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