Beyond the League: Alison Peeler

Welcome to “Beyond the League.” In this series, we will meet Active and Sustaining members of The Junior League of Midland, Inc. We will learn how they are making contributions to the community, their workplace, and beyond – celebrating how the skills they gained in the League make an impact beyond the League.

Today, we visit Alison Peeler, Sustaining Member of The Junior League of Midland, Inc. and President of the Board for the I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch Nature Study Center.

Tell us about the organization where you lead or serve.

I am serving my third year on the board of the I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch NatureStudy Center and my second year as board president. Our organization's mission is: To ensure conservation, restoration, education, research and outdoor enjoyment of Midland's urban playa for present and future generations.

What's your role?

As board president I have been working to build upon the founding organizational structure of this new non-profit established in 2008 with the preserve opening to the public in 2013.  I am following in the footsteps of our visionary founder and JLM Sustainer Elaine Magruder. WOW - what an opportunity it has been to learn from Elaine!

How has your JLM experience helped you lead and serve this organization?

Membership in the JLM has prepared me to serve my community in so many ways - from organizing committee notebooks and running committees to organizational leadership!  The friendships I have made are lifelong and continue to inspire me in my community work.

How can others get involved? 

The I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch Nature Study can always use volunteers! Our school programs need docents and our committees (events, marketing, development, finance, land management) need members. We love to host groups for tours and we love to have groups come out to help pick up trash.  We can find a place for you.

What else would you like to share? 

The I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch Nature Study is truly a Midland treasure!!  If you have not been out to visit the preserve - grab your friends and GO! Go to our website and follow us on Facebook!

Announcing The Royal Chef!

We are pleased to announce that the 2016 Ladies' Luncheon speaker is Darren McGrady, The Royal Chef. 

Darren was personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales and Princes William and Harry for fifteen years and has cooked for Presidents Ford, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. He is now a chef, author, culinary consultant, event planner and public speaker living in Dallas, Texas. His first cookbook titled ‘Eating Royally: Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen’ is now in its sixth print, with all advance and royalties donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. 

Ladies’ Luncheon is a great time to get away with your friends for an enjoyable lunch and an afternoon of shopping.  A delicious lunch, cocktails, and dessert will be provided.  The lunch will be held at the Horseshoe Pavilion on Friday, February 12^th from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. 

Shotguns and Stilettos is a multi-day celebration of shopping, shooting and socializing.  The two weekends of fun include the Spring Fling Shopping Market, Girls’ Night out Preview Party, Ladies’ Luncheon, Children’s Event, Clay Shoot and the Buckshot Bash.  Remember, this event is the only major fundraiser for The Junior League of Midland, Inc.

President's Blog

It is hard to believe summer is over and we are a quarter of the way thru the 2015-2016 year. My thanks to everyone for all their hard work this summer.

Meghan Paredes, Katie Fitch and the PR committee are working hard on increasing our social media presence. Please check out our Facebook page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.  Thanks to Michelle Dinger and Laura Nodolf for the wonderful base they prepared. We look forward to building on this foundation.

Rebecca Patterson, Candice Kendrick and their Volunteers in Midland committee have made available a number of volunteer opportunities. Remember all Active members must complete four VIM hours before April 1, 2016. Watch your email for information on availability of VIM opportunities.  Some of our members have already completed their hours. If you have any questions please contact either Rebecca or Candice.

Journey Summer Camp is our first Placement for the 2015-2016 year. Natalie Cargile and her committee worked hard to make this an inspiring and impactful week for the campers. Thanks to Elizabeth Hartman for doing extra duty by being a part of this week. Their camp was July 27-31, 2015. Check out Facebook and Twitter for shout outs to these ladies.      

Face the Race Co-Chairman, Crystal Burchfield and Heather Martin, and their committee are preparing for the sessions at Abell, Alamo, Goddard and San Jacinto Junior High Schools. The race will be at Grande Stadium on Saturday, November 7^th. Get your running gear ready or come and cheer all the runners.

Kate Wolbert and Alicia Van Husen are working hard updating our website. Please let them know any of your web needs or if you need access to your profile page.

The Shotguns and Stilettos committee have met with PR, Elizabeth Hartman, and myself to discuss PR needs and plans for our fundraiser. They are so excited about their plans for this fundraiser!  Watch for the announcement of the Ladies’ Luncheon speaker and band reveal.  Their plans for the other events are exciting also.

Provisional class of 2015-2016, your experience and education this year with our League will help you understand how our League functions and learn what we accomplish in our community. I am excited to watch your personal growth and knowledge you will gain this year.

These are just a few of the committees working on their placements for the 2015-2016 year. You will have a chance in future articles to learn of all the wonderful plans they have developed and executed.

I am so proud of all of the ladies in our League. They are innovative, excited and dedicated to making our League better and to build a better Midland. They educate themselves and willingly educate others.

Journey with us as we fulfill the 2015-2016 theme “Education is the Key to the Future”. 

 - Leslie "Leaf" Faller

The Junior League of Midland, Inc.
President 2015-2016

The “KEYS” to Scholarship Clearinghouse

Scholarship Clearinghouse is a program which assists college-bound students in finding and applying for college scholarships. JLM maintains a comprehensive and easy to use database of scholarships to assist students living in West Texas. 

In keeping with this year’s Junior League of Midland theme, “Education is the Key to the Future,” we asked our Scholarship Clearinghouse Committee Chair, Meredith Dubose, along with Scholarship Clearinghouse Mentor, Courtney Beloin, to tell us about the “KEYS” to this placement.

K - What KIND of placement is this?

This community placement is important because it extends our theme, “Education is the Key to the Future,” into the secondary level.  We are helping high school seniors navigate through the scholarship application process.  They are faced with so many tough decisions during their senior year.  We are able to help lighten the load for students (and parents, too) by helping them locate and apply for local and national scholarships. – Meredith Dubose

We are filling a gap for these students, as their parents and schools are not always equipped with the information that we are able to provide. – Courtney Beloin

E -  What is the most EXCITING part of this placement, for you?

I’m excited to provide students with help that could be the difference in whether or not they are able to attend college. When I was applying to college, I was largely on my own throughout the application and scholarship-finding process, and I am glad to be able to provide some guidance to other students who may not know where to begin. – Courtney Beloin

Our placement is just beginning—we have so MANY exciting moments to enjoy!  However, the most exciting part right now is finding ways to serve Midland’s students through partnering with MISD.  We were fortunate enough to meet with MISD’s Attorney, Leah Robertson, and the Director of Counselors, Ron Moss.  We plan on a representative from our committee attending the College Connection Meeting that will be attended by all MISD high school counselors.  Our hope is to make a bigger impact in the community through this collaboration.

We are also enjoying meeting our program participants through our season of registration.  Committee members attended Midland Lee’s Rebel Muster and Midland High’s Dawg Days in August.  We will be participating in the Midland College Forum Night later in October. – Meredith Dubose

Y - How will/did YOU grow through this placement?

     I was fortunate enough to serve on this committee last year, too.  During my placement as a mentor, I gained a new appreciation for the support system that my family provided during my own college application process. (Ten years ago. Wow.  Time flies!)  I was fortunate enough to have a mom who helped, and took charge, of all of it.  Many of the students I mentored were not as fortunate.  Some were first generation graduates.  Some came from low socio-economic families.  I realized that when we were helping the student find money to help further his/her education, we were also helping the parents of our community.  Parents that wanted a bright future for their children, but needed a little guidance along the way. – Meredith Dubose

S - How does this SERVICE impact the community?

Our goal is to serve Midland through helping students and their families in our community locate and apply for local and national scholarships.  By doing so, we are truly carrying out this year’s theme, “Education is the Key to the Future.”  We are helping our young Midlanders open the door to the next phase of education and at the same time contributing to a bright future. – Meredith Dubose

This service helps our community’s high school seniors by potentially making college affordable, and furthers the League’s goal at the secondary and post-secondary levels. – Courtney Beloin

To learn more and access scholarship information, visit the Scholarship Clearinghouse website.

Train now to join us for Be-YOU-tiful 5K!

Get ready for Face the Race 2015!  

On September 14, 2015 our 8^th year of the community program presented by The Junior League of Midland, Inc. began with huge success and we are looking forward to another wonderful year.  This is our second year mentoring at all four public Midland Junior High Schools – Abell, Alamo, Goddard and San Jacinto – and we have grown in numbers again.  It was so exciting to see all the girls at the first session, some coming for their second year, ready to begin!

Over the summer, our committee met and began working on this year’s program, our Be-YOU-tiful 5K theme. The program will consist of 8 weeks of sessions with the junior high girls and their mentors.  At every session, we get together and have an ice breaker, where the girls get to know each other and their mentors even closer.  Next we have a speaker come in and discuss different topics. For the last half hour, we train for the 5K race that will be run on November 7^th.  Some of the topics we discuss range from healthy eating, relationships, hygiene and our bodies, bullying, and several others.  The girls really love getting to talk about these things in a private setting, and with women who help them feel comfortable.  It is such a great bonding experience. 

For the training part, we use an app called C25K. It is free and anyone can download it on their phones.  The first week starts out alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes, then you build up to the last week where you jog the full 30 minutes.  So it really is for all fitness levels and everyone can join in on the fun.  We encourage the girls to train more during the week, since you have the app right on your phone!  It would even be a great way for families to train and run this 5K race together.

One of the best parts for the participants, who complete the Face the Race program, is they will receive a pair of running shoes, a race T-shirt, a pair of athletic shorts and several other goodies.  A participant has completed the program if they have attended 6 of the 8 training sessions.

Face the Race is such a rewarding experience. Mentors see these girls grow so much over two months and reach a goal they have been striving for together.  They create bonds with other girls they may not have ever had the chance of meeting in a big school and create great relationships with the mentors.  The girls build confidence and learn many new things along the way. Their faces when they cross the finish line on race day are priceless!

Mark your calendars for this year’s race held at Scharbauer Sports Complex, November 7, 2015 at 9 a.m.! It is open and the community is encouraged to come.  Why not start training today, to join us!

We look forward to seeing all you Be-YOU-tiful people at the race!

Click here to register.