2009-2019 Decade

2016-2017

Gather Give Grow

Gather Together  . . . Give to the Community . . . Grow as Trained Volunteers . . .

  • Officially became the Junior League of the Great Lakes Bay Region – Membership voted on the name change and it was passed in September and was announced publically during the Festival of Trees Premier Night Event in November
  • Collaborated with First Ward Community Center to celebrate their 85th anniversary in June 2016
  • Updated/Continued use of the Strategic Plan and dashboard format to monitor short and long term progress against goals.
  • Most successful Festival of Trees to date: $106,606 gross, $75,899 profit, $15,274 in sponsorships, and 64,000 raffle tickets sold.
  • Membership voted to continue Festival of Trees as primary fundraiser in the 2017-2018 league year
  • Annual Campaign raised $205 and an additional $1,347 was contributed to the endowment fund during dues collection.  Membership also voted to continue the Annual Campaign in the 2017-2018 League year
  • Members logged over 650 training hours. Some training opportunities included:
    • Summer Retreat with Consultant Stephanie Murphy from Advisa
    • 6 members attend the Michigan State Council  Fall Retreat
    • 16 members attended a leadership conference or an organization development institute (ODI) thru the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI)
    • There was a training at every General Membership Meeting
  • $3,463 was contributed to the endowment fund and the membership will vote on contributing an additional $15,000 in September of 2017
  • The Community Impact committee awarded $10,885.00 to community partners and agencies
  • Two $1,000 scholarships awarded through the Saginaw Community Foundation – Recipients: Heather Mohoney and Melyssa Secor
  • Completed our first year as the parent organization for the local Kids Run the Nation program.  Several active and sustaining members of the League participated as site coaches and 280 local children participated.
  • Welcomed 13 new active members; three in January and 10 in May.
  • Two mid-year recruits into provisional training
  • $3,000.00 in funding was provided to the Saginaw Children’s Museum in support of their Earth Day celebration and newly renovated art mart.  The Provisional class worked with the museum to launch a new Scrap Studio within the museum’s art mart. 
  • Celebrated six women sharing five years of active League.
  • Honored three women transitioning to Sustaining status.
  • Gold Rose awarded to Patty Burnside and Cathy Jesko
  • Sustainers participated in a live interactive poll at the Spring Luncheon
  • 79% retention rate for members in their provisional through third active year starting with the class of 2011-2012. 
  • Active membership of 69 at the end of the League year
  • Contributed 592 volunteer service hours in the community
  • Community Impact organized a series of done-in-a-meeting collections to contribute items to he Department of Health and Human Services of Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties.  These items put then placed into Junior League logo duffel bags for distribution to area children,
  • 15 provisional, active, and sustaining League members took a charter bus to Lansing for the annual Michigan Stat Council (MSC) Day at the Capitol.
  • One of our active members was elected to serve as the 2017-2018 MSC Secretary

 

2015-2016

“Change is Inevitable. Progress is Optional”

  • First year operating under a split governance and management structure for leadership. The Board of Directors focused on long-term, strategic initiatives while the Leadership Team, led by an Executive Vice President, managed the league through the annual operations.
  • Continued use of the Strategic Plan and dashboard format developed in 2014-2015 to monitor short and long term progress against goals.
  • Hired part-time, contracted office staff to support the League in an administrative capacity.
  • Most successful Festival of Trees to date: $101,000 gross, $72,000 profit, $16,500 in sponsorships, 63,000 raffle tickets, and 116 cookbooks sold!
  • Membership voted to continue Festival of Trees as primary fundraiser in the 2016-2017 league year
  • Annual Campaign raised $1,750 in its second year, member supported drive. Membership voted to continue in 2016-2017.
  • $24,000 invested in training and development of our volunteers: Birkman with Karen Henning, Digital Cheetah training by expert and Past President of JL Fort Myers Anita Duenas, 6 woman to ODIs, Fall and Winter Leadership Conferences for President, President Elect, President Elect- Elect, first ever Executive Vice President training at AJLI headquarters, and Annual Conference
  • $16,190 in endowment fund contributions
  • $5,000 to Community Partners: Girls on the Run – Saginaw, Girls on the Run – Midland, and YMCA Family Fitness
  • $10,000 to Enabling Fund recipients: Kids Run the Nation, First Ward, DHHS Foster Care Stockings, St. Mary’s – Eat, Move, Grow, St Mary’s – Think First Buckle, Saginaw County Spelling Bee, Saginaw Eye Care
  • Two $1,000 scholarships awarded through Saginaw Community Foundation
  • Sunsetted the long-running and successful Between the Lakes cookbook fundraiser, reducing inventory by 1,500 books in the final year.  Recognized and thanked past chairs, recipe collectors, tasting party hosts, and selection committee member, key advocates and committee members
  • Adopted Kids Run the Nation program, and received first grant of $8,000 from the Saginaw Community Foundation
  • Welcomed 20 new active members; one in January and 19 in May.
  • Four mid-year recruits into provisional training
  • Celebrated five women sharing five years of active league service and three women sharing 10 years of active service to the League.
  • Honored five women transitioning to Sustaining status.
  • Gold Rose awarded to Chantal Franson
  • Leaders learned and collaborated with 18 sustaining advisors!
  • Developed a model for engaged Sustainer membership: two gatherings, diaper collection, and mid-year chit-chat
  • 67% retention rate for members in their provisional through third active year starting with the class of 2011-2012.
  • Active membership of 75 at end of league year
  • Membership committee educated members on their status options, established an accountability system for active participation, and identified a list of potential businesses/organizations to engage with for targeted recruitment in the future.
  • Community Impact continued to educate the membership on our Issue Based Community Impact Model
  • Contributed 701 volunteer service hours in the community by sharing our time in many ways including: Covenant Kids Run Registration and Bag Stuffing, Day at the Capitol, Chippewa Nature Center Maple Syrup Day, Sustainer’s Diaper Drive, Girls on the Run Registration and Shoe Distribution, Special Olympics, Hoyt Park "Bringing Back the Ice", East Side Soup Kitchen
  • Community Impact organized four Done in a Meetings: Veterans Day Cards, PJs for Preemies, Stocking Stuffers for Department of Health and Human Services, and School Supply and Equipment Drive
  • Welcomed a new member to the Community Advisory Board (CAB), Dan Kehres of Kehres Health & Chiropractic, from the Kids Run the Nation Board.
  • Donated 51 gallons of water and $230 to the United Way of Genesee County in support of the Flint community during their water crisis.
  • 17 provisional, active, and sustaining League members took a charter bus to Lansing for the annual Michigan Stat Council (MSC) Day at the Capitol to support one of our very own who was the event chairwoman.
  • One of our sustainers was elected to serve as the 2016-2017 MSC Treasurer, and an active member was re-elected to Chairwoman for Day at the Capitol 2016-2017
  • Every committee implemented an aspect of the Digital Cheetah website platform into their annual operations ranging from event RSVPs, Festival of Trees shift preference selection, event reminders, and obligation tracking.
  • An informal vote was taken in November to pursue the formal name change application through AJLI to become the Junior League of the Great Lakes Bay Region.  Continued education of members on the strategy and cost associated with the name change occurred in 2016. The completed application was submitted in May 2016.
  • Marketing and Communications Committee identified four League members as subject matter experts to participate in ad-hoc committee during 2016-2017 to prepare an integrated marketing plan proposal.

2014-2015

Leadership: Game On

  • Implemented our New Strategic Plan, with much input from our Membership.
  • Researched, determined feasibility, and approved a budget allowing us to hire our first paid office staff member, who started June 1, 2015!
  • Program Committee and the Community Research and Project Development Committee merge to create our Community Impact committee. Their first year functioning in this capacity is a huge success.
  • We gave 546 hours of direct volunteer service in the community by volunteering in many ways including: clothing collection for the City Rescue Mission, clothing collection for the Underground Railroad, food collection for Hidden Harvest, worked opening day at Freeland Little League, volunteered at the Special Olympics Winter Games and Polar Plunge, passing out skates at Hoyt Park, Girls on the Run 5k, worked the Family Fitness night at the Midland Community Center and hosted a free fitness expo at the YMCA in Saginaw.
  • Awarded $17,000 to several non-profits in our community. Some of those included: Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures after school program - $5,000, Royal Family Kids Camp - $5,000, Freeland Little League - $2,000 to revamp their fields, Girls on the Run of Midland - $1,500 to purchase running shoes for their participants, Midland Community Center - $500 towards their free Family Fitness night, YMCA – approximately $500 for our free Fitness Expo, Hospitality House - $801 to give their residents day passes to the YMCA.
  • Welcomed a new member to the Community Advisory Board (CAB): Leslie Perry (The Greater Midland Community Center).
  • Welcomed 11 new members this league year; 3 in January, and 8 in May, continuing the success of our multiple entry system.
  • Assembled a Governance and Management Task force that successfully gave the membership the necessary information to vote and decide that this is the organizational structure the league will operate in beginning with the 2015-2016-league year. Nominating and Placement slated accordingly with a Governance Board and Leadership Team.
  • Started tracking sustainer involvement at various socials and volunteer opportunities, working towards our Strategic Goal of “creating a culture of lifetime membership”.
  • Kicked off our first Annual Campaign. We raised $1085 dollars in its inaugural year, exceeding our goal we set for this campaign. Voted to continue in the 2015-2016 league year.
  • Provided an enrichment and/or volunteer opportunity at every General Membership meeting. Some of them included: AJLI Service visit from Allison Hammond, the AJLI Board Secretary, an interactive poll that allowed members to see everyone’s responses in real time, Dale Carnegie public speaking training, assembled over 700 Pinwheels for the CAN Council to help raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention and hosted a guest panel of notable sustainers to discuss with the membership the pivotal role the Junior League of Saginaw Valley played in their work and volunteer lives.
  • Took the membership on their first “Learning Journey” (mobile meeting) to help educate our members and integrate the search for community partners in our new impact area of physical fitness.
  • Implemented our new Request for Proposal form (RFP) allowing other non-profits to apply for funds that help us make an impact in the area of physical fitness.
  • Engaged with 12 community partners.
  • Invested in our membership by spending $34,692.87 on training. Some of those opportunities included: Slated leadership training and Board retreat with Stephanie Murphy from Advisa Consulting who conducted leadership style assessments of all leaders, Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Training, Annual Conference, Fall Conference, Winter Leadership, and providing 5 members the opportunity to attend ODI.
  • Implemented a dashboard concept to track important items from our annual goals, providing a constant reminder of our common goals and how we are progressing.
  • Creating and utilizing a Committee Status Report Form (CSR) that each Committee was required to complete on a monthly basis. The purpose was two-fold; to keep the Board updated on their progress, while allowing us more time to be strategic and focusing on more long-range goals during meetings.
  • Held our most successful Festival of Trees to date. Close to 57,000 raffle tickets sold, 5,247 paid attendees through the door with a net profit of $59,578.39.
  • Voted to continue Festival of Trees as our primary fundraiser in the 2015-2016 league year.
  • Awarded (2) $1000 scholarships to college students.
  • Membership voted to “sunset” our award-winning Between the Lakes cookbook. 2015-2016 will be the last year the Junior League of Saginaw Valley sells the book.
  • Slated a Committee to explore a possible name change for the Junior League of Saginaw Valley, to better align ourselves with the Great Lakes Bay Region.
  • Voted to change the State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) name to Government Affairs and Advocacy Committee. They hosted 9 JLSV members at the Michigan State Council of Junior Leagues Day at the Capitol. They were also an integral part in seeing through the passing of 21 bills on Human Trafficking, making us one of the toughest states in the country on this issue.
  • The Marketing and Communications Committee continued to train our membership on the utilization of our website (Digital Cheetah), by providing fun ways to navigate the site and utilize all that it has to offer.

2013-2014

Theme: Do Less, Be More

  • Welcomed new members to the Community Advisory Board (CAB): Jamie Rivette (Yeo & Yeo), Ryan McGraw (Saginaw Athletic Club), Luis Canalas (Nexteer Corporation); returning members: Dave Klippert (Braun, Fredrick & Finkbeiner), Dick Dolinski (Legacy Center for Student Success), and Mitch Reno (Rehmann). By year end sadly accepted resignation of Mitch Reno who graciously served on the CAB for over 10 years.
  • Launched our new website using Digital Cheetah. Capabilities to use electronic messaging; save paperless meeting minutes and “binders”. 
  • Paperless quarterly Informer for first half of the year. By spring resurrected the paper Informer, on quarterly basis. 
  • Streamlined the Board by removing the N&P VP position from sitting on the Board. The N&P Chair will act as the liaison between the Membership and the Board. Combined the Community Research & Project Development (CRPD) and Program committees to become the Community Impact committee. 
  • Board eliminates spring fundraiser (mom 2 mom sale) to decrease burden on membership, moving away from “event based” fundraising as a sole means of income. 
  • Provisional Trainers develop “Multiple Entry System”. Fall Provisional class to go Active in the Spring, and a Winter Provisional class to go Active in January. 
  • Fall Provisional Class has 21 members go Active with 3 Winter Class members. 
  • PR educates membership on how to use various Social Media applications to our advantage; positively contributes to the success of Festival of Trees. 
  • Festival of Trees sold 60,000 raffle tickets, with 4,887 guests thru the doors for a profit of $53,337. 
  • Community Research/Project Development completes the Issue Based Community Impact process. Topic: Health & Wellness, Focus: Promote Physical Fitness, Impact Area: Self Esteem. They finished the year and process by gathering data from the membership regarding the Strategies we will use to address the problems in our community.
  • State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) hosted 9 JLSV members at the Day at the Capital. Helped educate the League, our Community and public officials on the issue of Human Trafficking, by co-hosting Becky McDonald, Women at Risk, International to speak in May; helping pass several House and Senate bills to address the issue. 
  • Enabling Funds awarded in the amount of $7,000. 1). Kids Run the Nation ($2,400): after school youth running program. 2). Field Neurosciences Institute ThinkFirst “Buckle Your Brain” ($2,500): to provide 350 free bike helmets and education materials. 3). Covenant Foundation Perinatal Bereavement Program ($1,000): for 66 books to distribute to parents who have recently experienced the death of a child. 4). St. Mary’s Asthma Camp ($1,000): to help offset the total cost of the free one-day camp for children 6-12 who have asthma. 
  • Program Committee: Girls on the Run in November, in December helped Department of Human Services with Christmas party and put together 200 stockings for children in Foster Care in Saginaw County, throughout February & March collected and assembled baskets for the women at Bay Area Women’s Shelter, in April provided Covenant Kids Run/Walk with volunteers to staff the registration table, finished the year with a collection of items to be put in drawstring backpacks to be distributed to children at the 1st Ward Community Center to keep them healthy and active over the summer.
  • Two $500 scholarships were awarded to college students. Membership votes to, and the Board makes provisions to increase the amount we will award to $1,000 scholarships.
  • Sent 6 members to Organizational Development Institute (ODI). 
  • 2010-2013 Signature project- Playscape for the Zoo completed and opened in May. 
  • Voted to continue Festival of Trees as fundraiser. 
  • Voted to approve Annual Campaign to commence the 2014-15 league year.  
  • By year end there were only 2,201 cookbooks remaining. 
  • Recognized by AJLI for our 80th Anniversary and for our participation in the Action Learning Team (ALT) process; received a plaque for each. 
  • Culminated the League Year with the 80th Anniversary Celebration at the Annual Meeting. Enjoyed a video highlighting our “Oak” anniversary with some of the accomplishments we have made over the last 80 years proving “our roots are deep in the community”.

2012-2013

Theme: Coming Soon

2011-2012

Theme: Health and Wellness 

  • Collected almost 27,000 diapers from the Great Lakes Bay Region for distribution to children within Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties.
  • Donated gift baskets and stockings to the Bay Area Women’s Center filled with toys and personal items.  48 baskets were given to women, 48 stockings for girls and 15 stockings for infants.
  • Collected baby items for donation to Covenant Healthcare and Old Town Baby Pantry.
  • Collaborated with the YMCA to conduct the Y’s Healthy Kids Day event at two locations:  Center Courts and the YMCA.  We taught children about nutrition and healthy food choices, they played Twister and made trail mix to take home along with a bottle of water.
  • Secured a $500 grant to purchase school supplies for three classrooms in need at Houghton Elementary in Saginaw.
  • Began to implement Issue Based Community Impact. Community Research/Project Development researched several issues and the membership approved Children’s Health and Wellness as our issue area.
  • The Action Learning Team (ALT) Committee was involved in conference calls to develop best practices for the Issue Based Community Impact concept and two members attended an ALT conference.
  • Developed and approved the design plan for the 2010-2013 signature project, the new playground for the Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square.
  • The Membership Services Committee conducted an in-house training at our April General Membership Meeting – “You are a Brand.”
  • Continued the tradition of after-meeting social opportunities and organized a Holiday outing to Frankenmuth and a family outing to the Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum.
  • The Fund Development Committee researched three new fundraisers to replace sales of our cookbook once all cookbooks are sold.  The membership voted via straw ballot to do a Mom to Mom Sale as a potential replacement for the cookbook.  Other options were a golf outing and fashion show.
  • The Festival of Trees was held at Apple Mountain, raising over $41,000.  We sold approximately 30,000 tree raffle tickets.
  • Our cookbook, Between the Lakes, earned the League over $11,000.  More wholesale accounts were obtained and a video was made to send to talk shows.
  • Donated $9,000 to the Endowment Fund to increase the principal to $50,000.  Starting next year, income from the Endowment Fund will be used to give the annual enabling grants of $2,000.
  • $1,000 was granted to Emmaus House to renovate homes and $1,000 was granted to Major Chords for Minors to provide music lessons to children.
  • Two $500 scholarships were given to college students.
  • This was the first year of our new governance structure, the council system.  The Board of Directors served in more of a governance role, keeping meetings to strategic planning and higher-level discussion.
  • Sent six members to AJLI Organizational Development Institute conferences.
  • Welcomed 12 new members to our League, 6 to Sustainer status and 2 Active Gold.
  • We tried something different this year by not having the February in-home meetings.  Instead, we had our February General Membership Meeting at the Temple Theatre that was a social event with limited business conducted.  The event was for all members and many Sustainers attended.
  • For the second year in a row we conducted an end of year celebration during our May Annual Meeting, inviting community partners, sponsors, enabling grant recipients and scholarship recipients.  Our annual meeting was combined with the Gold Rose Award presentation.
  • Installed wireless internet service in the office and purchased a laptop.

2010-2011

Theme: Health & Wellness

  • Collected almost 27,000 diapers from the Great Lakes Bay Region for distribution to children within Saginaw, Bay and Midland Counties.
  • Donated gift baskets and stockings to the Bay Area Women’s Center filled with toys and personal items.  48 baskets were given to women, 48 stockings for girls and 15 stockings for infants.
  • Collected baby items for donation to Covenant Healthcare and Old Town Baby Pantry.
  • Collaborated with the YMCA to conduct the Y’s Healthy Kids Day event at two locations: Center Courts and the YMCA.  We taught children about nutrition and healthy food choices, they played Twister and made trail mix to take home along with a bottle of water.
  • Secured a $500 grant to purchase school supplies for three classrooms in need at Houghton Elementary in Saginaw.
  • Began to implement Issue Based Community Impact.  Community Research/Project Development researched several issues and the membership approved Children’s Health and Wellness as our issue.
  • The Action Learning Team (ALT) Committee was involved in conference calls to develop best practices for the Issue Based Community Impact concept and two members attended an ALT conference.
  • Developed and approved the design plan for the 2010-2013 signature project, the new playground for the Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square.
  • The Membership Services Committee conducted an in-house training at out April General Membership Meeting- “You are a Brand.”
  • Continued the tradition of after-meeting social opportunities and organized a Holiday outing to Frankenmuth and a family outing to the Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum.
  • The Fund Development Committee researched three new fundraisers to replace sales of our cookbook once all cookbooks are sold.  The membership voted via straw ballot to do a Mom to Mom Sale as a potential replacement for the cookbook.  Other options were a golf outing and fashion show.
  • The Festival of Trees was held at Apple Mountain, raising over $41,000.  We sold approximately 30,000 tree raffle tickets.
  • Our cookbook, Between the Lakes, earned the League over $11,000.  More wholesale accounts were obtained and a video was made to send to talk shows.
  • Donated $9,000 to the Endowment Fund to increase the principal to $50,000.  Starting next year, income from the Endowment Fund will be used to give the annual enabling grants of $2,000. 
  • $1,000 was granted to Emmaus House to renovate homes and $1,000 was granted to Major Chords for Minors to provide music lessons to children.
  • Two $500 scholarships were given to college students.
  • This was the first year of our new governance structure, the council system.  The Board of Directors served in more of a governance role, keeping meeting to strategic planning and higher-level discussion.
  • Sent six members to AJLI Organizational Development Institute conferences.
  • Welcomed 12 new members to our League, 6 to Sustainer status and 2 Active Gold.
  • We tried something different this year by not having the February in-home meetings.  Instead, we had our February General Membership Meeting at the Temple Theatre that was a social event with limited business conducted.  The event was for all members and many Sustainers attended.
  • For the second year in a row we conducted an end of year celebration during our May Annual Meeting, inviting community partners, sponsors, and enabling grant recipients and scholarship recipients.  Our annual meeting was combined with the Gold Rose Award presentation.
  • Installed wireless internet services in the office and purchased a laptop.

2009-2010

Theme: Health and Wellness

This year marked the conclusion of the JLSV’s three year commitment to the Facing Forward Project. The JLSV collaborated with Creative 360 and the Legacy Center to provide an art-centered mentoring program that made a positive impact on the lives of at risk teenage girls in the Midland area.

Membership selected the Educational Play Structure as the three year community project starting in 2010-2011. The JLSV will partner with the Saginaw Valley Zoological Society to develop a newly created play opportunity to allow increased activity, learning and growth for children. The objective is to capture the child’s attention, educate, and provide opportunity for physical activity.

This project aligns with our (as well as AJLI’s) theme of health and wellness as well as the other community projects we implemented this year. These projects include a walk for Breast Cancer, Bay Area Women’s Shelter holiday party, and various Done in a Meeting collections.

The operations of the JLSV were guided by the priority areas of the strategic plan which included:

  1. Program Objective: Educating the general membership of specific community needs by the selection of an annual focus area.
  2. Membership Objectives: Retain/sustain membership at current levels and increase membership by 10% in Saginaw and 10% outside of Saginaw.
  3. Finance Objective: Secure sustainable funding by growing the endowment fund to $50K in four years and securing additional revenues yearly (grants).

Other highlights this year included terminating our lease at our 5228 State Street headquarters site and creating a corporate sponsorship relationship with The Rehmann Group and moving our headquarters into one of their office spaces. We also developed a committee who cleaned out and streamlined our paper retention for our new headquarters. Our Festival of Trees fundraiser surpassed our goals making over $30,000 of profit during an economically depressed time for our community. We were able to place $10,000 into our endowment this year as well as start a savings strategy for a monetary community donation in honor of our 100th year Anniversary. We started by allocating $4000 this year into a 100th Anniversary fund.

2014-2015

Leadership: Game On

 Implemented our New Strategic Plan, with much input from our

 Researched, determined feasibility, and approved a budget allowing us to

hire our first paid office staff member, who started June 1, 2015!

 Program Committee and the Community Research and Project Development

Committee merge to create our Community Impact committee. Their first

year functioning in this capacity is a huge success.

 We gave 546 hours of direct volunteer service in the community by

volunteering in many ways including: clothing collection for the City Rescue

Mission, clothing collection for the Underground Railroad, food collection for

Hidden Harvest, worked opening day at Freeland Little League, volunteered

at the Special Olympics Winter Games and Polar Plunge, passing out skates at

Hoyt Park, Girls on the Run 5k, worked the Family Fitness night at the

Midland Community Center and hosted a free fitness expo at the YMCA in

 Awarded $17,000 to several non-profits in our community. Some of those

included: Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures after school program - $5,000, Royal

Family Kids Camp - $5,000, Freeland Little League - $2,000 to revamp their

fields, Girls on the Run of Midland - $1,500 to purchase running shoes for

their participants, Midland Community Center - $500 towards their free

Family Fitness night, YMCA – approximately $500 for our free Fitness Expo,

Hospitality House - $801 to give their residents day passes to the YMCA.

 Welcomed a new member to the Community Advisory Board (CAB): Leslie

Perry (The Greater Midland Community Center)

 Welcomed 11 new members this league year; 3 in January, and 8 in May,

continuing the success of our multiple entry system.

 Assembled a Governance and Management Task force that successfully gave

the membership the necessary information to vote and decide that this is the

organizational structure the league will operate in beginning with the 2015-

2016-league year. Nominating and Placement slated accordingly with a

Governance Board and Leadership Team.

 Started tracking sustainer involvement at various socials and volunteer

opportunities, working towards our Strategic Goal of “creating a culture of

 Kicked off our first Annual Campaign. We raised $1085 dollars in its

inaugural year, exceeding our goal we set for this campaign. Voted to

continue in the 2015-2016 league year.

 Provided an enrichment and/or volunteer opportunity at every General

Membership meeting. Some of them included: AJLI Service visit from Allison

Hammond, the AJLI Board Secretary, an interactive poll that allowed

members to see everyone’s responses in real time, Dale Carnegie public

speaking training, assembled over 700 Pinwheels for the CAN Council to help

raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention and hosted a guest panel of

notable sustainers to discuss with the membership the pivotal role the Junior

League of Saginaw Valley played in their work and volunteer lives.

 Took the membership on their first “Learning Journey” (mobile meeting) to

help educate our members and integrate the search for community partners

in our new impact area of physical fitness.

 Implemented our new Request for Proposal form (RFP) allowing other non-

profits to apply for funds that help us make an impact in the area of physical

 Engaged with 12 community partners

 Invested in our membership by spending $34,692.87 on training. Some of

those opportunities included: Slated leadership training and Board retreat

with Stephanie Murphy from Advisa Consulting who conducted leadership

style assessments of all leaders, Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Training,

Annual Conference, Fall Conference, Winter Leadership, and providing 5

members the opportunity to attend ODI.

 Implemented a dashboard concept to track important items from our annual

goals, providing a constant reminder of our common goals and how we are

 Creating and utilizing a Committee Status Report Form (CSR) that each

Committee was required to complete on a monthly basis. The purpose was

two-fold; to keep the Board updated on their progress, while allowing us

more time to be strategic and focusing on more long-range goals during

 Held our most successful Festival of Trees to date. Close to 57,000 raffle

tickets sold, 5,247 paid attendees through the door with a net profit of

 Voted to continue Festival of Trees as our primary fundraiser in the 2015-

 Awarded (2) $1000 scholarships to college students.

 Membership voted to “sunset” our award-winning Between the Lakes

cookbook. 2015-2016 will be the last year the Junior League of Saginaw

 Slated a Committee to explore a possible name change for the Junior League

of Saginaw Valley, to better align ourselves with the Great Lakes Bay Region.

 Voted to change the State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) name to

Government Affairs and Advocacy Committee. They hosted 9 JLSV members

at the Michigan State Council of Junior Leagues Day at the Capitol. They were

also an integral part in seeing through the passing of 21 bills on Human

Trafficking, making us one of the toughest states in the country on this issue.

 The Marketing and Communications Committee continued to train our

membership on the utilization of our website (Digital Cheetah), by providing

fun ways to navigate the site and utilize all that it has to offer.