THIRTEENTH DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE ASTOUNDS

THIRTEENTH DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE ASTOUNDS
BY LIZ ROGGS-IVES AND MARY JO DUNN
The Junior League of Hartford (JLH)
hosted its 13 th Decorator Show House
at 64 Orchard Street in West Hartford
from April 25 to May 17. The Show
House is the JLH’s largest and longest
event-based fundraiser.
The house and grounds showcased
over 30 interior and exterior spaces.
There was something for everyone and
every budget. Many of the decorators
have participated in past Show Houses
and found themselves transforming
spaces once again, many with traditional
designs (library and dining room) or
modern takes on the old architecture
(living room and grand foyer).
Several of the bedroom spaces were transformed into modern retreats and the ladies of Blaze and Bloom showed how vintage
items could be repurposed into new things. In keeping with the age of the home, which was built in the 1930’s, the JLH provisional
class created a retro kitchen with direction from Lissa Johnson. One artist, Tina McDowell, featured art on several mediums
throughout the hallway, while Harrington’s Organic Land Care featured several portable edible gardens showing that a lot of space
to grow vegetables is not needed. Also new this year, a large furniture retailer was invited to participate in the Decorator Show
House by staging the lawn area and selling outdoor furnishings.
THE THIRTEENTH DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE AT 64 ORCHARD STREET IN WEST
HARTFORD
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
SUMMER 2015
SHOW HOUSE 2015 cont. 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3
MEET THE NEW BOARD 4
CCYW PILOT PROGRAM 5
ODI TRAINING INITIATIVES 7
JLH ANNUAL AWARDS 8
1

The Junior League of Hartford, Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2014-2015
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT ELECT
SECRETARY
TREASURER
ASST. TREASURER
Laura Hughes
Julie Krug
Molly Towne
Demetria Wright
Juno Paramadevan
COUNCIL DIRECTORS
COMMUNICATIONS Meghan Guerrera
COMMUNITY SERVICE Maura Provencher
FUND DEVELOPMENT Lindsey Meehan
MEMBERSHIP Valerie Bischof
SUSTAINERS Kate Cassen
Sally Lerman
NOMINATING/ Jen Widness
PLACEMENT
SHOW HOUSE Mary Jo Dunn
Liz Rogg-Ives
MISSION
The Junior League of Hartford is an organization
of women committed to promoting
voluntarism, developing the potential of women
and improving communities through the
effective action and leadership of trained
volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational
and charitable.
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc.
is located at:
993 Farmington Avenue, Suite 208
West Hartford, CT 06107
TELEPHONE: 860.233.4300
TELEFAX: 860.570.0823
WEB: jlhartford.org
EMAIL: info@jlhartford.org
League Lines Committee
CO-CHAIRS
Elizabeth Fierman
Karen Francis
COMMITTEE Ruth Fortune
THIRTEENTH DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE
ASTOUNDS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Thanks to the talented Public Relations team, Show House was featured in over a dozen
media outlets including television, print and social media. This, no doubt, helped to drive up
the number of visitors to the house this year. During the Show House's three week run,
nearly 4,000 people visited the home. This is a 20 percent increase over Show House 2012,
and more in line with the attendance of Show Houses of early years. Almost every morning
boasted a line of visitors waiting to tour the house. Ticket sales at the door drove up the JLH
profitability and accounted for over $88,000 in ticket sales!
After a long winter of bitter cold and continual storms, the Show House was featured amidst
three weeks of beautiful weather. The weather allowed for great attendance to the house
and the various special events which kicked off with Bare Bones and concluded with Cigars
Under the Stars. Many of the events only ended when DJ Paul called it a night. Once again,
The Big Green Pizza Truck proved to be a popular event for Show House. In all, 175 people
attended, ate 114 specialty pizzas and enjoyed local beverages. The five events of Show
House raised $15,000.
The corporate solicitations team raised nearly $20,000, and individual donors from the JLH
contributed a whopping $15,500. Boutique and Decorator Sales each raised over $10,000.
All the success of Show House would not have been possible without the membership and
community volunteers donating their time to staff over 500 shift periods. Everyone's support
and hard work led to a profit exceeding $136,000. These funds will support our ongoing work
in the community.
In closing, Show House 2015 Co-chairs Mary Jo Dunn and Liz Rogg-Ives thank everyone
that made Show House a success. Everyone's support is a testament to the desire to make
a difference in the Greater Hartford community.
BEAUTIFUL DESIGNER INSPIRED ROOMS FROM SHOW HOUSE 2015 (PHOTOS COURTESY OF
MICHAEL SHAUCK, IRIS PHOTOGRAPHY)
2

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
BY LAURA HUGHES
When I started the year as President of the Junior League of
Hartford (JLH), I said at our annual dinner in May 2014 that my
motto was “Say yes, take a chance, make some connections!”
Through this year’s journey, I hope our members can say they
made some connections with other JLH members, community
partners, or recipients of our programs. These relationships
bring us together and build community. Through this community,
we collaborate and bring the mission of the JLH forward. It
took saying “yes” to become a member and more yeses to
make those connections through the opportunities given. Women
join the JLH for a vast number of reasons and I hope that by
working with the team of Junior League women, value is
gained.
The mission of the JLH is at the forefront of all decisions made
by the JLH Board of Directors. We are dedicated to developing
the potential of women, as well as providing a safe place to
learn and try new things that add to personal growth. Members are offered opportunities to develop skills that enhance the
nonprofit sector and personal endeavors. We do not have to be experts as we take on new roles; we are encouraged to take
a chance and try something different.
Another part of the mission that I reflect upon often is the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The word
effective is defined as “successful in producing a desired or intended result.” Our actions, whether they are fundraising initiatives,
community programs, social media campaigns, monthly meeting coordination, or nonprofit business oversight, to
name a few, are effective due to the leadership of our volunteers. These volunteers are different for having been members
of the JLH. It is interesting to observe the growth of us all. We do not see it happen day by day, but we are truly different
from this journey.
Through the journey this year, we have completed yet another JLH Show House. The 13 th JLH Show House at 64 Orchard
Road was a beauty. It is always bittersweet for our Show Houses to end. So much hard work goes into preparation with a
real push at the opening. So many great relationships are made and funds are raised with the main purpose of supporting
our programs and projects. Show House 2015 might be my favorite so far. The house was so beautiful and well received.
This year’s Show House Council really made things easy for the President.
It is inspiring to observe the dedication and commitment of JLH members. Our women do what they say they will do and
often JLH members act before a need is noticed. The councils should feel proud of their accomplishments. We have had a
very productive year. In the coming months, watch for our annual report for a full description of the JLH 2014/2015 year.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
As I end my tenure as President, I thank everyone for the connections I have made and am thankful I said "yes," and took a
chance. I am grateful for the growth opportunities the JLH afforded me. I look forward to the coming years, supporting the
JLH through the wonderful things that all of you create and execute.
Warmest Regards,
Laura D. Hughes
JLH Past President
2014/2015
MEET THE 2015-2016 JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARTFORD BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The Junior League of Hartford would like to introduce the new Board of Directors:
President – Julie Krug
President-Elect – Valerie Bischof
Secretary – Molly Towne
Treasurer – Juno Paramadevan
Assistant Treasurer – Amy Blackwood
Community Service Director – Sarah Needham
Membership Director – Whitney Sweeney
Fund Development Director – Tiffany Spinella
Nominating and Placement Director – Emily Shea
Sustainers Directors – Kate Cassen and Denise Callan
Communications Director – Meghan Guerrera
THE 2015-2016 JLH BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
FIRST ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): MOLLY TOWNE,
VALERIE BISCHOF, JULIE KRUG AND JUNO
PARAMADEVAN; SECOND ROW: TIFFANY
SPINELLA, WHITNEY SWEENEY AND KATE
CASSEN; THIRD ROW: MEGHAN GUERRERA,
SARAH NEEDHAM, EMILY SHEA AND AMY
BLACKWOOD; NOT PICTURED: DENISE
CALLAN (PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEYNEY
BARRIEAU PHOTOGRAPHY)
4

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARTFORD AND JUNIOR ACHIEVE-
MENT COMPLETE PILOT PROGRAM FOR YOUNG WOMEN
BY JOCELYN HAWKINS
To inspire young women to focus on career planning, financial independence and improving academic performance, the
Junior League of Hartford (JLH), in partnership with Junior Achievement of Southwest New England (JA), developed a new
program: Career Connections for Young Women (CCYW). The program targets Hartford-area high school women from both
urban and suburban communities to teach them about career options, as well as critical skills needed to succeed in the
workplace and in school.
In February 2015, the JLH and JA launched the pilot Program for Career Connections For Young Women. Fifteen high
school women from seven different high schools participated in the program. They attended seven weekly sessions facilitated
by members of the Junior League of Hartford and other professionals. The sessions covered topics such as soft skills,
conflict management and resume writing.
JLH MEMBERS INTERACT WITH STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOLS DURING THE PILOT CAREER CON-
NECTIONS FOR YOUNG WOMEN PROGRAM. THE MEETINGS WERE HELD IN THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT EDUCATION CENTER
IN HARTFORD.
To enhance their learning experience, the students created their own resume, participated in mock interviews and had the
opportunity to interact with panels of female professionals from the JLH and other organizations. An exciting addition to the
upcoming CCYW program is job shadowing at various sites in the Hartford area. The young women will also have the opportunity
to be a part of a group project that focuses on a chosen career cluster.
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5

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARTFORD AND JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
COMPLETE PILOT PROGRAM FOR YOUNG WOMEN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
Here is what the young women had to say about their experience in CCYW:
TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CAREER CONNECTIONS FOR YOUNG WOMEN PROGRAM.
6

NEW TRAINING INITIATIVES FROM THE ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
BY SARAH NEEDHAM, WHITNEY SWEENEY AND MOLLY TOWNE
The Organizational Development Institute (ODI) is an annual training conference that is designed to help Junior League
members develop their potential as League leaders through various workshops, plenaries and networking modules. This
year, Sarah Needham, Whitney Sweeney and Molly Towne attended the meeting in February in Grapevine, Texas. The
members attended different focus groups based on their current and future roles within the Junior League of Hartford (JLH).
Molly and Whitney attended Membership Development: Creating Tomorrow’s Community Leaders, and Sarah attended
Achieving Community Impact: Creating Lasting Changes for Healthier Communities.
The Achieving Community Impact segment of the ODI training, presented by Vicki Clark, was an interactive presentation
that focused on how to best engage league members to achieve a high-level of member satisfaction and community impact.
Emphasis was placed on the importance of understanding what drives our members and how to utilize this knowledge to
ensure successful endeavors. Vicki also stressed that developing the potential of league members must stay at the forefront
during each phase of our community-based projects. The critical principles of research, policy development, issue identification
and selection, as well as collaboration with our local community and program development, were also explored.
The Membership Development Breakout group centered on creating tomorrow’s community leaders and was presented by
sustainer Naomi Chaves Peters of the Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula. This group focused on how to create a
lifetime member by trying to adjust the culture of our League. In order to do this, AJLI suggests that each League focus on
being a learning organization. We also focused on how to increase membership retention by better incorporating advisors
and mentors into our organization.
In addition to the formal programming, the weekend afforded the delegates an opportunity to meet and brainstorm with
members from other Junior Leagues across the country
to compare notes on successful initiatives. These ODI seminars
are a critical tool for keeping the JLH practices current,
as well as strengthening our relationships with other Leagues
across the country. Thanks to the opportunity to attend events
like ODI, the JLH continues to operate efficiently and effectively,
thus maximizing its positive impact on the Greater Hartford
community.
JLH MEMBERS SARAH NEEDHAM, WHITNEY SWEENEY
AND MOLLY TOWNE ATTEND ODI TRAINING IN TEXAS
7

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARTFORD PRESENTS ANNUAL AWARDS
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – KATIE S. MARTIN
The purpose of the President’s Award is to recognize individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution
to the philosophies and programs of the Junior League of Hartford (JLH). Dr. Katie S. Martin, assistant professor of
Nutrition and Public Health at St Joseph’s University, meets that criterion. We are honored to name her as the 2015 JLH
President’s Award recipient.
Katie’s tenure with the JLH goes back to 2008 when she approached us to assist with Freshplace, our then fledgling collaboration
with Chrysalis Center and Foodshare. Katie was a huge asset right from the start. She helped to define and refine
the JLH’s processes and research methodologies by lending her expertise. She has a deep background working with food
pantries, End Hunger CT and with national research on hunger and poverty. She brought to
Freshplace both a “real world” perspective, as well as an eye to strategically develop our operations
to support our goals. She also identified, wrote and was awarded grants needed to
fund her involvement and that of her graduate student research team. She has published
several articles on her work with Freshplace, and the replication manual for Freshplace that
we now have available to interested food pantries and agencies would not have been written
as it is today without Katie.
JLH members recall Katie saying that she was destined to do Freshplace and that it brought
together all the elements of her life’s work. They have stated that Katie was the missing link,
which was needed to give validity to Freshplace.
ACTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD – PIPER MCPHERSON
The JLH Active of the Year for 2015 is a transfer to our league. She transferred
last February at which time she joined the provisional classes. She became a
JLH active in the Spring of 2014. This year, she has exceeded all requirements
made of our members. She attended all membership meetings this year, has
participated in community volunteering and training, and has held two active
placements, Show House Boutique Committee and Membership Meetings Committee.
This award winner exemplifies a great Junior League member. Congratulations
to Piper McPherson on being named the Junior League of Hartford's
Active of the Year.
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8

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARTFORD PRESENTS ANNUAL AWARDS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
SPECIAL RECOGNITION – EDITH WHITMAN
It is only fitting to recognize a special lady as the JLH celebrates the completion of the 13 th Junior League of Hartford Show
House. Designer Edith Whitman of Edith Whitman Interiors has been
involved in all 13 JLH Show Houses. This legacy began in 1979. We are
pleased to recognize Edie and thank her for her continued commitment
to beautiful things, for her years of dedication to the Junior League of
Hartford Show Houses and to us, the Junior League of Hartford.
SUSTAINER OF THE YEAR – NANCY ZWIENER
Nancy Zwiener was awarded the 2015 Sustainer of the Year Award. This loyal sustaining member joined the Junior League
of Evanston-North Shore Chicago in 1990. In 1994, she transferred to the Junior League of Saint Louis, and we were lucky
enough to have her transfer to the Junior League of Hartford in 1995. During her time as an active member in various
Leagues, she participated on the Nominating Committee, Membership Council, Training Committee, Transfer Committee
and the Tea Room.
A graduate of Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Business, she worked at the Ford Motor
Company and Mellon Bank before starting her own business. She did it all while raising four children and remaining active in
the League and various other community organizations including Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Connecticut
Forum, Garden Club of Hartford, Hill– Stead Museum, Renbrook School, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art,
Achievement First Hartford Academy Charter School and The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts.
She has been very supportive of the League in her years as a sustainer, but most instrumentally in her generous support of
our Show Houses, both personally and through her business, Design Source Connecticut. Filling a house with happy designers
who are hard at work crafting beautiful rooms in a very short period of time can be an overwhelming task. Nancy
has always worked with us to share her contact lists, promote the Show House to those in the business and be a source for
the wide and varied needs of the designers. Her support and generosity have played a valuable part in the success of our
Show House fundraisers. For all her ongoing support of the JLH, we are very pleased to be able to award her Sustainer of
the Year.
9

NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
PAID
WATERBURY, CT
PERMIT NO. 1522
Junior League of Hartford
993 Farmington Avenue, Suite 208
West Hartford, CT 06107
Since 1921, the Junior League has been making the Greater Hartford community a better place to live by promoting
voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving our community through the effective action and
leadership of trained volunteers. We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization whose purpose is exclusively educational
and charitable. The Junior League of Hartford is a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International
(AJLI).
OUR MISSION
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. is an
organization of women committed to
promoting voluntarism, developing the
potential of women, and improving communities
through the effective action and
leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose
is exclusively educational and
charitable.
MAKE A DONATION: JLH ANNUAL FUND
Thank you for making our work possible.
Your support is critical to our continued success, and we invite you
to join us with a gift to our Annual Fund. Donations to the Annual
Fund provide unrestricted funds to the Junior League of Hartford,
Inc., which enhances our ability to provide quality community services
projects and trained volunteers who serve the needs of the
Greater Hartford community.
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the
law.
Please donate online or by sending a check, made payable to the
Junior League of Hartford, Inc. to 993 Farmington Avenue, West
Hartford, CT 06107, with the notation "Annual Fund Donation."
If you have questions about donations to the Junior League of Hartford,
please contact us at info@jlhartford.org.