Healthy Kids with Special Needs Fall Recap

Submitted by Active Members Lauren Leviner and Nan Krieg

The Healthy Kids with Special Needs Committee has been working hard to plan events for families here in the Midlands. This year, the committee expanded to partner with Family Connection, Winston’s Wish, SC Autism Society and the Arc of South Carolina. All four groups specialize in the support, education and care of families with children with various disabilities. Working under this new umbrella the Healthy Kids with Special Needs committee has fifteen events planned for the 2012-2013 calendar year.

   

Several of the events have already taken place, with great success and a wonderful time had by all!

The committee kicked off the year with Family Connection Princess Workshop in September. Girls from Family Connection were invited to come enjoy a day of fun and food and were treated like royalty. Games, hair and makeup and other fun took place, before each child was crowned a Princess! The Princess Workshop is organized by former Miss SC Crystal Garrett and her mother. 

Healthy Kids with Special Needs has also partnered with Winston’s Wish for a year-long Autism Ambassador program. Each JL Ambassador participated in Autism training and is now paired with a child from Winston’s Wish. They serve as pen pals and meet three times during the year for a fun outing. The committee held their first event in November at Tag It Art Studio, where the children painted a special gift to give to their parent for Christmas! During this time, the parents were invited to go next door to Happy Café and enjoy coffee and dessert! 

SC Autism Society and JLC also enjoyed a fun night in November. This event took place at the PLEX and the Healthy Kids with Special needs committee assisted SC Autism Society in their RESPIT event! Children were paired with volunteers from SC Autism Society and JL Members helped play games, serve food and provide a very fun family fun night for all!

The Junior League of Columbia’s Children with Special Needs Committee assisted in throwing Family Connection’s Holiday Social on Sunday, December 2, 2012. This fun family event was held in the Cardinal Newman High School gymnasium and included an array of crafts, games, music and Santa.

The approximately 300 participants arrived on Sunday to a decorated gymnasium filled with music, food and an assortment of activities. A local Girl Scouts troop was on hand to paint children’s faces and league members provided crafts, including coloring, decorating snowflakes, making reindeer antlers and food for Santa’s reindeer, decorating reusable shopping bags and creating handprint ornaments. There were games galore, such as ice fishing, hula hooping, tic tac toe, bean bag toss, a parachute and cake walk. There was even a photo booth with costume accessories and props for families to take home memories.

Entertainment and special guests of the day included Miss South Carolina 2007, Crystal Garrett, who performed a Christmas song, as well as one of her originals for the families. At 1:30 p.m., the DJ/Magician performed an exciting and interactive magic show for the children. And of course, a holiday party would not be complete without a visit from the big guy himself, Santa Claus.

To end the holiday social on a high note, children, parents and League members danced the afternoon away to songs like the Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, Gangnam Style, Cha Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle and Wobble.

Healthy Kids with Special Needs has upcoming events planned with all four organizations over the next several months! Stay tuned for an update and see what else this year has in store!

Check out our awesome JLC members volunteering at the Family Connection Holiday Social:

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.

The Newest Artists of the Junior League

Submitted by Kate Crosby, E-blast Chair, Active Member

Yesterday evening, 35 women from the Junior League of Columbia came together for an evening of fun, learning and creativity at an event known as Sips & Strokes at Saluda’s. The event, put together by the JLC’S Membership Recognition and Satisfaction Committee, included an artistic lesson from Columbia’s Wine & Design, while enjoying wine, yummy chef-selected appetizers and friendship at Saluda’s Restaurant in 5 points.

 

As someone that lacks talent in the artistic area, I was a little nervous at first to paint my 16 x 20 canvas amongst my peers. However, by the end of the event and much to my surprise, I not only learned that wine does NOT, in fact, make you a better artist, but instead, you do not have to be a Picasso to have fun with your girlfriends and learn a few new artistic talents.

 

The evening began with wine and friendship as our art teachers from Columbia’s Wine and Design unveiled the masterpiece that we would be creating that night - a red and blue crab-themed painting.

At first, the painting looked a little complicated, but as she began the lesson, it became clearer that it was a little bit simpler than it looked. Step-by-step, we all followed her instruction, and by the end of the evening, the room was filled with 35 unique versions of the painting.

 

As the evening came to a close, we enjoyed delicious hor d'ouevres prepared by the chefs at Saluda’s and admired each other’s artwork. All in all, a great evening! Not only did I leave with a new painting to hang in my home, but with a few more friendships and some new artistic abilities. I think I can say I can successfully mix and shade paints now!

Toot Toot! Touch A Truck Zooms Into Columbia!

The Junior League of Columbia presented the 3rd Annual Touch A Truck at the South Carolina State Farmers' Market a few weekends ago and it provided to be a major success. This family friendly fundraiser and community event brought out hundreds of families to get up close and personal with construction machinery, surgical robots, and emergency vehicles.  Kids were able to experience over 30 hands-on exhibits as well as meet the people who build, protect and serve the Midlands.

The Farmers' Market provided the perfect backdrop to promote the JLC's new focus of healthy children.  On top of the many trucks, kids were able to enjoy time in the bounce houses and learn about healthy eating at the Certified South Carolina Grown table and JLC's Kids in the Kitchen booth. There was even an agricultural simulator for the kids to learn about and experience the feeling of crop harvesting right here in South Carolina. From bomb trucks, to antique military vehicles, to CAT equipment, to the da Vinci Surgical Robot, there was something new and exciting for everyone to explore at Touch A Truck.

As Acquisitions Chair, I helped lead the efforts of our committee to reach out to our community and invite exhibitors from all different types of industries.  Equipment came to our event from across the Midlands and we are extremely grateful to the following exhibitors for taking time out of their Saturday to help support the Junior League of Columbia:

97.5 FM WCOS

Blanchard Machinery

Concrete Supply Company

Ducksback, Inc.

LA Barrier

Lexington County EMS

Lexington County Fire Department

Lexington County Sheriff's Department

Military Vehicle Collectors of South Carolina

Palmetto Health

Pioneer SC

Richland County Sheriff's Department

South Carolina Farm Bureau

South Carolina Forestry Commission

Two Men and A Truck

One thing I noticed throughout the day was that as children entered the facility, the squeals of excitement were noticeable when they actually saw what we had in store for them. Even the grown men were fascinated and entertained by the over sized exhibitors!

 I talked with many parents who were very appreciative of the opportunity for their children to safely explore and touch the many trucks that our committee assembled.  It was a great feeling to see the hard work we put into this event turn into such a tangible and memorable reward.  Since this is my provisional year in the Junior League, I especially enjoyed working with our members, our sponsors, and our local community to bring this event together.  The weather was absolutely perfect, and I'm thankful for the entire Touch A Truck committee and the shift workers that worked tirelessly to make this day such a success, particularly the chairs and vice-chairs who went above and beyond for this special event. We're looking forward to building on the success of this year's event and getting to work on next year's Touch A Truck!

Post bye: Maddy Barbian, Touch A Truck Acquisitions Chair

A Provisional Perspective: The Provisional Project

One of the final things to check off to complete the requirements of my provisional year was the provisional project. My provisional project involved Sistercare, a wonderful organization who helps women stuck in tough situations get back on their feet while being surrounded by a caring environment. This project also served as a Done-in-a-Day service project, so we were joined by other Active members of the League. During the project itself, we spent some time talking to one of the women who works for Sistercare; she gave us a great view of Sistercare's outreach and actions and how they are able to do so much for these women who have so little. Upon arriving at Sistercare, we helped landscape and paint a mural in the children's shelter on the property. I worked on the mural, and was very pleased with the results!! The group decided to paint a mural based on Shel Silverstein's book, The Giving Tree.

After some intense effort from various provisionals and actives alike, we all had a final product we were proud of. My favorite part is the little boy!

What is not clear from the picture, but a special addition to the mural, on the tree itself, we included a heart inscribed with "JLC + SC" to remind both the women and children who use that building and ourselves of the bond between our two organizations.

In addition to the mural, we landscaped the outside yard by adding mulch, planting flowers, and tidying up the area around the playground equipment. The difference after we finished was amazing!

Aside from the good we were doing as a group for this organization, it was a great chance to meet other provisionals and actives that I had not met before. One provisional brought along a friend of hers who was not in the league to help out so we got to do a little outside PR for the Junior League! Everyone left with a sense of accomplishment seeing how our efforts paid off and I'm glad I was able to participate in this specific event.

Post by: Meggie Baker

Public Affairs Team and New Board Members Attend Luncheon With Members of the South Carolina Women's Caucus

Thanks to Emily Brady, the Public Affairs and a few new board members recently enjoyed lunch with hundreds of philanthropic women at the General Assembly Women’s Caucus Jean Laney Harris Luncheon. Similar to the diverse cities and towns represented, the women in attendance came from various backgrounds including stay at home moms, working moms, etc. and they were all there to celebrate philanthropic women.

Darla Moore—who more than lived up to her reputation as a dynamic personality—was the key note speaker. She told us “three stories.” The moral of these personal experiences also came in a set of three:

1) being from rural South Carolina is not a hindrance to getting
ahead in life,

2) do not spray money around and pray it solves the problem, and

3) put your boots on the ground and make a difference.


So, Junior League of Columbia, let’s get those boots on the ground for Healthy Children! We will be in more places serving more faces than ever before with our targeted issues under Healthy Children. The year ahead is full of promise as this year comes to a close with several community events and a fundraiser left to go. Please support the upcoming events. And, as placement dawns upon us, give meaningful thought to where you want to put your boots on the ground during the 2012-2013 League year.

Post by: Pamela Adams

Columbia, Start Your Engines!

The Junior League of Columbia is proud to present its 3rd annual Touch A Truck event on Saturday, April 14th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the New State Farmer's Market in West Columbia. To help get the community ready, members of the League's Touch a Truck committee and other members, spouses and children took to the streets of downtown Columbia to help spread the word for this family-friendly event at this year's St. Pat's in Five Points parade held on St. Patrick's Day.

The luck of the Irish allowed the rain to hold off long enough for us and others in our community to walk from the Earth Fare, down Devine Street, and through Five Points to the parade end. Parade walkers distributed 1,000 green Touch A Truck fliers to parade goers along the route and tossed sweet surprises to kids decked out head to toe in green. We enjoyed this opportunity to be a part of the festive celebration just down the street from the League's headquarters.

Touch A Truck features all things that go! Kids have the opportunity to explore big vehicles like fire trucks, cement trucks, bulldozers and school buses and meet the fine people who build, protect and serve the Columbia area . This community event also features family-friendly entertainment, plus information on healthy eating from JLC's Kids in the Kitchen. Mascots, face painting and other amusements round out the fun. Come join us on April 14, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the New State Farmers Market! Admission for Touch A Truck is $6 per person and children under one year old are free with a paying adult.

Post By: Connelly-Anne Bartle

JLC Public Affairs Team Meets with Governor Haley

Last week members of the JLC Public Affairs Team met with Governor Nikki Haley to discuss our new League focus of healthy children and to learn from her what issues she sees facing the children of South Carolina. Stacy Thompson, VP for Community, also joined the group and gave an overview of the League’s history and current work. Governor Haley seemed particularly interested in our collaborations with other community groups such as Palmetto Health Richland Children’s Hospital to organize the Healthy Kids Expo to take action to tackle issues in the community. She was also impressed with the size and dedication of our membership.


Governor Haley shared with us that from her perspective, the two biggest problems for children in South Carolina are the rising epidemic of obesity and literacy. She feels that the entire family needs to be educated on these issues to fix the problems. We told her about our Kids in the Kitchen program teaching about healthy nutrition and the work we have done through Smart Matters to encourage reading and learning for children and parents.

Governor Haley gave us some insight into a new initiative that the Governor’s Office will be launching later this month geared toward improving the quality of life for families in rural communities. Each month a different rural county in the state will be highlighted and provided with much needed resources such as health screenings, access to the DMV services and help to acquire their GEDs. In addition, Haley’s Office will be promoting the positive stories and news from these counties to the rest of the state.

Haley encouraged our members to get involved with this initiative and her staff will provide us with further information. As our time came to an end, the Governor pledged her support to the League and offered to assist with any of our volunteer or advocacy efforts to improve our community and state.

Many thanks to Public Affairs Team members, Katherine Haltiwanger and Jamie Shuster, for making this meeting possible.

By: Emily Brady, Public Affairs Team Chair

2012 Healthy Kids Expo: Can You B543210?

On Saturday, February 25, the Junior League of Columbia, Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital and USC Pediatric Institute Diabetes and Obesity Clinic hosted the 2012 Healthy Kids Expo from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Drew Wellness Center.

This was a free event for the entire family designed to engage everyone in learning healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes and participate in fun workouts to get both kids and parents moving. We entertained around 125 parents and children!

We focused on Palmetto Health’s new health initiative slogan: “Can you B543210?” We had the following stations to educated kids on healthy eating and lifestyle.

B- eat a healthy breakfast

5- eat at least 5 fruits and veggies each day

4- drink 4 glasses of water

3- eat or drink 3 servings of dairy daily

2- limit screen time to less than 2 hours

1- be physically active for at least 1 hour

0- avoid sweetened beverages

Also on hand, we had doctors and nutritionists from the new Palmetto Health Obesity and Diabetes Clinic and USC Sports Medicine to help educate about healthy eating alternatives. We finished the day with Columbia’s own national award-winning Double Dutch Forces, something our President, Kristy Ellenberg, couldn't resist sitting on the sidelines for! Go Kristy!!


Post by: Katie W. Rankin

Lunch with Leaders #2!

A nice lunch, a chance to learn from others in our community, and some informative conversation awaited 30 members of the JLC this past Tuesday. On March 28, 2012, a group of us had the opportunity to learn more about the league’s focus on healthy children and how that focus is shared by various nonprofit organizations throughout the state at a recent “Lunch with Leaders” at the JLC Headquarters. Leaders from the SC March of Dimes, Winston’s Wish, Healthy Learners, CASA, SC Prevention of Teen Pregnancy, Girls on the Run, Children's Trust of SC and Edventure talked to the group about what they thought healthy children meant, the main obstacles against children being healthy in South Carolina, and what we, as members of the Junior League, could do to help support their programs through our focus on healthy children.


While each speaker had individual ideas that focused on their particular organization, an overall theme of awareness and education emerged as the speakers gave us their thoughts on what should be done to help children stay healthy in all aspects of their lives. It was interesting to see how, although through different programs, the organizations shared a common purpose and goal. All of the leaders encouraged us to help spread the word about the programs available; as many people are just unaware of the various ways to get help when needed. I encourage all everyone to look up these organizations and see all the beneficial programs they have available and to tell other people, both in and out of the league, about these organizations when the opportunity strikes. We will be able to help relay our focus on healthy children by helping these organizations reach out to people who otherwise might not know where to go for their needs.

Thank you to the Education and Development committee for planning a great event for JLC members!

Post by: Meggie Baker