First Year in the Junior League

The summer of 2006 was my first real introduction to Washington, DC.  When I was younger
my family and I had made a few visits to see the sites, but it was not until my junior year of
college that I decided I wanted to work and live in the city.  That summer, my friends and I spent
many hot summer days in Georgetown, popping into shops and running around Georgetown
University and M Street. It was on those trips walking around the city, that I decided I wanted to
make a greater impact. I did not just want to live in D.C.; I wanted to be an active member of the
community.

I reached out to a friend who was in the Junior League of Washington (JLW) and went to the
first social meeting. I remember feeling a sense of community from the beginning.  Everyone
was so welcoming and genuinely friendly. My first year in JLW was one of the best; I enjoyed
the variety of activities in which we participated. From working at the Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial Library to setting up a dozen Christmas trees for the Holiday Shops, there was always
a flurry of excitement and connection. During my first year, I moved to a new area of the city.
The JLW neighborhood group embraced me and introduced me to my new surroundings.  We
met at many local eateries and coffee shops, and I have fond memories of sharing laughs and
experiences with my new neighbors and JLW members.

From cheering on the Nationals at baseball games, to volunteering at the National Book Festival,
I had a wonderful time and more importantly, I felt part of the city. I learned so much as a result
of joining the Junior League, from how to navigate public transportation to what members of our
community needed in support. It was a great introduction to the city that I now feel is my second
home.

I met one of my best friends Susan Schreiber through the JLW (pictured below). We had so much fun working  together on the Centennial Committee and we bonded over so many experiences in and outside of league work. Susan moved to Oregon last year to pursue her Ph.D. in Psychology and has
joined the Junior League of Portland but we still talk about league events and are connected
cross-country through our league work.  Looking back, I am so grateful that I made the decision
to join the JLW. I have meet new people that are now some of my closest friends and I feel
connected to the city in a way I would never have imagined possible.

Boy and (Water) Bottle Soiree

The Boy & Bottle Soiree is a signature Transfer event, held by the Junior League of Washington's Transfer Committee twice a year. I had sadly missed the one in the fall, but managed to make up for it by attending the one at Darlington House back in March. As a Transfer member, I am somewhat new to D.C. and definitely new to the League in D.C. Being part of the transfer group has been a great opportunity to meet people from different chapters throughout the U.S. and also connect with a few Floridians, one of whom is also a transfer from Junior League of Miami!

Now, getting back to the actual soiree… what is particularly special about this transfer event is the ability to bring friends (single or married) to the event. Ladies – this is a great opportunity for you to bring your cute & single male coworker or male friend! The “more the merrier” was the motto for that evening! Darlington House Cantina was pretty packed that Friday night in March. The atmosphere was fun, lively and everyone was quite approachable. What a great way to make new connections in a new city. As the saying goes: “every person is a new door to a different world,” so it’s time to go out and explore!

Editor's note: If you're a member of another League looking to move, or have just moved, into the D.C. area, check out information on how to Transfer into JLW. We would love to have you!

A Transfer’s Shopping Soiree at Kiehl’s

The Transfer Committee at the Junior League of Washington has put together a series of great events throughout the city over the course of the year. Transfer gatherings have included brunches, happy hours and dinners at Vinoteca, Brasserie Beck, Jaleo, Poste, Darlington House, and many other chic and trendy venues in D.C. We've also had the opportunity to work with JLW Community Partners and participate in mini-placements just like new members giving Transfers the opportunity to see the various placement opportunities within JLW before our first official active year.

As icing on the cake, the Transfer committee put together an absolutely fabulous shopping event on Wednesday, April 4th at Kiehl’s in Georgetown. The shopping party started at 7 p.m., giving everyone enough time to get there from work, and the store stayed open till 9 p.m. – just for us!

Kiehl’s shopping events are a must – for two reasons. First, it’s a great opportunity to test out all the products you love, without having to wait in long lines. Secondly, it’s yet another fantastic way to meet more transfers in a cozy and intimate setting. Surrounded by sunflower and coconut shampoos, revitalizing day creams and cucumber eye masks, we had plenty to talk about - and lots to get to know about each other. Everyone walked away from the event with new friends - and lovely gift bags!

Making the Most of a Mini-Placement

Throughout a transfer member’s year at JLW, each transfer picks a mini-placement. A mini-placement is almost exactly what it sounds like. It’s a placement that is generally less intense than a full placement. Mini-placements provide “transfer members” (new members transferring from one League to
another) opportunities to learn about JLW and get more familiar with the many different placements JLW offers. It gives transfers the opportunity to be directly involved in JLW during the transfer year.

Many of us have started our mini-placements. I’ve done some blogging in the past on legal subjects, so I picked the blogging mini-placement. I liked the opportunity it gave me as attending events and learning about the league serves as inspiration for blog posts.

Some placements are particular to transfers. For example, the member outreach community utilizes transfers’ connections and previous experiences to look into what other leagues are doing to retain their members and how they approach membership drop out. Some placements are a one shot deal. There are transfers involved in the Done-In-A-Day activities. Other placements are more ongoing. There is a transfer mini-placement with the finance committee, which if you didn’t know, is charged with accounting and safeguarding the financial resources of JLW.

In addition to getting involved in JLW, mini-placements create topics of discussion at various transfer and JLW events. We are able to learn more about the workings of various other placements, committees and activities by chatting with other transfers. Some transfers have enjoyed their placements more than others. But these experiences, whether wonderful or difficult, all serve to help transfers become more invested in JLW and more informed about the types of placements to look into for next year.

Discovering DC through the Junior League

Upon moving to the DC area, I immersed myself in learning about the city: the history, the museums, the layout of the city, and the good places to eat. While there are some things I still have yet to conquer, I can finally make it around the city with somewhat of an idea of where I am. Instrumental in this quest has been the Junior League's events throughout the DC metro area. While I'm sure there are always discussions about keeping events close to HQ, central to work locations or where members live, the variety of options has kept my Junior League experience new and interesting.

One transfer event took place at The Phillips Collection, which is an art museum almost as old as JLW. It is America's first museum of modern art and predates the National Gallery. I loved the story of the Phillips family. Their love of art led them to turn their home into a museum as a memorial to two deceased family members. After figuring out the correct bus to get me from McPherson Square to the museum, near DuPont Circle, I pulled up the website and listened to short audio talks on various paintings at the museum. The transfer event was part of the Phillips' after 5 event, which combines touring the gallery with presentations, music and cocktails. The Phillips Collection is one of the many hidden gems throughout DC, and one place even the most seasoned Washingtonians may not have been to. To complete my evening at the oldest modern art gallery in America was a stop at the newest burger craze in DC, the Shake Shack.

To contrast the fancy events are the many opportunities to do service in areas of DC that my Double Decker tour never took me on. One reason I joined the Junior League was the opportunity to expand my volunteer experiences. JLW, while focusing on literacy, provides a plethora of opportunities to directly serve my new DC community.

I've also popped in on a few happy hours with the Transfers and with Esprit. Metro Center, Georgetown, Cardozo, Logan Circle are all areas I can now navigate thanks to the Junior League. With upcoming events in Arlington, Bethesda and who knows where else, by the end of this year, I'm hoping I'll be making it around the city without any wondering about where I am.

AJLI Hidden Resources

The JLW website provides plenty of information about our Junior League experiences. In addition to JLW's website is the AJLI website, a place many members seldom frequent. As a transfer, it was the first place I went when I began figuring out the details of my move to DC. Not only did it provide information on where my new Junior League would be, once I signed in, I was able to look for benefits the AJLI membership provides such as special hotel and rental car rates.

The AJLI website benefits don't stop at the Avis car rentals. The AJLI website provides information that you may want, like news and updates about other leagues and information you may need like the AJLI Bylaws and meeting minutes. Additionally, they provide opportunities to get more training and acquire leadership skills.

I joined the Junior League for a number of reasons. One of the top reasons was that my Junior League friend explained that it was a place where women trained to be leaders. The AJLI website supports this by providing online learning opportunities. The newest of these is called Webinar Wednesdays. Webinar Wednesday provides one-hour Web-Ex sessions on a variety of subjects “to help Junior League women develop as community and civic leaders." If you can't listen to it live, sign into your AJLI account to view past Webinar Wednesdays. Like me, if you are interested in leadership training, try the new Self Paced Courses.

While on the AJLI website, take a few minutes to look through The Knowledge Center, which is an AJLI resource center that provides "a variety of League-specific resources that provide insight and ideas on making Leagues healthy, viable organizations." Like the Knowledge Center, the Drop In Articles section contains news on leagues and updates on AJLI developments.

So, next time your committee is stuck, or your car is stuck and you need a rental at a discount rate, check out the AJLI's website.

Note: my AJLI log in is different than my JLW log in, so if you are having trouble logging in, don't fret, just have your username emailed.

Transfers Provide a Wealth of Resources

I'm new to JLW and somewhat of new to the Junior League. I had just finished my first active year when I moved to DC. I was fortunate to be a part of the Junior League of St. Paul, a mid-sized league that, like the Junior League of Washington (JLW), focused many of its activities on children's literacy. Although I may not know the proper parliamentary procedures for conducting a meeting yet, being a transfer, I am able to bring my previous league experience with me. Like new members, transfers bring our history of involvement in other organizations. This fall more than fifty transfers also bring with them their wealth of knowledge to JLW.

Some transfers have been able to experience multiple leagues or experience multiple placements. This diversity can only improve the effectiveness of JLW. Transfers have always played a vital role in disseminating information across Junior Leagues. Although the Internet has made communicating with other leagues easier, transfers are able to share their firsthand experiences to improve their new Junior League. At our recent transfer event with President Caren Forsten, she shared with us that she, too, was a transfer into JLW.

Coming to a new Junior League is like coming to a new school. Especially in a larger league like JLW, if you've got a transfer on your committee or see an unfamiliar face at a happy hour, stop and say hello. We are all looking forward to enjoying the same opportunities for friendship at JLW that our previous leagues included.