A Sneak Preview of the Holiday Market Auction

Getting geared up for the Holiday Market Preview Party this Wednesday at the SC State Fairgrounds? It's sure to be a merry and bright night to remember! To help get you in the spirit, the Silent Auction committee wanted to make sure you knew about a few special items that we'll be offering this year. Get ready to bid - and have fun!

 

A Trip to Paradise

Enjoy a week at the Ritz Carlton Club in St. Thomas, USVI. Stay in a beautifully appointed 3-bedroom, 3 ½ bath condo will full kitchen, living room and accommodations that comfortably sleep 8 and overlook the pristine Great Bay.Take advantage of amenities like snorkeling, sailing excursions and a full-service spa - but, most of all, just relax in one of the world’s most beautiful spots.Make your own fireworks in paradise this Fourth of July! Stay is from June 29 – July 6, 2013. Value: $7,500.

 

 

 

Dove Hunter's Delight

Get ready to go on an exceptional hunting adventure! Courtesy of Sporting Adventures International, this 4-person, 3-day dove hunting package in Argentina includes gourmet meals, 5-star accommodations, and custom clearing. Open bar, laundry service and daily gun cleaning included. Airfare isn’t part of the package, but Sporting Adventures can help you with excellent group rates. Don’t miss out! Expires Nov. 28, 2013. Value: $11,000.

 

 

 

Dinner - The Southern Way

Who said entertaining wasn’t easy? Thanks to Southern Way Catering , you can host an elegant dinner for 8 at your home, with a delicious, 3-course meal that includes salad, entree, dessert – and wine service! Simply send the invitations and let Southern Way handle everything else. Now that’s the way to entertain! Value: $2,500.

An Evening at The Oak Table

Take an evening and indulge at one of Columbia’s newest hot spots! Partake in a private dinner for 10 at The Oak Table in the heart of downtown Columbia. Delight in executive chef Joseph Jacobson’s modern American cuisine highlighting regionally sourced ingredients and a seasonal menu. And don’t forget the inspired cocktails –including The Mac-Hattan or a Basil Ginger Lemonade. Mmm... Value: $1,000.

 

 

 

Get your tickets now to Preview Party at http://www.jlcolumbia.org/?nd=holiday_market_public.

 

Holiday Market Made Possible by our Sponsors

The Junior League of Columbia's annual Holiday Market raises hundreds of thousands of dollars that go back into the Columbia community through community projects. This wouldn't be possible without the support of our sponsors, so we would like to take a moment to say THANK YOU!

League Leader
Southern Way Catering
Franklin Jones Coldwell Banker

League Partner
Displays Unlimited
Palmetto Party Rental
Two Men and A Truck
The State Media Company
Wells Fargo
PODS Mobile Storage
Spectra Integration
Heartstrings Hospice

League Advocate Alliance Consulting Engineers BlueCross BlueShield of SC League Supporter SakiTumi NBSC First Citizens Cricket Newman Grecian Gardens Ed Robinson Cleaners Chocolate Nirvana DiPrato's Cupcake Blue Marlin Villa Tronco Solstice Mr. Friendly's Cellar on Greene Takosushi Terra Morganelli's Worth Repeating League Friend ACE Glass Bluestein, Delgado, Thompson Bokesch & Tipton, LLC Pout Groucho's We would like to say thank you to the following companies: Colliers International California Dreaming Cantina 76 Chick-Fil-A Chipotle Edible Arrangements Everyday Gourmet Greek Boys Gruber Farms Hooligans Honey Baked Ham Moe's Nut Hut Otis Spunkmeyer Little Gym Karen Johnson Apria Tag It Art Food for Thought

We were honored recently by The Cooperative Ministry through The Good Night for our work in the community. The Good Night created a video that really captures the Junior League of Columbia, and we wanted to share it with the League and the Columbia community we serve!

JLC's ABCD's Event is "Best Thing Ever!"

A few weeks ago Josh Whitlock, Director of Ezekiel Ministries, attended the Junior League of Columbia's ABCD's event. Here's what he had to say after everything was said and done...

I'm so thankful that our good friend, Miss Sandee Hensley from Jubilee Academy, included us in the Junior League's Annual event ABCD's for kids this year. I am very blessed to have been a part of it. I am currently the Director at Ezekiel Ministries and we hope to get involved again next year. As most of you know, the Junior League organizes an event at Wal-mart every year that provides some essentials for kids who are in great need and very underprivileged. Kids receive a coat, shoes, socks, a book, and a recipe and all the ingredients for a healthy meal for family. What a great idea!

I brought an 11-year old boy, Jaquaris, whose mother had to work, so I got to experience the whole thing first hand. My favorite part of the day was that some brilliant individual came up with the idea of having a personal shopper for each family. I think that is the best thing ever! I had an entire list of things Jaquaris had to find, but I never even had to look at it. Our personal shopper not only found and carted all of Jaquaris's items, they treated this boy like a king, and made what would normally be a pretty stressful situation, fun and easy for him. I am so thankful. Even if I could find a place that had this service, I am sure they couldn't do this job with the care and love for these families the Junior League showed our kids and their families today.

It's really awesome that the kids got the royal treatment for once, but the bigger picture is that some of the main staples parents have to buy his time of year were taken care of. These parents span from all different spectrum of life. All are in poverty, but most for different reasons. Some are just single parents with no education working hard to make ends meet. Some suffer from addiction and their low income and decision-making skills are held captive by their addictions. Others are have been beaten down by life so much that they have given up hope.

In the Bible we are told, so many times, we are to care for the fatherless and the widows. We are so thrilled to have partners, like the Junior League of Columbia, who share in our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community. The blessing for these kids and families is one that makes a big impact on their finances. When I was telling one of the mothers about the opportunity, she informed me that one of her children was just about to grow out of the jacket she'd gotten at the same event a few years ago. That same mom has just recently finished job training at the adult education center and has been diligently seeking a job for three months. She is out there working toward getting on her feet and providing for her family. She has a lot of circumstances working against her, but she's moving forward. I am glad to say that she got a job today!

In some cases I know the generosity gets abused, but in many cases, like this one, it's just that little bit of support and love someone needs to keep trying. It was a great service for the families that got to come. On behalf of the families at Ezekiel Ministries, and I'm sure everyone else who participated would join with me, THANK YOU!

Guest Post By:

Josh Whitlock
Director, Ezekiel Ministries

Lunch w/ Leaders: The Importance of Understanding and Educating the Community on Proper Childhood Dental Health

Membership in the Junior League of Columbia has many benefits.  One that is most important to me is the opportunity for life-long learning.  This week’s Lunch With Leaders is a great example of how the League works to educate and inspire our members about important issues in the community.

As many of you know, children’s dental care is now a priority for the League as part of our community focus area.  A panel of community leaders specializing in children’s dental health shared their knowledge with League members during this session. Panelists included a representative from Healthy Learners (who is also a former school nurse), a dental hygienist, a representative from DHEC’s division of Oral Health, a pediatrician from Palmetto Health, a pediatric dentist, as well as a Junior League of Columbia member who is a dentist (thank you, Dr. Erin Causey). This group did an incredible job of presenting some of the many challenges facing children in SC in regard to oral health. 

The information was intriguing and eye-opening to me. Some of it was just plain sad – especially when learning that prevention is truly the key to solving this crisis which is affecting countless numbers of children in our community.  My fingers were flying to capture this information. Here are some of the highlights.

Parental education is critical.  Every child should have a “dental home” by age 1.  Juice and chocolate milk in “sippy cups” are major contributors to tooth decay in young children.  Water is the only thing that should ever be in a” sippy cup”! The PH level in drinks (acid) is also harmful to teeth.  The frequency that a child drinks sugar is what causes cavities – not just how much sugar is in a single drink.  Baby teeth are important (apparently there are baby tooth root canals – yikes). “Mountain Dew Disease” is terrible. One of the panelists said he could tell a Mountain Dew drinker almost immediately by looking at his or her teeth.

What are the repercussions of poor oral health in children? There are a lot.  School attendance declines, children cannot focus in the classroom when they are in pain, self-esteem is negatively affected and serious health problems can occur when infections go untreated.  It is well-documented that children who suffer from poor oral health do not succeed as well as their healthy peers and, later in life, there is a downward spiral in future employment situations.

As League members we, of course, wanted to know, “What can we do to help?” Fortunately, there are a number of ways the League could make an impact in this area.  We can serve as advocates in the community to bring this issue to the spotlight, and we can include educational materials and other resources at our events and incorporate them in our existing projects and activities.  There are probably endless opportunities for the JLC to help address this epidemic, and I feel certain we will rise to this exciting challenge.  Stay tuned!

On a closing note, I have to take this opportunity to remind everyone that poor oral health doesn’t only affect children who live in poverty.  If you have children, be sure you are heading advice for keeping their mouths healthy.  I bought some cool, neon-colored child-size “flossers” yesterday for my son and have vowed to make sure they are used! I hope we can all work together to bring lots of healthy smiles to our community and look forward to the JLC putting its efforts behind this worthy cause.

Post by: Carla Moore, President Elect

Here's to Your Health DIAD Project

Submitted by Alyssa Good, Active Member

 

Every day there are children througout the Midlands who do not have access to basic health care services and supplies. On Sunday, October 14, fifteen Junior League volunteers assisted with assembling baskets filled with toothbrushes, floss, band-aids and many other supplies to give to local nurses and teachers through one of the Junior League of Columbia's Done in a Day projects. These healthcare supplies will be given to children in our schools throughout the year. School teachers and nurses are a point of entry to the Healthy Learners service model. The baskets will serve as a reminder to the school teachers and nurses to refer children to Healthy Learners for medical treatments.

A Warm Welcome & Thoughtful Fellowship

Contributed by Megan Thorpe, Provisional

As a provisional, I am learning that Junior League meetings come in all shapes and sizes. Last night, I was welcomed into Carol Caulk’s home, along with a dozen other League members, for a time to share the ways we hope to grow through the Junior League of Columbia. The meeting was a wonderful balance of old and new members’ voices, and their passion for the people they helped over the years through service projects was moving.

We listened to more about the history of Junior League and many questions were answered about finding the place we fit in this large, but friendly, group. An account of a child picking out their first new pair of shoes or sending a hungry family home with food through the ABCDs program warmed my heart. From the awe and humor of offbeat donations for Clean Sweep to the grandiose task of decorating for Holiday Market, I was amazed at the hours and commitment demonstrated by the women around me. I was moved to learn that the League raises around $250,000 each year that goes right back into the community.

I would be remiss if I did not mention our facilitator Katie Crosby who helped us navigate questions big and small that we wondered about as the League’s newest members. She encouraged seasoned League members to offer their best stories and advice as well. We got to know more about where each member lives and works around the city, and we were privileged to witness the soul of volunteers who encouraged us to join them in service for our hometown.

After nearly an hour of sharing one-on-one and the graceful acceptance of suggestions from even the newest members on ways to improve the Junior League’s work, we jumped into to some fall-themed snacks.
 
After a long day, this time together was a sense of renewal and purpose for me – and excitement for the work to come as I adjust to my new city and serve alongside this formidable group of community leaders.