FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Amy Banek

Junior League of Worcester

(508) 855-4486

DELEGATES FROM JUNIOR LEAGUE OF WORCESTER ATTEND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CELEBRATING THE POWER OF WOMEN

VOLUNTEERS IN BOSTONAPRIL 18-22, 2007

85th Annual Association of Junior Leagues International Conference

Provides Forum for Women Volunteer Leaders from Four Countries; Keynote Speakers Include Ambassador Swanee Hunt and

Marian Heard, CEO of Oxen Hill Partners

Worcester, MA– April 18, 2007 – The power of women’s volunteer leadership and the ability to transform local communities through voluntarism were the themes behind the 85th Annual Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) Conference held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place from April 18-22, 2007. Delegates from the Junior League of Worcester joined more than 700 delegates from Leagues in four countries to share ideas, recognize accomplishments and develop leadership skills – all focused on the Junior League Mission of providing volunteer support to local communities.

“For more than one hundred years The Junior League has been a powerful training ground for women leaders who are committed to making their communities better, safer and healthier places to live,” said Sandi Kemmish, 2006-2008 AJLI President. “Providing training and recognizing members’ accomplishments at our Annual Conference lets us further build the integral role women play in strengthening social services, raising awareness of key issues and funding important community initiatives.”

“The Junior League of Worcester was thrilled to participate in this exciting event,” said Pam Cundall, President of the Junior League of Worcester. “We work everyday to discover new ways to improve our community ONE volunteer at a time. This conference was a way for us to learn from our peers and share our ideas, helping to improve the Junior League’s efforts in Worcester and beyond.”

Five members of the Junior League Worcester were in attendance:

─Karla Valas (Shrewsbury) - President Elect, a JLW member for three years after transferring from Boston league

─Sara Kelleher Sears (Holden) - Secretary, a JLW member for two years

─Maureen Harrington (Shrewsbury) - Scholarship Chairperson, a JLW member for 1 year

─Kathryn Edmunds (Shrewsbury) - Kids in the Kitchen Co-Chair, a JLW member for 1 year

─Shannon Hammond (Dudley) - Kids in the Kitchen Co-Chair, a JLW member for 1 year

Highlights of this year’s conference included keynote addresses by Ambassador Swanee Hunt, former U.S. Ambassador to Austria and Director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard’s KennedySchool, and Marian Heard, President and CEO of the nationally renowned Leadership Development organization, Oxen Hill Partners. In addition, AJLI presented an estimated $90,000 in awards to Junior Leagues in recognition for programs focusing on collaboration, volunteer training and community impact. Award sponsors included Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Talbots and Favorite Recipes Press (FRP); event sponsors included Electrolux ICON, Spanx, Digital Cheetah, Pria Powerbar, Lean Cuisine, Marsh, Emer’gen-C and Premium Knowledge Group.

Other highlights of the conference were workshops on topics ranging from growing leaders through service to being a civic leader to strategic fund development, as well as exhibits from numerous nonprofit organizations.

One of the most prestigious awards, the Mary Harriman Community Leadership Award,

which is named after the founder of the Junior League Movement, recognizes one Junior

League member whose ability to motivate volunteers, overcome challenges and create

positive change as an inspiration to women everywhere. Past recipients have included

the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. Supreme Court Justice; Martha Rivers Ingram, chairman of Ingram Industries, Inc.; and former Missouri State Senator BettySims. This year’s award was presented at a luncheon on April 20, underwritten by Talbots.

The annual Association of Junior Leagues International conferences provide an occasion to spotlight the widespread impact of the network of 293 Junior Leagues’ volunteer efforts and share the contributions of individual Leagues to their communities. One such example isProject Fresh Start, a program founded by the Junior League of Worcester in 1997 to assist families as they leave local community shelters. Typically this program helps families with young children who have become homeless due to domestic violence, employment loss and/or other economic hardships. For the past ten years, the Junior League of Worcester has given more than 160 families and 450 individuals a fresh start in their new homes through Project Fresh Start. The JLW provides the most basic needs, such as pillows, linens, towels, dishes, pans, silverware, cookware and additional household items as these families transition from a shelter to permanent housing.

About The Junior League of Worcester

The Junior League of Worcester 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.
JLW membership prepares you to expect the best and to do your best, wherever you go, whatever you do. You will develop skills to shape your future and become a force for positive change in the community, in ways that matter most to you. You will make lasting friendships and join an international network of women who understand that change is possible, step by step, person by person. For more information, visit our website at .

About The Association of Junior Leagues

Founded in 1901 by New Yorker Mary Harriman, The Junior Leagues are organizations of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The Association of Junior Leagues International is made up of 293 Junior Leagues in four countries. Together, we are one of the largest international volunteer organizations for women interested in making a positive impact in their communities. For more information, visit our website .

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