“Getting to Know the JLW” Open Houses

The Junior League of Washington kicked off our recruitment season over the last few weeks by hosting two “Getting to Know the JLW” Open Houses, with women from across the greater DC community meeting Active and Sustaining members of the League.

Women interested in joining the Junior League of Washington gathered with League members for great conversation and light refreshments at the Loughborough House on September 21st and October 4th. Not only did women interested in joining get to meet other members, but they had the opportunity to ask a wide range of questions regarding our League work while also connecting with Sponsors who will assist them during the application process.

Member Recruitment will host three more “Getting to Know the JLW” Open Houses in the coming weeks.  Women interested in being apart of the 2015-2016 New Member Class should consider signing up to attend a Member Recruitment event!

Photo 1: President Jennifer Hemingway and President-Elect Cameron Gilreath (Shown with Member Recruitment Chairs Sarah Meyer Walsh and Erin Miller) showed their support of the JLW recruitment efforts and the October 4th “Getting to Know the JLW” Open House

Photo 2: Member Recruitment committee members, Mandy Asgeirsson and Katherine Rodriguez, prep the Loughborough Room for the October 4th “Getting to Know the JLW” Open House

A Mid-Summer's Afternoon Potluck

Almost 100 JLW New Members of the JLW 2014-2015 class met their Advisors at the New Member Potluck. As the first official event of the New Member year, New Members, Advisors and Board Members mingled at JLW Headquarters. Begun only seven years ago, the New Member Potluck has become a JLW institution and this year did not disappoint.

Ladies munched on an array of dishes they’d provided while getting to know fellow New Members and Actives alike. Heather Foss, New Member Committee Co-Chair, welcomed attendees followed by a series of introductions from members of the Steering Committee.

New Members were able to get more familiar with Headquarters. The weather was beautiful and everyone was able to enjoy the JLW back patio. Based on this years’ Potluck’s success, this promises to be a strong New Member year!

A First Taste of JLW Membership!

The New Member Potluck on August 3 was a rousing success. Over one hundred women attended the kick-off event for the new member year. Advisors and new members shared their favorite dishes, drinks, and desserts while getting to know each other.

 

This event highlights the enthusiasm that both our new members and our advisors have for making the upcoming JLW year the best ever.  The fun (but none of the drinks) spilled over into each of the rooms of the house, with women chatting, making new friends and catching up with old ones. 

The outstanding turn-out at this first event is very encouraging for the upcoming year and the great attendance we are sure to have at Saturday Session on September 7 and beyond. Look out ladies this new member class is energized and they are ready to be excellent stewards of JLW and the community!

If you are interested in joining the JLW for the 2014-2015 year, follow this link to learn more about how to become a member of our organization.

D.C. Youth Poets “Find Their Words”

As a child who grew up reading Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the Junior League of Washington’s Targeted Grants and Volunteer Resources Committee’s Mini-Placement organizing the 14th Annual “Find Your Words” Youth Poetry Contest.

The annual poetry contest is open to students in Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, grades 4-8. This year, the committee received over 100 poems written in a variety of techniques and styles. These impressive and talented young poets wrote on a range of topics, discussing everything from school, homework, pets and vacations to family, friendship, love, pain and self-esteem.

When our committee read and reviewed each poem, we were all impressed with the depth and emotion that came through in each piece. Some were powerful and thought- provoking, others heartfelt and sweet. Analyzing and discussing the poems with other new members was a fun and worthwhile experience. It was interesting to hear what each member liked or disliked about a certain poem, proving just how personal and emotional poetry can be.

In the end, we chose 15 outstanding poems - one winner and two honorable mentions from each grade level. Each winning student will receive a booklet of the winning entries and a Barnes & Noble gift card. Please join us as we honor these amazing winners and hear them recite their poems at the 2013 Community Partner Reception on Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. at JLW Headquarters.

Alissa Momberg
New Member 2012-2013

A JLW Shops! Afternoon at Tory Burch on October 13, 2012

My New Member year was off to a great start.  After meeting, and loving, my advisor and small group, I was excited to get started with my Mini-Placement.  First task: attend and write a blog post about the JLW Shops! event at Tory Burch.

Okay, twist my arm why don’t you?






 

So one Saturday, after attending Course Session (I love JLW filled days!) I hopped in a Zip Car (also a JLW corporate sponsor!) and headed out to Tysons Galleria!  Having never been in a brick and mortar Tory Burch store, I was awestruck walking into the Tysons Galleria location.  It was what I wished my closet looked like - rich velvets, gold accents, and of course filled to the brim with beautiful shoes, bags, clothing, and gems!

There were two lovely gentlemen walking around with trays of mini-cupcakes and beverages, adding to the luxurious ambiance.  The staff was so helpful, attentively answering questions and fetching several pairs of shoes that I’ve had my eye on for some time now.  After indulging in a cupcake and trying on boots and flats galore, I finally settled on a pair.

The best part was, there was a 10% discount AND 10% of the proceeds went back to the Junior League of Washington!  There is nothing better than shopping for a cause.

It was a successful Saturday in my book.  Shopping and the supporting the JLW?  What could be better?  I’m looking forward to more JLW Shops! events in the future!

Courtney Lada
JLW New Member

New Member at Kitchen Tour Kick-off

As a new member of the Junior League of Washington, I had the pleasure of attending my first Kitchen Tour Kick Off at Scavolini Kitchen Design Center and the Ritz Carlton Degrees Lounge on October 18, 2012.

The event was a success!  This event was great because I got to meet so many League members on an informal basis, sample delicious appetizers, and get ideas for my dream kitchen.  Highlights for me included delicious Duck and Apricot wrapped in filo dough and Naaz Khatoon-eggplant puree with pomegranate juice from the Peacock Café, Mac-n-cheese truffle tartlets from Chevzous Catering, chocolates from Chouquette, and a specialty cocktail.  I also was able to see some truly stunning kitchen design ideas.  With so many options, it was hard to pick my favorite!  As an added bonus, there were ongoing door prize drawings throughout the evening.  Although I wasn’t lucky enough to win something this time; one lucky guest went home with a beautiful Hermès scarf!

The absolute highlight of my evening was meeting our wonderful President, Wendy Cumberland.  It was great to connect with her and all of the ladies I met and hear their passionate stories of their commitment to volunteer service in the Washington, DC community.

Are you interested in revamping your kitchen or enjoy fabulous kitchen designs?  If so, mark your calendars for the second annual Kitchen Tour on April 20, 2013 and stay tuned for when tickets go on sale!  Proceeds from events like the Kitchen Tour Kick Off and the Kitchen Tour support the League’s efforts to promote literacy by providing trained volunteers and targeted grants. 

New Member Sarah Bryant with JLW President Wendy Cumberland at the Kitchen Tour Kick Off Event

Community Partner Spotlight: The Corcoran Gallery of Art

One of my favorite Junior League of Washington community partners is the Corcoran Gallery of Art. At 17th and E streets downtown, it’s a short walk from my office and is my top choice for a lunchtime escape.

I’m so proud that the League is dedicated to helping the community learn what the Corcoran has to offer. In fact, for over 50 years, JLW volunteers have promoted cultural and visual literacy as museum docents.

The word docent comes from the Latin word docere, meaning “to teach.” The Corcoran considers its docents an important link between the public and the art and credits them for offering an interactive, educational experience for visitors.

If you haven't already visited the Corcoran, I encourage you to find a friend on the committee and sign up for a tour. In the meantime, please enjoy this virtual guided selection of Corcoran highlights:

Permanent Collection: The permanent collection includes historic and modern American art, European painting, decorative arts, photography and media arts. I especially like the Luxembourg Gardens painting by William Glackens, who is known in some circles as the American Renoir.

Todd Gray's Muse: Something about the museum's cafe is reminiscent of a modern lunch spot in Paris. Seasonal, local ingredients are featured in all of the colorful, creative dishes on the menu curated by Chef Todd Gray.

Continuing Education Courses: Indulge your inner artist with for-credit and non-credit classes in areas of study including ceramics, digital media, interior design and photography. Many courses are on nights and weekends and are held at the upper Georgetown campus.

Artini: The guest of honor at this Corcoran party is the art - paintings that inspire drinks created by mixologists around Washington. The celebration lasts for an entire month, with participating venues around the city hosting Feature Nights until the evening of the benefit, when the winning artini is revealed.

 

Editor's note: Interested in going on a JLW docent lead tour? JLW members are usually on the schedule Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. Contact the current placement Chair with questions.

Book Club: A Renewed Junior League Tradition!

This spring, Membership Outreach revived a Junior League of Washington tradition - book club. A prior book club led by Esprit ended in 2003, but member feedback brought it back!

The online sign up that initially had space for 25 members filled up within 15 minutes after going live. It was expanded to 75 to accommodate the wait-listed members, and it kept growing until 284 members expressed interest.

Members were placed into 30 groups of ladies who either indicated preference in the same literary genre or geographic location in the metro area, based on survey responses they provided upon registering. For fun, each group was assigned a notable female author like Ann M. Martin, Margaret Mitchell or Lucy Maud Montgomery as a sort of “mascot” for organizational purposes.

Each group decided what books it would read. My group started with Rules of Civility, but I plan to add some of these selections from other groups to my summer reading list:

• Bringing up Bebe
• Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman
• Commencement
• The Cookbook Collector
• The Social Animal 

Editor's note: One of the best things about the Book Club is that it promotes League Literacy. Whether you are interested in chick-lit or the New York Times' books of the year, you can find a place to read your favorite books, discuss them with League friends and socialize in a fun setting while promoting reading. It's another way to help us stay excited about our literacy goals in the D.C. community!

*Missed out on signing-up for Book Club this spring? Don't worry, sign-ups will be available again in the fall!

Upcoming D&T – How I Lost My Uterus and Found My Voice

More than likely, you have heard of human papillomavirus, or as it is more commonly referred to, HPV.  It’s now known that approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, while another 6 million people become newly infected each year. While there are now vaccinations available to help prevent HPV, there is no treatment for the virus itself.  As scary as it sounds, HPV is so common that at least 50% of sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.

What’s even scarier? Sometimes HPV can lead to Cervical cancer.   Each year, about 12,000 women get cervical cancer in the U.S. Almost all of these cancers are HPV-associated. Cervical cancer usually does not have symptoms until it is quite advanced. For this reason, it is important for women to get regular screening for cervical cancer. Screening tests can find early signs of disease so that problems can be treated early, before they ever turn into cancer.  

On Monday, May 14, the JLW will host Michelle L. Whitlock, author of How I Lost My Uterus and Found My Voice.  At age twenty-six, Michelle thought she had it all: she was in the best physical shape of her life, she had a promising career, and she had a budding romance that looked like it could finally be the real thing. Then doctors informed her that she had HPV. Weeks later her worst nightmare became her reality when she was diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer. In her memoir, Michelle recounts how she took charge of her healthcare and pursued an experimental surgery that treated the cancer while preserving her fertility. The surgery was a success, but just years later—a week after the love of her life proposed—Michelle discovered her cancer was back. How I Lost My Uterus and Found My Voice follows Michelle as she wonders if she will live or die or have children. This is one woman's story of falling in love, battling HPV and cervical cancer, facing sexual dysfunction, confronting her conflicting feelings about motherhood, and becoming her own best advocate. Inspirational and honest, this memoir tells the emotional story of love, loss, resilience, and survival.

This is an important topic that likely could impact you, a friend, a family member, or a colleague.  Please join us for this important D&T on Monday, May 14th, at 7:00 p.m. at the offices of Winston & Strawn, 1700 K. St. NW.

You can RSVP on the JLW site.  This event will be the last opportunity for a membership credit for the 2011-2012 year. 

Advisor meetings -- what they're like

This year is my new member year in JLW, and part of being a new member is attending advisor meetings. Thankfully, I was assigned to a wonderful advisor group and a very helpful new member advisor.

Having advisor meetings as part of the new member requirements is a very smart idea. There are many times that I have questions about events or other requirements, and having a person dedicated solely to answering our many questions is very helpful.

It is also exciting to share in a new member advisor group. I think it is a wonderful way to meet women in my area that I might not have met in Junior League otherwise. Many times the members in our group all have the same questions, so getting together for group meetings is a great way get all of our similar questions answered at the same time.

As new members, we are required to participate in four advisor group meetings. For our first two meetings, we decided to meet after work for drinks and appetizers. We started out talking about JLW-related topics, but soon the conversation turned to work, socializing, sport, food and other things that interest us. I am so glad that I was placed in a great group of girls with similar interests.

At that first meeting, we found out that one thing we all had in common was that we all loved a good Sunday brunch. So for our next meeting we decided that it would be a good idea to meet for brunch one Sunday morning. We are all looking forward to some good food and a great conversation.

Seeing as how advisor meetings are not a requirement beyond your new member year, I know I am going to miss getting together with these wonderful ladies next year. I hope to keep in touch, and who knows, maybe I’ll continue the fun and take on my own advisor group one day!





* JLW member tip: for ladies missing their close-knit groups from their new member days, consider joining a JLW Small Group. Small Groups make it easy to connect with JLW ladies outside of your placement based on things that interest you.

“Find Your Words” Youth Poetry Contest

When I was a child I loved to read and write poetry so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the Targeted Grants and Volunteer Resources Committee’s Mini-Placement for the 13th Annual “Find Your Words” Youth Poetry Contest.

For the icebreaker during our first meeting, we were asked to share our favorite children’s poem or book. Hearing others share their favorites including Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss reminded me of the books and poems I enjoyed. I named one of my favorites: Maya Angelou’s Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. The courage and strength expressed through the playful rhymes and vivid imagery still inspires me to this day.

The poetry contest was open to students in Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, grades 4-8. We received 175 submissions of poems written in a variety of techniques and styles. These talented young poets chose many different topics as their focus, including friendship, animals, family, death, 9/11, homework, pain, and self-esteem. I was impressed with the depth of emotion that could be felt in the poems. Some were powerful and thought-provoking, others heartfelt and sweet. Analyzing and discussing the poems with other new members was a fun and worthwhile experience.

We chose 15 outstanding poems, one winner and two honorable mentions from each grade level. The winning students will receive a booklet of the winning entries, a book provided by Books for Bright Futures, a gift card, and a certificate of congratulations. Please join us as we honor the winners and hear them recite their poems at the 2012 Community Partner Reception on Thursday, May 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at Headquarters.

Are you in it to pin it?

Last month, I spent an evening in Crystal City, helping to set up shop for the upcoming annual Tossed and Found event. Being a new member, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived for my work shift. Over the course of the evening I was impressed with the vast array of clothing, home goods, books, furniture, kitchenware and holiday items. I found myself looking at all these wares with a fresh new eye. I could see these items re-purposed and reinvented in new ways. Items that were no longer needed by their previous owners could get a second chance in a new home.

The next morning it hit me. I was scanning the racks and rows at Tossed and Found, looking at things from the Pinterest Perspective.

Are you pinning yet? I’m referring to the incredibly popular (and addictive!) website, Pinterest. The website recently hit the notable mark of 10 million monthly visitors. What’s even more impressive is that it reached that number faster than Facebook or Twitter.

What’s contributing to Pinterest’s surge in status is its rapidly growing popularity with women. Young and old alike, droves of women are turning to Pinterest for recipes, wedding and event inspiration, crafting ideas and home décor suggestions. On the site, users are able to create boards and name them, like “wedding” or “kitchen.” When you find images you like, you simply “pin” them to the desired board. You can pin things you see around the web, even creating a Pinterest button on your web browser’s toolbar for easy pinning. But I think the more popular method is to re-pin things you see on the boards of your friends and other Pinterest users you follow.

So now that you've hit up Tossed and Found, consider spending some time online getting inspired for what you may be able to do with your fabulous T&F finds!

Editor's note: AJLI has joined Pinterest this week. Follow them for plenty of Jr League inspiration

Tossed and Found Work Shift

As a JLW New Member, this was my first experience with Tossed & Found, a giant rummage sale benefiting JLW’s literacy community programs. When I arrived for my three-hour work shift at the Tossed & Found space in the Crystal City Shops in Arlington, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of donated merchandise: linens, books, children’s items, furniture, holiday décor, handbags, clothes, clothes, and more clothes!

During my volunteer shift, I worked in three different areas: pricing items in the children’s area (The JLW Tossed & Found Committee has created an amazing children’s boutique in this space!); sorting linens, and helping sort and merchandise holiday décor items. It was fun to see all of the donated merchandise and learn what a significant impact Tossed & Found has on the JLW’s mission and its community partners. I was also impressed with my volunteer shift partners who had incredible hidden talents in organizing, merchandising and pricing these items!

Leaving my shift, I was amazed at how the vast assortment of donations was transforming from “piles of stuff” into a thoughtfully designed shopping experience.

I was there to work, but I was definitely scoping out some of the great items on hand! If you’re looking for some new handbags, beach reads, holiday decorations, home accessories, or children’s clothing – you won’t want to miss JLW’s 20th Annual Tossed & Found General Shopping Days: Saturday, March 24 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, March 25 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)!

The New Member Community Experience

JLW New members are required to complete a Community Experience.  This is a chance to experience some of the great work JLW is doing in the community – usually in short volunteer projects that last between two and four hours.

The list of potential Community Experience projects to choose from is incredible, and shows how JLW is just everywhere in the Metro Washington area. New Members can select a Community Experience based on time constraints (they are available weekends, evenings, etc.), location (throughout the Metro DC area) and interest (many of the committees offer Community Experience projects).

I chose a weekend morning project last November that was coordinated through the Done in a Day Committee. My Community Experience shift was working at an American Girl Fashion Show to benefit the Prevention of Blindness Society. This experience was interesting to me frankly because I had been an American Girl doll devotee as a child and thought it would be fun to be a part of one of their fashion shows.

Fun was an understatement! I was assigned four girls to chaperone. They dressed in American Girl fashions, and I felt like a den mother to these wonderful young ladies who gave up their morning for a good cause (perhaps they are going to be future JLW members?). I met so many JLW members that morning and was amazed at how quickly the time flew by.

The greatest part of the experience was seeing Valerie Tripp, author of the American Girl “Molly” books. My Community Experience was a wonderful experience, and it hardly felt like work at all. Once again, I am just overwhelmed by the amazing opportunities my membership in JLW gives me.

Advisor Meetings – Only One Left

Everyone joins the Junior League for different reasons: to meet people, get to know DC, or to find volunteer opportunities. The New Member group is in all different stages of life – married, career-focused, moms, single. With all these differences and the sheer size of the JLW, it seems like it might be hard to find your footing in the Junior League. That’s where New Member Advisors come in.

My advisor is Heather Foss, and she does a great job of turning the Junior League into an intimate group of friends and answering questions we may have. New Members are required to meet with their Advisor group four times during their New Member Year.

I have such a great time at these meetings! It’s a chance to connect with the other New Members in my Advisor group and see which Community Experiences or Mini-Placements they are doing. Heather also uses these meetings as an opportunity to check-in with each of us to see how we are doing on our requirements and fill us in on upcoming meetings and events.

We had our third Advisor Meeting last week and I was pretty sad to think we only have one more Advisor Meeting left before our New Member year is over. Getting together with new friends at Coco Sala, a chocolate lounge and boutique in D.C., doesn’t really feel like it should be fulfilling a requirement – it was simply too much fun!

Making a big city seem smaller

One of the reasons I decided to join Junior League of Washington was because I wanted to make a big city seem smaller. I also wanted to meet women with similar interests with whom I could form lasting friendships.

The Junior League of Washington is such a large organization of women with numerous events each year that many times you do not see the same people again at another event. It can also be hard to get to know someone and make connections in such a large group of people.

In order to meet a group of ladies in my same geographical area with similar interests, I joined JLW Small Groups. JLW Small Groups are groups of women that want to meet other members who share the same interests. In order to get placed in a group we are asked to fill out a questionnaire.

The survey to sign-up for your small group asks questions such as what would you like to get out of your group, what sort of activities you would like to do in your small group, what type of women would you like to be grouped with and where would you like to meet with your group.

After filling out a questionnaire and being placed in a small group, you attend a small group event sponsored by JLW in order to meet the girls in your group. For the fall small group event, we participated in a blind wine tasting event. I had a great time meeting the members in my group in such an interesting way.

Small groups are open in the fall and the spring. For my fall small group, we decided to meet early on a Friday night for dinner at a restaurant in our area. We really enjoyed each other’s company and had a great conversation. We are also planning on meeting for a brunch or for dinner before the holiday season gets underway.

I enjoyed my fall small group so much that I’ve decided to participate in the spring as well. I filled out a second questionnaire hoping to be grouped with girls in my area that would like to attend events around town together, meet after work for gatherings and attend JLW events together. I am looking forward to the spring small groups event and to meeting my new small group.

New experiences with JLW

Growing up, my summer job was as a lifeguard at our neighborhood pool. I never got to experience what it was like to work at the mall or at a retail store. I’d like to say that my first time working as a retail salesperson was a complete success.

Since joining the Junior League this year, I heard so much about A Capital Collection of Holiday Shops and I was very excited to experience it for myself. I chose to work the event on Sunday during a shift where I would be able to work a booth and sell items.

I ended up being placed at a fabulous linen shop, Hen House Designs, with a wonderful shop owner. After a quick introduction on how to use the cash register, I was ready to get out there and start selling. It wasn’t before long that I went from listening to the store owner and learning about the products, to telling the customers all about them as if I had worked at the store for months. I had a wonderful time interacting with shoppers, making sales and chatting with the owner of the store about how she started her business, how she runs it and her plans for the store's future.

My living room make-over with tips and products from Hen House Designs

It was hard not to eye all of the dinner napkins, pillows, hand towels and kitchen items and think about how I could use them in my own home. Along with all of the other customers, the store owner worked with me to create a new look for my dining room table, kitchen and even my sofa by adding some new pillows.

I had a blast helping out and selling such beautiful items that my shift flew by. When I was relieved from my shift, I didn't want to leave! With all of these new retail skills under my belt, next year I’ll be sure to sign up for multiple shifts, or even A Capital Collection as my full placement.

Hooray for Books Had Us Cheering!

I was so excited for JLW’s Hooray for Books book drive for Bright Beginnings. This is my New Member year with JLW and I joined because of all of the great volunteer opportunities. I have a five year old son, Carson, and exposing him to volunteerism and giving is really important to me. So, October 29th gave us a wonderful chance to have a mommy/son date for a great JLW cause!

The book drive was so much fun. Kids were encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, so my son had another chance to put on his Luke Skywalker outfit. When we arrived at Hooray for Books, we selected a card that described the recipient of the book we were donating. My son chose – “5 year old boy” so he would know the right kind of book to pick out.

We had fun perusing the books, and Carson picked out one of his favorites “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” to donate. He also got a Star Wars book for himself. After we donated our book, we headed into the activity room at Hooray for Books where JLW volunteers had setup craft tables for the children.

Carson made a monster with googly eyes and crazy arms for his craft, and we got a fantastic idea for making spiders out of black plates and pipe cleaners! The JLW volunteers running the event did a fabulous job of making it especially fun for the kids.

Olivia and Bright Beginnings reader

JLW provides so many chances to connect with our community. I’m so proud to be a part of this organization and grateful that JLW gives me opportunities to do good things in the community with my family!

I never thought I would learn so much from playing Bingo

Recently, I participated in a Community Experience that involved playing Bingo with some patients at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. When I got to the hospital I met with two other members of the Junior League to set up for the night’s activity. We set up the tables, prizes and supplies and waited for the patients to arrive.

Five patients and three family members attended the event. Bingo was a perfect game for the patients to play. Listening to the numbers being called out and associating the letters and numbers being read aloud with those on their Bingo cards helped them improve their cognitive function as many of the patients were on medication that left them feeling a little foggy. The act of putting the markers on their Bingo cards was important too, because it helped them to improve the functioning of their fingers by grasping small items and setting them in their correct spot on the cards.

Most all of the patients used three cards at once which helped them focus on more than one task and encouraged them to use their arms, hands and fingers more than they would normally. Playing Bingo was fun, but the greatest part of the night was talking to the patients and learning more about their conditions, their struggles and their lives.

The patients were in rehabilitation for many different reasons and were at many different stages in their recovery. One patient told us about how he was enjoying using Wii Tennis as a way to improve the functioning in his arms as well as his hand-eye coordination.

Another patient was excited about leaving the facility, as tonight was her last night in the hospital. Her coordination she learned through rehabilitation was excellent, and she was the big winner of the night, taking home two prizes, both of which she had planned to give to her roommate, an 80-year-old lady whom she called “the life of the party.”

Of all of the patients I met that night, none was more inspiring than a 20-something man. His state of the art wheelchair with a touch screen and remote button intrigued us and he showed us how it could increase and decrease speed, raise and lower, and deflate to take pressure off certain parts of his body.
To our amazement, through talking about how we came to the District, we realized we were both from the same hometown in Alabama. This sparked conversation about our favorite BBQ spots, college life and of course, Alabama vs. Auburn football. We also talked about his recovery story and how his condition started.

Hearing his story was humbling. But the JLW volunteers also humbled him:

I know that you have probably been working all day, but you still came to spend your night playing Bingo with us,” he said, “you didn’t have to do this.

He’s right. We didn’t, but now I’m glad we did.

Posted by: Nicole, JLW New Member