Making a Chapter Visit

One of NAJA's goals this year is to try and connect with our chapters by asking NAJA reps to make at least one visit to a chapter in their area. We are doing this to offer more support to chapters and hopefully to make our chapters feel more connected to NAJA. I went last week and made a visit to my home chapter of Desoto County. I invited Mrs. dotty Patridge and former NAJA President Joyce McCuiston from the Crittenden Co, AR chapter to do an education hour for the Desoto County Chapter. Desoto county is a chapter that started in 2000. These ladies from AR are charter members from their chapter that started in the 1950's. They shared their experiences of serving children in poverty, their fight to get fluoride in the water in their town, and the event of attending AEC! They were wonderful and shared so much with my young chapter!

"Good Eats" in Greenville

In my new role as NAJA President, I find myself traveling to our headquarters in Greenville, MS, often. One of my favorite things about Greenville visits, is the food! From Kepler's Italian, to Sherman's, to Doe's, and most recently to the Greenville Country Club, the food is all delicious! I confess I have a fondness for all the food varieties but my favorite meal includes a filet and steak fries from Doe's. Yum!

June 18-20 Committee Meetings

On June 18-20, three different committees gathered in Greenville to begin planning the work for 2012-2013, including: Education, Public Relations, and Membership. Each committee is made up of wonderfully talented women from various chapters all over the NAJA footprint. The true work of accomplishing goals for the year begins with committee meetings as members break down the work into tasks they can complete that will benefit the JA chapters we serve.

June 16- Meeting JA Life Members who are Living Legacies

On June 16, I attended a membership brunch for the JA of Crittenden Co., Arkansas chapter. The brunch honored life and associate members, and welcomed their new provisional members. The active members hosted the event at a member's family home. I had a blast meeting a group of women who were charter members of the chapter who told me they could tell me all kinds of "stories from the Martha Wise days". They remembered wonderful trips to headquarters in Greenville and talked about attending annual education conferences in white gloves and hats! These women were were full of history and pride for their years of service to JA. What legacies they have left to their chapter, and what a gift they were to me! So thankful to have met such a great group of women.

Giving Love and Growing Legacies

Each year, the NAJA President selects a theme for their year they serve as President. I have selected the theme of "Giving Love and Growing Legacies". In Junior Auxiliary, we give love to the children we serve, and we grow legacies as our chapters serve our communities. My sweet friend and JA Desoto member, Hillary Jordan and her company Address to Impress, created an image I could use in sharing my message with others. I had the message made into gifts of notecards for all the CSCs and board members serving this year. My home chapter made the theme into bookmarks that were given as gifts to all the members attending the Awards Banquet atAEC. I am loving watching these gifts as they are shared to spread the theme I selected for the year. I have received wonderful handwritten notes on the notecards, and I have seen committee leaders share their gifts with members of their committee on gifts and on happies! It is so fun "giving love" to others!

Traveling Through Yazoo

While attending Board Training and CSC Training in Satartia, I travelled through Yazoo City. I had to take a picture of one of the old houses on Main street just to remember one of my favorite MS authors, Willie Morris, from Yazoo. This town and the houses like this one made me think of Good Ole Boy and My Dog Skip which were books written by Morris and set in Yazoo. Oh to have been alive to see an old "Model A Ford" lumber around these streets!

June 8-9 CSC Training

On June 8-9, the ladies who serve as Chapter Support Coordinators attended their training in preparation for the 2012-2012 year. They arrived in Satartia, and spent time getting to know each other as a group and learning how to assist chapters with issues and problems. This is a fantastic group of women who care deeply for our chapters and our members. I love you ladies and the job you do!

June 6-8 NAJA Board Training

NAJA Board Training was held on June 6-8 in Satartia, MS, at No Mistake Plantation. Satartia is located outside of Jackson, about 10 miles from Yazoo City. Pictured here is the 2012-2013 NAJA Board members. The training was centered around learning our NAJA legacy, learning about our chapters, and helping us come together as a team so we can better serve the 100 chapters. We had a great time bonding. And we set into place many plans and goals for the coming year. This is such a wonderful and inspiring group of ladies to work with!

Taking the Gavel

In June, we hold board and CSC training for the new year. It is a fun time meeting new friends and bonding together as a group ready to serve our chapters. This is a picture taken with Executive Director Merrill Greenlee before my first meeting at board training. She is handing me the gavel that has the names of NAJA Presidents engraved on it! No pressure at all....

Awesome Women Who Serve

Each year at AEC, the new officers are installed for the coming year. Pictured here is the awesome group of ladies serving on the 2012-2013 Executive Committee. You ladies are all so wonderful and I am so fortunate to serve NAJA along with each of you.

Making Friends and Making Appointments

Before becoming President, I served a year as First Vice President. The most important responsibility in serving as First VP is making appointments to NAJA committees for the next year. In 2008, I began serving on the National level and met new people, many who have become friends. Two friends I met early on while serving NAJA became appointments for me this year. Pictured with me at AEC is Angela Hinton and Adrian Shipman. Both are friends, and both have agreed to 3-yr committee appointments. They will continue and do great work for NAJA.

And It Begins.....

What an exiting and nerve racking night! On May 5, 2012, I was elected and officially began the year serving the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries as President. My husband Derick, was in Little Rock to support and celebrate the beginning of a year that will be difficult but rewarding! The National Association of Junior Auxiliaries is made up of over 14,000 women across eight states in the Southeast. I am very fortunate and at the same time overwhelmed with awesome responsibility in serving our 100 chapters and all our members. What a year this will be!