2016-2017 Board of Directors

President

Tonya Bush

President Elect Jennifer Webber

Executive Secretary

Lauren Wright

Treasurer Darci Hertz

Community Council Leader

Jennifer Kautz

Fund Development Council Leader Tali Phil

Membership Council Leader

Jennifer Massey

Sustaining Leader Kathryn Leathers

Parliamentarian Heather Holland

Nominating Chair Allison Murphine

Phone: (406) 652-6272 Fax: (406) 652-6299

E-mail:

jlb@juniorleagueofbillings.org

We’re on the Web! www.juniorleagueofbillings.org

Mission Statement: The Junior League of Billings is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, de-veloping the potential of women, and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained

volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The Jabberwock JANUARY 2017 VOL. 48, ISSUE #5

President’s Message “Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” - Brad Paisley The New Year is upon us! It is so easy to get consumed by the day-to-day tasks, to-do’s and checklists. After all, we are women of today – multi-tasking our lives across a true myriad of commitments – personal and professional. Sometimes, I think we find it difficult to make a true investment in our-selves in a 24-hour day.

I hope that your Junior League experience is one of personal investment – some-thing you do for yourself. Though many of us share commonalities in family or experi-ence, this mission of the Junior League is not based upon things. It is about develop-ing the leadership potential of each woman. We are ecstatic about being about to kick off the Junior League of Billings “New Year” with Vicki Clark’s visit to Billings. She has an inspirational way about reminding us of our capacity, our ability and our value – as women and as catalysts in our communi-ty. In addition to the Friday, 1/6 Luncheon (where Vicki will present “The 11 Command-ments of Wildly Successful Women”), she will present at the January General Mem-bership Meeting on Saturday morning, 1/7. There are also three (3) additional small group sessions open to any members. Please attend whatever you are able (and refer to more detail in this Jabberwock). It is always an entertaining and worthwhile time!! The board of directors will also conduct its mid-year “Check-In” where Vicki will facili-tate discussion. May you look to the New Year with gratitude, optimism, and enthusiasm, and may every “page” you write be better than the last. Thank you for all you do!

Tonya Bush

“The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

Nelson Henderson

Follow us on

facebook!

Page 2 The Jabberwock

JANUARY GENERAL

MEETING

Saturday, January 7 Billings Public Library

9am-12noon

Light snacks will be pro-vided

Topic/Focus Area

Investment in the individual member and her leadership journey

NOTE: There will be no general meeting on Tuesday, January 10th!

Scenes from the December General Meeting

SAVE THE DATE The February General

Meeting will be Tuesday, February 7 at the Petroleum

Club.

The Jabberwock Page 3 Nominating Committee

Allison Murphine

Amber Goulet

Laura Hopkins

Kary Thome

Open Season for JL of Billings 2017-2018 Board of Directors

The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 Board of Directors. Positions that are open to applicants include: Executive Secretary Treasurer Membership Council Leader Fund Development Council Leader Community Council Leader Communications Chair Nominating Committee Member All terms are one year in length with the exception of the Nominating Committee Member whose term is 2 years. Criteria for each position in-cludes 1 year of active service in JLB with the exception of the Nominating Committee Member who should have no less than 5 years of active mem-bership or previous experience on the JLB Board of Directors. The Nominating committee looks for candidates that have a broad pro-spective, have the courage to dissent, have credibility among peers, are flexible, have good interpersonal skills, demonstrate leadership qualities, are risk takers, accountable and are thoughtful and visionaries. Qualified candidates for open positions are slated through objective evaluations and interviews. Candidates will understand and embrace the mission of the Junior League of Billings: The league is an organization of women com-mitted to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and to improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. It is strongly encouraged that applicants use the online form found in the Member’s Only Section of the website under My League, Online Forms, Nominating Application to apply. Information submitted is confidential. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the Nominating Committee. All the best, Allison Murphine Nominating Chair

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Communications Chair Position

It is with great excitement that JLB will slate an individual to serve as the Communica-tions Chair for the organization to serve on the Board of Directors. This is a new posi-tion as of 2017-2018. Responsibilities and opportunities of this role are outlined below. If you have any questions, please contact Allison Murphine. Role Description The Communications Chair will:

Provide facilitation and oversight in the development and execution of a com-prehensive marketing and media plan including but not limited to: - Website updates to ensure JLB is

reaching the target audience, site is up to date and reflects current in-formation

- Blog Posts - Official Facebook Communication - Print media including but not limited to

banners, brochures, etc. - Photo usage including updates to FB

as appropriate, uploads to Member Essentials

Ensure alignment with new AJLI Brand Standards

Ensure photo releases are acquired from members and guests at JL events

Participate in the private AJLI FB Com-munications group

Participate in strategic planning and goals for communications

Facilitate social media policy and repu-tation management policy

Seek new, creative ways to market JLB internally and externally

Support for the Communications Chair It is recommended a Communications Committee be formed (similar to the Nomi-nating Committee) with one person from each council appointed to the committee to assist the VP of Communications in carry-ing out the objectives. These persons will remain on their respective councils but would also participate in the Communica-tions Committee.

Application for Board and Nominating Committee Positions 1. Contact Information: Name: Address/phone/email:

2. Positions Applying For:

Indicate which of the following available positions you are applying:

___Communications Chair ____ Treasurer ______Secretary _____Community Council Chair ______Membership Chair ______Fund Development Chair ______Nominating

3. Indicate, if applicable, any of the positions for which you do NOT want

to be considered:

4. Applicant’s Certification: I am a member in good standing of the Junior League of Billings. I

have completed this application and the attached document. All of the information contained herein is true. I have read the job descrip-tion of the position for which I am applying. I understand what my duties and my role would be and, if slated, am willing to make the commitment of time and energy required for service in a governance

position following the strategic vision to achieve the mission of JLB.

X______________________________________________________ Date________________

5. Attachment The following must accompany the application: a. A paragraph to the Nominating Committee explaining why you are

applying for the position you have selected and the skills you would bring to the role (PTA, work, volunteer work, at home skills, church, school, business organizations).

b. Please provide the names and telephone numbers for two refer-

ences.

The Jabberwock Page 5

COMMUNITY COUNCIL Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Junior League ladies! I hope 2017 brings you all you wish. This seems an appropriate time to reflect on what we've accomplished in 2016. I am so thankful for your generosity in terms of time and heart this year. We have helped many new organizations this year and begun to partner and better con-nect with other non profit organizations to better serve our community. We just volunteered at our 2nd Dress a Child event on Dec. 10, helped with Road Dogs Toy Haul, the annual ECI Christmas party (with about 250 in attendance!), Parents Night Out at Wise Wonders and our best and brightest laundry event to date! We are always sending you volunteer opportunities it seems like and they're always fully at-tended!! I'm so thankful and happy you're taking advantage of our efforts. Thank you for all your enthusiasm.

This most recent laundry day on Dec. 5 hit the bulls eye we've been aiming for. Speedy Wash was packed and all washers full right at 4 PM. It was at full capacity until about 6 PM. For new members, or to recap our laundry pro-ject thus far, we held our first free laundry event on March 10 at Koinonia Laundry. We served their customers through the summer giving away $1,113 in free laundry.

On October 27 we held our first laundry day at Speedy Wash, a larger laundry mat on 6th Ave. N. with much more capacity to serve. We have held two laundry days there and have already given $907 to clients there. We have mar-keted our service to Family Service, Billings Public Schools, St. Vincent de Paul, Young Families Head Start, Job Service, Dress for Success, HRDC, Billings Public Library, and Salvation Army. The word is spreading and our ef-forts are paying off. The next laundry date is Jan. 9 from 3-6 PM so mark your calendars. A standing laundry date has been scheduled for the 2nd Monday of every month now and we changed the time to begin at 3 PM instead of 4 PM as we noticed it is usually busier earlier and then tapers off around 6-6:30. Many of the people we served last week heard about the free laundry project through the various organizations we marketed to. Word even traveled to Roundup and Park City which brought a few families. This is wonderful news as it is bringing in more people in need as well as spreading the word of Junior League of Billings and what we're doing. I have received such heart felt thanks and gratitude from the people at laundry days. I think I leave feeling more blessed than they do, though. Its really an honor meeting these people and hearing their stories. Keep up the excellent work Junior League! You're making me proud. Here is to an impactful 2017!

Jennifer Kautz Community Council Leader

ECI Christmas Party Road Dogs Toy Haul

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MEMBERSHIP COUNCIL Happy New Year to the Junior League of Billings and their families from the Membership Council! The general membership had a great Christmas Party/Dinner early in the month. Thank you to all in attendance who braved the weather! Congrats to our winners of all activities! Amber Erlenbusch was most festively dressed. Darci Hertz creat-ed the best tree in the crafting competition. And, Alison Howard remembered all items on the Christmas Tray and then beat out her competition in Heads or Tails. It was quite an enjoyable evening! Eight new members and one transfer will be pinned and officially welcomed into the JLB at the January General Membership Meeting. This will be a very exciting meeting as we will have Vicki Clark there with us, as well. In the past few years we have hosted a Winter New Member Social in January. We have chosen not to hold this event during this busy time. We do, however, want you all to continue to invite friends, coworkers, family members and anyone you feel would benefit from being a member of the Junior League of Billings. Invite them all to come to the next meeting or any meeting in the future that they can attend. Having Vicki Clark as our speaker is an extremely beneficial opportunity to all women of our commu-nity! This would be a great conversation starter. Junior League of Billings is devoted to developing the potential of women through training opportunities just as this. As we get new potential members joining us, we will then offer training sessions and continue to have a spring class join at the end of the year. We are only halfway to our goal of new members for the year, so keep bringing us new members! I would be happy to contact any of them person-ally with an invite if you would like me to. Just send their information to me at membership@juniorleagueofbillings.org. I hope to see you all at the January meeting with a friend to celebrate with our new members ! Don’t forget to keep nominating members for the MVP awards at the meetings. It is so important to recognize all of the talent and time our group offers up. Our next drawing will be in February at the general membership meeting. Jennifer Massey

New members will become

Active at the January General

Meeting. Let’s Celebrate!

The heart of a volunteer is not meas-

ured in size, but by the depth of the

commitment to make a difference in

the lives of others.

DeAnn Hollis

If you want to lift yourself up,

lift up someone else.

Booker T. Washington

SAVE THE DATE The February General

Meeting will be February 7 at the Petroleum Club.

FINANCIALS

The Jabberwock Page 7

AS OF OCTOBER 2016 ASSETS: Total Cash 59,517 (Checking & Money Market) LIABILITIES: Reserves 37,767 Payroll expense (state/federal) 603 JLB Unspent Budgeted 35,858 Total Liabilities 74,228 Available Funds -14,711 The assets that are available

at this time is the total

cash in the amount of

$59,517.

The Liabilities need to be

backed out of the total cash

amount to get available

funds.

Our fundraisers should bring

in net income of approximate-

ly $35,409.

January Birthdays

ACTIVES January 3 Jennifer Penfield January 10 Whitney Williams January 11 Jill Dawson January 25 Anne Holub January 31 Kelsey Krumm SUSTAINERS January 2 Jan Hoefle January 15 Sara Jane Hampton January 15 Margaret Ann Norsworthy January 21 Jen Haarr

Learn more about our members...

Hannah Tokerud Hannah joined the Junior League of Billings in 2016. She was also a member of Junior League in Great Falls, MT. Hannah attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied political science and French, and she went to law school at the University of Montana. She worked for the Montana Supreme Court and for a federal magistrate judge in Great Falls before moving to Billings in August. Hannah played violin in the Great Falls Symphony and she enjoys hiking, skiing, and knitting. She is excited to meet a great group of women and be involved in the community.

Kristin Switzer Kristin joined the Junior League of Billings in 2016. She received a BS degree in Accounting at Pep-perdine University in Malibu, CA. For several years she then worked in the audit division of the Washing-ton, DC offices of Deloitte as a CPA. She then at-tended law school at the Catholic University of Ameri-ca in Washington, DC. After law school, Kristin moved to New York City where for several years she practiced corporate law in the mergers & acquisitions division of Seward & Kissel LLP.

Kristin has been lucky enough to be associated with organizations with communi-ty interests for a long time. She volunteered in downtown Los Angeles, provided free legal advice in Washington, DC during law school, and participated in formal pro bono work at her law firm in New York City. Through these experiences, Kris-tin has been able to gain an understanding of community needs in diverse lo-cales. Kristin enjoys skiing and swimming with her family, including her husband and three young children. She hopes to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the fundraising process and she supports the community she now calls home.

AJLI Webinar Wednesdays Take advantage of a Webinar Wednesday presented by the Associ-ation of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). These are facilitated by either AJLI Staff or other leaders in the respective fields. Don’t worry if you miss the date or cannot do it on a Wednesday – as they are all recorded in the “Archives” (back to 2011)! January 11, 2017 – Building a Sustainable Mentoring Program (Jennifer Labin, Principal Partner, TERP Associates). January 25, 2017 - League Budgeting: The Nuts and Bolts (Martha Ferry, AJLI Consultant).

Page 8 The Jabberwock