JLW Volunteers at the National Rehabilitation Hospital

In October 2012, Wendy Cumberland, JLW President, Shiela Corley, JLW President
Elect and I were invited to attend the National Rehabilitation Hospital Board of
Associates dinner. There the Junior League of Washington was honored for providing
volunteers to the NRH for the last 20 years.

President of the MedStar NRH Board of Associates and JLW Sustainer Julia Creighton, JLW President Wendy Cumberland, JLW President Elect Shiela Corley and Chair, NRH Committee Stacey Hinton Tuneski

National Rehabilitation Hospital specializes in treating persons with physical disabilities
caused by spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke, arthritis, amputation, multiple sclerosis,
post-polio syndrome, sports injuries, and other neurological and orthopedic conditions.
Since 1986, the NRH has been building a top-quality post acute care system of services
that brings together the best in rehabilitation care, research, education and training,
assistive technology and advocacy. Every year, NRH is ranked by U.S. News & World
Report as one of America’s best hospitals for medical rehabilitation.

For the past 20 years, JLW has been involved with NRH in a variety of ways. The
JLW committee members volunteering at NRH helped educate the community and
patients on disability and daily living issues and escorted patients to restaurants and
theatres. While the committee activities have since changed, the commitment to NRH
has remained steady. Now JLW volunteers at NRH provide therapeutic recreation on
a weekly basis by playing bingo with the patients and their families. The bingo games
assist a patient’s rehabilitation with a stress-free, fun, social game that enhances
motor skills and letter recognition. The committee also collects donations of books and
magazines to stock a book cart for patients to enjoy reading materials. JLW volunteers
also plan and staff the annual patient holiday party in December and volunteer at the
annual NRH Victory Awards Gala in the fall and at Las Vegas Nights in the spring.
 

National Rehabilitation Hospital Committee Holiday Party

The JLW is proud to have this longstanding partnership with NRH and we look forward
to continuing our relationship in the years to come.



 

 


Stacey Hinton Tuneski
Chair, National Rehabilitation Hospital committee

Community Impact

I’m thankful to a lot of people this year, but, as we get closer to the end of another year, I want to highlight the role of Committee Chair. It’s the most rewarding, demanding, and impactful role in the Junior League of Washington.

While the League helps us each create life-altering experiences, opportunities galore to meet talented women, and lifelong friendships, these good things are bonus to the mission of trained women having positive impacts on our Washington, D.C. community. And the collective group of women who ensure it happens every day, is our cadre of committee chairs.

Let me highlight the three areas of impact that come together for the League to be successful. First there is leadership. Committee chairs are often the first line in terms of member experience and satisfaction, as well as providing the best opportunity to foster and mentor future leaders. We all watch women we’ve worked with go on and lead great things, all because a Committee Chair encouraged them along the way and gave them opportunities to spread their wings and try new things. Likewise, committee chairs embody the spirit of community impact as they set their priorities and recognize the potential in the committee and in the League to get the job done. Because, really, none of us can do it alone. We work as a JLW community for the DC community, and our committee chairs provide the structure to connect the two.

Second, there is the success of the committee itself. Everyone knows that committees’ programs don’t just ‘happen’. They take organization, planning, cooperation … and meetings. For every hour spent in a rewarding volunteer experience, our committee chairs have spent time planning. And as all of these events are coming together, a critical thing is happening: members of JLW are teaching, learning, growing as trained volunteers for the community. The work of the committees is fulfilling our promise to the community.

Third, there is the community impact that must be considered. For example, look at the accomplishments of the children mentored through Higher Achievement Program this year. Consider the visitors to the Corcoran having a greater understanding of the permanent collection. Think about the family who will get a new set of dishes for their fresh start from this year’s Tossed and Found. And the list goes on...

So, to all you past, current, and future committee chairs, thank you for your commitment to our league and to our community.

Joyfully,

November President's Post

November has arrived, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the media will soon focus on community needs of the season. For our league, though, there is no 'one season of support and sharing'.

We thank our talented, committed committee volunteers and those who support them through Community Experiences (aka as CEs) and Mini-Placements.

For example...

Our volunteers ensure that seniors receive weekend food deliveries in sun, rain, and snow through their work with Iona; Doorways volunteers have taken on new duties with their shelter's pantry this year, and Done-in-a-Day actively supports the Capital Area Food Bank.

Community Family Life Services volunteers lead, support and learn alongside women in transition in their bi-weekly book club, with learning activities for the children as well. The clients at N Street Village can count on our volunteers to deliver great activities each and every time. Bright Beginnings volunteers bring sunshine with them at their regular activities with children of homeless families.
Volunteers at Teen Life Clubs work with young girls on envisioning a lifetime of possibilities and provide books that build dreams. With Building Futures, we work with children and teens as study buddies and on expanding knowledge of geography with maps and books donated by the JLW.

And our Community Training committee interweaves with these placements to support life skills learning beyond our traditional committee programs, increasing the league's impact significantly.

Additionally, our fundraising committees support all of our community placements. Each one of us has the opportunity to join that support through one of the JLW’s signature events – A Capital Collection of Holiday Shops – in early December. With ACC’s arrival each year, a new opportunity arises for the JLW to make a positive difference in the Washington, DC, community. The funds raised during ACC this year will enable the JLW to provide worthy community support organizations with the resources they need to lead new literacy and life-improving opportunities.

English author Samuel Johnson stated, "The future is purchased by the present." This is certainly an apropos statement for the Junior League this month, as we celebrate the JLW’s 51st A Capital Collection—our 53rd year of working in the present to provide new opportunities for the future of those in need.

While Samuel Johnson’s quote can relate to the JLW’s annual ACC event in numerous ways, the "Making Spirits Bright" theme, chosen by this year’s ACC Committee, certainly supports the goal of "purchasing" future chances to bring joy for community members in need. With future opportunities in mind, the Junior League of Washington also works to help the community in future years by awarding grants to community organizations that work to improve literacy skills. The value of "purchasing" chances for community members to gain skills that help them better their lives cannot be over-emphasized.

As you volunteer and shop throughout the weekend of ACC, I encourage you to remember that you are making a difference in the life of a community member in need and make a positive impact on the community we live in. And while volunteering and shopping together, ACC provides an opportunity to strengthen existing – and begin new – friendships. We thank the committee that has been working so hard, long before this JLW year began, to bring us these opportunities.

Please enjoy this Thanksgiving with your families, and I look forward to seeing you at ACC!

October President's Post

As the nights cool, our thoughts turn to a break from the humidity, changing leaves, and harvests of the summer bounty.  Inside the League, though,  our thoughts are on growth - growth in our membership, our shared history  and our community impact.  Here are just a few examples:

Last month we officially welcomed almost 400 New Members and Transfers; we’ll be energized by their involvement in League activities this year and will benefit from their good ideas and dedicated follow-through for years to come.  I’ve met many of them, and they are women of action! Please reach out and say hello to these newest members of the JLW as you attend events or work side-by-side this year.

The Archives committee is seeking to grow awareness and celebrate our League’s upcoming 100 years of community impact.  There are two opportunities to support their efforts (and learn a lot of  ‘fun tidbits’ of JLW history).  The first is to support the Framing Project - individually or as a group, you can sponsor the framing of items from JLW archives.  The second opportunity is to support the committee’s efforts to record stories from JLW’s past.  Stay tuned for more information this year on these two initiatives.

Our Sustainers welcomed fall with their annual luncheon.  Guest speaker Carol Rasco, President of Reading Is Fundamental, shared more about the importance of reading in childhood development.  Thanks to Lorraine Nordlinger for organizing this year’s luncheon and for bringing in such an impressive leader in the area of literacy.

The Literacy Council, fresh off our 10th very successful National Book Festival event, is focused on growing the League’s impact in the area of literacy.  Our commitment to school libraries continues to grow; this year they will be working more with Ballou High School, one of the largest within DC Public Schools.  As they work more with this school, Literacy

Partnerships will bring more information and potential opportunities for the league to support.  And, Book for Brighter Futures is offering an opportunity for all league members to support directly our literacy efforts by holding an October event at Hooray for Books, in Alexandria.

Ways & Means’ Special Events committee is kicking off a new initiative this year with a Kitchen Tour—it promises to be as appetizing for our design dreams as for our imaginations! 

We’re well into our League year, and I am so honored to be in your company.  Thank you for the commitment, the creativity, and the  ‘heart’ that you bring to improve lives throughout our DC area community.