The Junior Leaguers of Dallas know a good thing when they see one. That’s how they’ve grown into the largest Junior League in the country. Well, last year their luncheon celebrating 90 years of good works was such a hit and so inspirational, they decided to make it an annual deal. In fact, they gave it a name — The Milestone Luncheon celebrating the JLD.
As JLD President Aimee Griffiths said, “What we don’t do very often is stop to recognize and celebrate those achievements [of the JLD].”
Presented by Inwood National Bank, the inaugural Milestone Luncheon took place Friday, November 2, at the Hilton Anatole with a room filled with “major and minor leaguers.”
Thanks to Luncheon Chair Andrea Weber and Honorary Chair Debbie Scripps, everything went smoothly from reception through the luncheon.
What one learns at JLD gatherings is they really enjoy each other’s company. So much so, that Aimee found herself sometimes trying to being heard over the table chatter as she welcomed the group and started the program. Ah, but when you have gal pals like Darla Ripley, Bunny Cotten, Deborah Fugit, Katy Bock, Katherine Coker, Kathleen
Gibson and family/friends like Colleen and Bob Baillargeon and Sr. Margaret Ann Moser, it’s perfectly understandable.
But when the real business of the day got underway, voices started toning down a bit to hear Aimee describe the efforts of the Community Hero Deloitte, whose employees had undertaken 350 pro bono projects amounting to $50M worth of value to community groups. Deloitte’s Jean White accepted the award saying that she “hoped you all heard” her team’s accomplishments listed by Aimee in the introduction.
In the back of the room, the production team turned up the audio. But table talk still lurked in the room.
At 11:45 the program continued with honors being bestowed on 2012-2013 Sustainer President Melinda Cato Cross. At this point, the talking went silent as a video introducing Sustainer of the Year Debbie Taylor was shown. No wonder the conversations ended. After all, you had Lydia Novakov, Jennifer Sampson, Aimee and Caren Prothro describing Debbie’s inspiration and contributions.
Following the presentation, keynote speaker Jan Langbein took over and everyone was silent. Like a politician running for office or a Sunday morning preacher in the pulpit, Jan grabbed the audience and didn’t let go. No, siree. That gal is mighty powerful in front of a crowd. Her purpose was to inspire, energize and remind both “major and minor leaguers” of the mission of the JLD. She combined urgency with sincerity to a point that some of the men in the audience probably wanted to sign up as a provincial.
The only time that the audience made any noise was when Jan challenged both old-timers and provincials, “But I ask you this question today. . . when do you get to pass the torch? I know some of you major leaguers are sitting there thinking the same thing. ‘When have any of us done enough?’ You know, Caren Prothro, when do you get to quit? Debbie Taylor, when do you get to stop? . . . Lynn McBee, well done, you’re through! Thank you.” With that laughter and applause filled the room.
She went on and told them they could applaud that, “But here comes the answer — never. The answer is we never get to quit . . . not until it’s fixed, ladies. Not until it’s done.”