Spring 2014 L e a g u e L i n e s

The Junior League of Huntington

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Executive Board President Katina Haught

President-Elect Summer Haynes

Community Vice President Sarah Walling

Corresponding Secretary Leslie Culp

Recording Secretary Ashley Corder

Treasurer Jessica Copeland

Treasurer Elect Kate Farrell

Committee Chairs Arrangements…………………...Jamie Webster

Character Breakfast..…….….....…Darci Barger

…………………………………..…Cheryl Sullivan

Community Center…………….……Leslie Culp

Done in a Day...………………Sarah Dougherty

Education………...………………..Kristi Henson

Kids in the Kitchen………..……....Katie Fowler

…………………..………………Courtney McNeel

League Lines……………………...Anna Lafferre

Membership…………………........Anna Lafferre

……………………………………….Sarah Walling

Nominating/Placement……......Jamie Webster

Nominating/Placement Elect.Rebecca Hansen

Public Relations…………………...Erica Deligne

Rummage Sale……………..…Provisional Class

Touch a Truck…………….….Melissa Dawson

…………………………………..…..Amanda Kent

Ways & Means………………….…...Maria Aiello

JL of Huntington Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 6 p.m.

617 9th Avenue

Huntington, WV 25701

304.523.4165

www.facebook.com/JLofHuntington

@JLofHuntington

Junior League Mission The Association of Junior Leagues

International, Inc. is an organization of

women committed to promoting

volunteerism, developing the potential

of women and improving communities

through the effective action and

leadership of trained volunteers.

Its purpose is exclusively

education and charitable.

League Lines League Lines staff welcomes any

contributions from the members of

Junior League Huntington. Please

contact Editor-in-Chief Anna Lafferre

at anna.lafferre@gmail.com.

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From the President ·

Wow! What a great year to be a Junior League of Huntington member! I knew it would be a great year, but never could I have imagined how great. I have learned so much over the past seven years as a League member, and just as I think I have maximized that learning potential I am pleasantly surprised with a new member who comes along and challenges my knowledge or a new event that we take on and I further develop and grow. I know I am never alone in this wonderful organization of women and have never felt so inspired to be a better League member for my community and the organization. With that being said I would like to recap some of our year: We started in the summer as a board taking on the tedious and sometimes mundane tasks of reviewing our policies and procedures, bylaws and standing rules to assure our Redbook was current with our practices as a League. We were able to update these items and as a League you supported the necessary changes. The board was also responsible for the three year strategic plan update and our annual plan and felt our priority was our members, community and financial status. In September, KITK participated in the annual PATH fit fest and provided snacks and water to the children who participated in the fun run. Also, our first Touch a Truck event was held at Harris Riverfront Park. The TAT event was a huge success and we were able to bring in a $6,500.00 profit for the JLH. In October, our fall provisional class, with the leadership of the Membership chairs, redeveloped the front entrance and flower beds at the Community Center. Everyone was able to come together, organize and execute the project, and the results were amazing. In November, we were approached by the Huntington Area Food Bank (now the Facing Hunger Food Bank) to take on the task of a soup drive for the month of January. I am honored to report that we were able to collect 25,000+ cans of soup throughout the month as well as develop lasting community collaborations during that project. Most every League member was able to give in some way to that project, and it was a wonderful bonding and

learning experience. We continued in February/March with a KITK event "Fit February" and our 9th annual Character Breakfast where, even after a slow start during a horrible, snowy winter we were able to bring a $6,500.00 profit to the League. March also saw us at the Hova Hall Underwood Children's Home to visit. This is a new monthly event, and we are looking forward to strengthening our relationships in this environment. In April, the spring provisionals lead our “Whale of a Sale” that made profits that will be used to fund our KITK initiative next year. We officially welcomed a class of 10 new members at the conclusion of this project in April. We have, to date, given 400+ hours this year to various community organizations through community outreach with 161.5 hours coming from the soup drive. That is, by far, the most hours I have seen as a JLH member and the year is not over. Impressive! As you can see we have been very busy women! I would like to close by saying again how honored I am to have been your president over the last year. I know nothing that has been accomplished was done alone or even with a couple of members; it was a group effort. I am always proud of this organization and what we accomplish, but I have been exceptionally proud of the things we have done for our community and League during my presidency. I would like to encourage everyone to continue to serve Huntington and the organization as much as they can, and together I know we can continue to do great things!

Katina Haught President

@JLofHuntington

Our Year in Review

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Looking Back ·

A national Junior League initiative, Kids in the Kitchen promotes child health and wellness by

empowering children and youth to make healthy lifestyle choices, therefore preventing obesity and its

associated health risks. Our 2014 Kids in the Kitchen program brought the following five exciting

fitness events to children in the Tri-State area. Through KITK, the Junior League of Huntington is

showing kids (and their parents) that exercise can be fun for the whole family!

Fit Fest

Junior League members participated in Cabell Huntington Hospital’s Fit Fest at Ritter Park on Sunday,

September 8. Over 100 children participated in

the 25- or 50-yard dashes or the half-mile or

mile runs. We were there to cheer on the kids as

they competed, and we passed out water and

fruit as participants crossed the finish line. We

also set up an informational table where kids

and their families could pick up information

about the League and the Kids in the Kitchen

program, healthy recipes, and ideas for outdoor

games and fitness activities.

Touch-a-Truck

Kids in the Kitchen participated in the League’s

Touch-a-Truck event on September 28. We set

up an information booth to promote a healthier

and active lifestyle for our community. League

members greeted event attendees, discussed

our efforts to fight childhood obesity, and

provided flyers and other resources to help

families live, eat, and play healthy.

Healthy Trick or Treat

Kids in the Kitchen teamed up with the Huntington City Mission to host a Healthy Trick or Treat. The

League handed out treat bags full of healthy snacks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, face wash, and

candy. We also gave the kids flashlights to scare away Halloween ghosts and other things that go

“bump” in the night! With the League’s support, we shared our vision of a healthy lifestyle with the

families staying at the City Mission and provided essential toiletries and treats to more than 30

children.

We also donated pumpkins and craft supplies to the Ronald McDonald House to be used for Halloween-

themed family crafts and provided activities and fruit to Pea Ridge United Methodist Preschool for

healthy Halloween snacks.

Kids in the Kitchen

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· Looking Back

Martha Elementary Fit February

The 4th grade class at Martha Elementary participated

in a “Fit February 30-Day Health Challenge” in honor

of healthy heart month. At the February 4th kick-off

event, we taught students about healthy eating and

portion control and showed them some fun activities

they can do at home.

Students tracked their activities and meals throughout

the month in journals, which were signed by parents

to ensure the whole family’s participation. Their

teacher, Mrs. Morton, led an exercise each day to get

students moving and elevate their heart rates. The 25

students in Mrs. Morton’s class each went home with

an informational packet, a jump rope, and a set of

measuring cups.

We hosted a Wrap-Up Party on March 5 to review the

results and celebrate the month-long health challenge.

The results indicated that nearly every student

participated in the challenge, and most were able to

get their whole family involved! Batman from Heroes

4 Higher started the party with a “What Up Warm Up”

and Dr. Gunnlaugsson, a cardiologist with Hauntington

Internal Medicine Group, presented a heart

demonstration and a “U R What You Eat” program. We

ended the party with a healthy snack of fruit and

yogurt parfaits.

Kenova Elementary Event

KITK held its final event of the year at Kenova

Elementary, April 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There were

around 45 kids there ages Pre-K to 5th Grade. We split

our time between a cooking a health recipe (chicken

tacos) and fun physical activities to get the kids up

and moving while also being educational Our focus

was on summer healthy habits. Parents were invited to

attend, and we also asked each child and parent to

commit to focus on healthy eating, potion control and

doing at least 15 minutes of movement every day as a

family. Every child was sent home with a “Go, Slow and

Whoa” eating guide, measuring cups, jump ropes,

bubbles, glow sticks and balls to help them see being

active can be fun!

Welcome

New Members!

The Junior League of

Huntington

welcomed 10 new

members from the

spring class: Lauren

McAlister, Lauren

Hutchins McCartney,

Elizabeth Duncan,

Anna Price, Morgan

Hess, Hillary Smith,

Carly Hackman,

Cara Cheung, Ashley

Hymel and

Jennifer Lynch.

Between the Fall

2013 and Spring

2014 new member

classes, the Junior

League of

Huntington

welcomed 24 new

members this year!

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Looking Back ·

The Junior League of Huntington

organized a Soup Drive to benefit the

Huntington Area Foodbank this past January.

January is National Soup Month, and soup is

the second most requested item from the

foodbank. All the soup collected was

distributed by the foodbank to local agencies

that feed more than 113,000 hungry neighbors

in our region.

The event kicked off with Heroes 4

Higher at the Barboursville Walmart the first

Saturday of the month. Junior League

volunteers handed out flyers and suckers to

Walmart shoppers. Everyone had the

opportunity to meet Batman and his crew and

“Be a Souper Hero and donate soup!”

Throughout the month, donations were

collected at the South Point, Huntingon and

Barboursville Walmarts and the Barboursville,

Huntington and Ceredo FoodFairs. Junior League

volunteers and the Huntington Prep basketball

team were at local area grocery stores to

promote the drive and collect donations.

Children got involved at Martha

Elementary, Pea Ridge United Methodist

Preschool, Fifth Avenue Baptist Preschool,

Southside Elementary and St. Joe Elementary

where they dressed up as their favorite super

hero and collected cans for the hungry.

Employees at local business like H&R

Block, Jenkins Fenstermaker, Alcon, United Bank,

Huddleston Bolen, Playmates Childcare Centers,

Ramsey Insurance Ageny, Huntington Museum

of Art, Serendipity Cupcakes, St. Mary’s Hospital,

Bulldog Creative Services, Cabell County

Courthouse, HIT Center and Cabell County

Library also generously collected donations.

A fundraiser was held at the Bob Evans in

Kinetic Park in Huntington where a percentage of

their sales was donated to the Soup Drive when

diners presented a flyer at checkout. The

Foodbank is able to provide eight meals for

every dollar donated so every dollar goes a long

way towards feeding the hungry.

The Junior League manned a booth at the

Huntington Invitational where the Soup Drive

was promoted and cans were collected.

Huntington Prep also collected cans of soup

during their basketball games.

Our Facebook page, “Be a Huntington

SOUP-er Hero” received nearly 500 likes, and

public service announcements went out on the

radio.

At the beginning of the month our goal

was 10,000 cans of soup. Every single Junior

League member supported this initiative.

Members donated over 160 hours to the project.

And, each seemingly small contribution of

passing along the word by discussing it in the

community or “liking” and sharing the Facebook

page collectively resulted in a tremendous

impact. When all was said and done, the

Foodbank received over 25,000 cans of soup

thanks to your generous donations and support.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK

YOU ALL! And thank you for allowing me to be

part of this rewarding experience and incredible

organization.

Jessica Copeland

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· League News and Events

Who needs Extreme Makeover when you have

the Junior League of Huntington? The Junior

League Community Center has had some recent

updates, which include two new fire

extinguishers, all new wall outlets in the board

room and the unclogging of the rear parking lot

drain. Please remember the low rental rate for

Junior League members at $17.50 per hour for

the auditorium and $10 per hour for the board

room for any spring or summertime events!

Leslie Culp, Becky Francke and Heather McKernan

Community Center Co-Chairs

The Annual Dinner will be Monday, May 12th at La

Famiglia (1327 6th Avenue, Huntington). This event is

open to all active members, active gold members

and sustainers. We will be having some light

appetizers, salad, lasagna and cannoli for

dessert. The price is $26 per person, including

tip. Water and tea will also be included with your

meal. La Famiglia sells a variety of beer and wine

that will be available for purchase. Please RSVP to

Jamie at Jamie.webster@alcon.com or 304-638-

2774 no later than Monday, May 5th. Jamie has

reserved food for 20 to 25 people, so if you do not

RSVP, there may not be enough food. Just a

reminder, if you RSVP you will be required to pay for your meal even if you are unable to

attend. Payment can be made in advance or at the event. Cash, check or credit/debit cards

are accepted. (An additional 50 cent charge will be applied for the use of credit/debit

cards.) We look forward to seeing you there!

Annual Dinner

Community Center

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September october

November February

March April

Darci Barger Cheryl Sullivan Carly Hackman

Heather McKernan Tricia Weir Ashley Corder

Leslie Culp Melissa Dawson Amanda Kent

Hall of Fame 2013-2014 Members of the Month