mother's Voice project, hospital renovation completion, new website launch, spring teacher Grants 4 Greatness, Family Fit Fest, Casino Night, and more.  Opportunities, possibilities, wonder. So much to look forward to. Hope you join us along the way...