5th Annual Stock Your Cellar Wine Raffle

Supporting the JWC of Raleigh and Local Charitable Organizations

Do you enjoy wine? Are you looking for ways to support your local community? The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh is hosting their biggest fund raising effort of the year, the 4th Annual Stock Your Cellar Wine Raffle, Tuesday, April 18, 2017 from 6-8:30pm at Mia Francesca Trattoria at North Hills.

WHO:  The event was planned and organized by the Fund Development Committee and supported and put into action by the entire Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh membership. The goal of the fundraiser is to raise monies to donate to local charitable organizations, helping to make a positive impact in our community.

WHAT:  Wines are being collected from generous individuals and local merchants to amass a unique cellar stocking raffle prize. There will be three raffle winners. Each lot contains 25 bottles of wine, each bottle retails at a minimum of $20, valuing around $500 a lot. Tickets are $20 a piece or three for $50. A limited number of tickets are sold up until the start of this event. Ticket holders do not have to be present at the drawing event to win, but are encouraged to attend.

WHEN:  Tuesday, April 19, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:30 PM

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:  Drawings will be held at 7:30 PM. Attendees will have a chance to win door prizes through the evening. Mia Francesca is donating 15% of all food and beverages sold throughout the evening to the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh.

WHERE:  Mia Francesca is located at 411 Main at North Hills Street, Raleigh, NC 27609.

WHY:  The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh has two main goals in regards to serving our community. The first is to contribute in hands-on, personal ways through Community Service Program and Committee projects. The second goal is to collect and raise money to contribute monetary donations to meet the needs of our community.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization. All gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by the law. Money raised from the raffle will benefit the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh and local organizations we support, including SAFEchild, The Green Chair Project, and Read and Feed.

Buy Tickets:  Click Here

To see how we did last year, visit http://jwcraleigh.org/fundrasing/wine-raffle/

New Year’s Resolution and The Nutcracker

I know we’re already into 2015 but Happy New Year anyway! I’ve always felt that the start of the new year was the promise of new beginnings. Often times we make resolutions that fall to the side two weeks or more into the new year only for us to feel remorse six or eight months later when we’ve not lost that weight or saved that amount of money that we swore to ourselves would be attainable this year. A long time ago I decided that New Year’s resolutions weren’t worth the time I spent in considering them, let alone trying to maintain. That is, until recently.

I think it was around November when the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh (JWC) Arts CSP was discussing a volunteer opportunity with The Carolina Ballet that I thought to myself, “you know, this would actually be a lot of fun.” It seems that The Carolina Ballet was in need of assistance with their boutique at their performance of The Nutcracker and the JWC Arts CSP was quick to offer some friendly merchandising hands.

Now, many of us have heard the familiar Nutcracker Suite tunes that scream from our televisions while we’re feeding the kids or over the radio while sitting in the RTP traffic congestion, but have you ever really considered what it’s like to be a part of The Nutcracker?  I mean, who of us has not heard of The Nutcracker or gone to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads? When presented with the opportunity to be a part of such a holiday classic, I really just couldn’t resist in wanting to take a break from my holiday shopping rush and consume myself with some holiday nostalgia.

I spent years in college and even more years after college hearing the radio ads for this, this annual holiday production that seized my heart eons ago at the ripe old age of sixteen years. Life and things got in the way, until that November 2014 meeting caught up with my mind and stung my heart with nostalgia. The Nutcracker! I could be a part of something so blissful and warm and comforting. Yes! Add my name to the volunteer list: I will be there!

With December fast approaching, I could barely contain my excitement! What would I be doing? What was it like to work in the boutique? Would I catch a glimpse of a dancer? Would ‘Claire’ be there? Is it weird for a thirty-something to ask for a child’s autograph? Seriously, do I need an intervention? OK, please don’t answer that last question…totally rhetorical.

I arrived with my fellow Arts CSP members and we were quickly and gratefully greeted for our time at the boutique. Large and small nutcrackers, Christmas tree ornaments, and musical snow globes lay ahead of us, ready for purchase. Did you know that there are autographed dancer’s pointe shoes available for purchase? After a momentary head-shake to take it all in, I quickly got caught up on my responsibility at the booth. Complete with merchandise order form, verify the buyer’s name, hand off for fulfillment by a fellow JWC member. Got it. Let’s go!

My other JWC members and I spent time taking and fulfilling order requests between the pre-show, intermission, and post-show time points. I never thought I’d run into others so enamored by The Nutcracker as me. I was wrong.

It was fabulous to see little girls requesting “Claire shoes” and little fellas wanting the “Rat King nutcracker.” It was like a mirror image to my sixteen-year-old self, and I loved it! I loved their infatuation with the production and their energy for merchandise. They were completely caught up in the magic that is The Nutcracker! And, I felt so fortunate to be a part of their excitement and to be able to help contribute to their artistic growth. Yeah, I know, I may have only helped sell merchandise, but c’mon it as Nutcracker merchandise!

By the time the evening was over, I’d already recommitted myself to wanting more of this – more of The Nutcracker. I would be back in December 2015 and I would sell more pointe shoes and t-shirts and wooden ornaments, and yes, MORE nutcrackers! This would be the one resolution that I WILL KEEP! There are no SAT prep courses, no end of semester college finals that require my attention. True, I’m now an adult with ‘adult’ responsibilities… car payments, house payments, job functions, etc. but I’m in a better spot than in previous years. I am able to pick the things that matter to me in my life and volunteering with JWC matters to me. More specifically, volunteering with JWC and the Carolina Ballet matters a lot. The Nutcracker? Oh yeah, definitely matters!

I know we’re only a short while into 2015 and that resolutions will quickly fall to the side. But, can December hurry up and get here so that I can help an eleven-year-old decide between musical snow globes and autographed posters? And, where’s the back stock of Rat King Nutcrackers?

See you in December!

Written by Sharon Mooring

North Carolina State Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Festival

MEDIA ADVISORY

North Carolina State Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Festival

Tradition, Patriotism and Holiday Spirit

RALEIGH, North Carolina – December 8, 2014 – The annual North Carolina State Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Festival will be held on December 11, 2014 from 5:00 to 7:30 PM at the North Carolina State Capitol.

WHO:  Presented by Governor Pat McCrory and First Lady Ann McCrory, The North Carolina State Capitol Historic Site, and The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh.

WHAT:  Festivities begin with the lighting of the luminaries and musical performances on the Capitol grounds. The Governor and First Lady will light the State Christmas Tree during the traditional ceremony on the south plaza. After the ceremony, visitors are invited inside the Capitol for an open house to take in the decorations. The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh will host a holiday festival featuring music and children’s activities on the south plaza. Admission is free and open to the public.

WHEN:  Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 5:00 to 7:30 PM

WHERE:  The North Carolina State Capitol building is located at 1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.  Public parking decks and street parking are available downtown.

WHY:  The State Tree Lighting Ceremony is an annual event held in the beginning of December. Keeping in tradition with the United States National Christmas Tree and many other public Christmas trees displayed throughout our country, the North Carolina State Tree signifies holiday spirit in our state.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  Each year, the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh partners with the staff from the North Carolina State Capitol in organizing and implementing the annual North Carolina State Tree Lighting event.  Members from the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh will decorate the grounds with luminaries and serve cookies and cider to guests.

Community mascot appearances include Muddy from the Carolina Mudcats, the Chick-Fil-A Cow from Cameron Village, Talon from Wake Tech Community College, and Swoops from the Carolina Railhawks.

The NC Christmas Tree Association donates trees and wreaths for the Capitol.

About the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh

The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh is a women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others though leadership opportunities and volunteer service. Established in 1928, the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the world’s oldest nonpartisan women’s volunteer service organization. Its unique program structure enables members to reach out to a rapidly changing society through five program areas:  Arts, Conservation, Education, Home Life and International/Public Affairs. For more information, visit http://jwcraleigh.org/

Contact:
Caroline Wynne, Vice President of Public Releations
Junior Woman's Club of Raleigh
carolinebwynne@yahoo.com

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JWC of Raleigh Members Make a Difference

I love being a part of the JWC of Raleigh and you will too!

The JWC of Raleigh is proving that “Every One Matters”.  Our theme this year derives from The Starfish Story.  Each starfish on the sand represents just one community service opportunity.  Everyone matters, and collectively, our impact is beyond measure.

It is easy to be overwhelmed with the needs in the community, all the ways we want to help, and all of the opportunities to do so.  JWC of Raleigh members focus on what we can do, instead of what we cannot, the time we do have to give and every opportunity we have to say “yes”.

All of our members contribute to making a difference, whether it’s attending some or many community service activities. During the 2013-2014 Club Year, we:

v  Provided refreshments for the Arts Access Art Show at Wake Enterprises.

v  Served food and drinks at the First Friday arts exhibition at Artspace.

v  Wrapped presents and collected book donations during the holiday season at local Barnes & Noble to benefit Read and Feed.

v  Participated in the Local, District and State Arts Festivals.

v  Completed 3 Adopt a Highway clean-ups.

v  Collected plastic grocery bags to donate to Urban Ministries for use in distribution of food from their Food Pantry.

v  Collected aluminum can tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House.

v  Partnered with the city of Raleigh to clean Brookhaven Nature Park.

v  Gleaned several hundred pounds of sweet potatoes at local farms to donate to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

v  Donated monthly refreshments to Loaves and Fishes so that they could hold birthday celebrations for the kids.

v  Collected 173 Box Tops for Education to donate to Green Road Year Round Elementary.

v  Held monthly book clubs for members to encourage reading a diversity of literature.

v  Assembled literacy packs to donate to Wake County Public Schools

v  Read stories, made crafts with and served snacks to the children served by Raleigh Rescue Mission.

v  Organized books by reading level for Read and Feed.

v  Awarded the Sallie Southall Cotton and JWC of Raleigh Dobbins/Bedini-Lewis Endowed Scholarship.

v  Served meals for Meals on Wheels 7 different times.

v  Assembled Easter baskets for the residents of House of Hope.

v   Organized a club year long blood drive through the American Red Cross.

v  Delivered Supplemental Food Bags for senior citizens through Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

v  Helped clean and organize the showroom for The Green Chair Project.

v  Collected expired coupons to donate to Support Our Troops Troopons program.

v  Provided 72 gifts for the Angel Tree Program through Raleigh Rescue Mission.

v  Supported Urban Ministries through their Stone Soup lunch fundraiser which raised $40,000 to fight poverty in Wake County.

v  Hosted an International Dinner for the club to learn about Nourish International.  This meal of rice, beans and cornbread raises awareness of extreme poverty across the globe.

v  Donated $52 to UNICEF through their Trick or Treat change collection program.

v  Volunteered with The Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC to sort produce and canned goods for distribution.

v  Continued our support of the Chrysalis Women’s Club at the NC Correctional Institute for Women by conducting a service project for the Walk for the Cure.  The club donated all art supplies to the Chrysalis Club for future use.

I am so honored to be a part of the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh.  This amazing organization is made up of over 60 unique women who share one commitment, to make a positive impact in the community in which we live by volunteering, and we have fun doing it!  Sound interesting?  We’re always looking for new women who are passionate about making a difference.  If you want to learn more, email membership@jwcraleigh.org.

Written by Christy Frisbee, VP of Membership Recruitment

North Carolina State Tree Lighting

Warming up the Season

I love this time of year! I love being able to spend time with my close family and friends, and celebrate the holidays. One of my fondest memories of volunteering with the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh happened during this season two years ago. The State Tree Lighting is one of my favorite events that we help out with every year, but my first year as a member, I did not know what to expect. I enjoyed setting up luminaries to brighten the paths around the State Capitol. Giving out cookies to the onlookers was certainly a treat. What I remember most about this evening, is how chilly it was, I mean, super chilly for North Carolina in December. As we were giving out cookies and cider, a few homeless men stopped by our table. They were chilly too and wanted to warm up for the evening. They were very happy to have some cider and warm up for a bit. I know it is something small, but their faces at getting to have cider and cookies still sticks with me.

This is one of the many things I love about this organization. Even something as simple as cookies and cider makes a big impact on someone. This year, working with the Education CSP, this has become even clearer. Our work with Loaves and Fishes touches children who would otherwise not have a birthday cake. See, something so simple, means so much to others. The smiles on their faces when we drop off the cupcakes could light up all of Downtown Raleigh. In this season of giving and thanks, I urge you to remember the small things you can do that will bring a smile to the face of those around you.

Written by Janet Webb, Education CSP co-chair

P.S. I encourage you to attend the 2014 State Tree Lighting on December 11th from 5:00 – 7:30 pm at the North Carolina State Capitol. In addition to free hot cider and cookies, enjoy holiday carols, local mascots, activities for children, and more!

Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh Member Highlight #6

Becoming a member of Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh has truly been an addition to my life.  After graduating college, I had a desire to do more with my spare time than just work.  I knew I wanted to be more involved within the community; but I didn’t know specific community projects I wanted to participate in.  So I came to the conclusion that it would probably be best to become a member of an organization in the local area that was involved in a wide array of community service activities.

After searching, I found out about JWC of Raleigh.  I thought it would be a great fit for me based on the demographics of the ladies and that their service projects are focused on varying areas within the local community.  After meeting some of the JWC ladies, I knew this organization was right for me.  I instantly felt welcomed and was provided with multiple opportunities to contribute to service projects.

I have truly enjoyed my time as a JWC member so far.  JWC is not only a vehicle with which to meet new people, but also actively give back to your community; which in my opinion provides us with purpose.  I look forward to participating in activities that are new to me and building bonds with other ladies that have similar interests to myself.

-Mitchelle Carmon