Awards

2011 Active of the Year - Nancy Soprano

Our Active of the Year is a 7th year member of the Junior League. She asked to be double placed at the beginning of the year and breathed new life into her placement and committee exceeding budget expectations by several thousands of dollars. She brings new ideas and energy to everything she does in the Junior League. Her dedication says it all. 

She is also very involved with First United Methodist Pre-school and Our Lady of Prompt Succor church. As well as being a devoted wife, mother, and daughter.

2011 Sustainer of the Year - Amy Walker Searcy

This year’s sustainer of the year was nominated and selected due to her exemplary service to the Central Louisiana community, specifically in the area of women’s health (one of the Junior League of Alexandria’s focus areas). More about these accomplishments a little later.

As an active member of the Junior League, she served on many committees such as the Sustainer committee, Done in a Day, Education and Training, Nominating/Placement and Arrangements. She also served for two years on the New to You committee as both quota chair and treasurer.
 
Most recently, one of this sustainer’s greatest accomplishments was helping to bring the Susan G. Komen affiliate to Central Louisiana. After her own breast cancer diagnosis approximately 6 years ago, she understood what it would mean to cancer survivors to have such a powerful organization present in our community.

The Susan G. Komen organization is the "largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world." It is a global force in contributing to and providing quality care and treatment for patients as well as enabling research to offer new treatments and ultimately find a cure for breast cancer.  The race our honoree brought here, this Race for the Cure, is such a valuable tool for Central Louisiana to have because up to 75% of the funds raised here stay here to support education, treatment and program efforts in our community.

So of course, in bringing the Komen affiliate to Central Louisiana, this sustainer  was excited to have the opportunity to start raising money with the Race for the Cure - Immediately! At one of the first meetings, both she and the team were advised to not try to take on this daunting fundraising effort in the first year. They were informed that they needed to sit out a year because they couldn't possibly pull together the race in a few short months.  Needless to say, she did not agree. She, along with fellow co-chairs of the Race for the Cure, Lawrence Searcy (her husband), Angie Roberts (of Christus Cabrini Cancer Center) and Elizabeth Casano (of Run Wild) worked around the clock to make sure the race would be a success. They succeeded in a big way. The inaugural Race for the Cure was held last October and had over 4000 participants and raised just under $300,000. If you were there that day, you know it was an AMAZING day. On race day, this sustainer, along with her co-chairs received the Key to the City from the mayor for their efforts.

In addition to being on the NE Central LA Komen Board, this sustainer is also a member of the Christus Cabrini Foundation Board and the Central Louisiana Community Foundation Board. She is a past board member of St. James Episcopal Day School and is a member of St. James Episcopal Church. She is a mother to 3 children. She is also hard at work for this year's Race for the Cure set for September 24th.

2011 Provisional of the Year - Katie Shuflin-Febuary

Her enthusiasm for the league was apparent from the start. She had an active role in the provisional project, supporting the chairperson every step of the way.  She collected door prizes, organized Chick Fil A Spirit Night, helped set up and clean tables at the mall and helped set up the pregnancy closet itself. She recruited her husband and daughter to help as well.

She also stepped in and helped her husband and Trish redesign our new website.

She not only supports the community through The Junior League of Alexandria, she also is very involved supporting the arts in Central Louisiana.  She is an avid supporter of Red River Dance Theatre Company, Lagniappe Theater Company, and Alexandria Museum of Art just to name a few.

Those who nominated her describer her as a “team player” and “the personification of what a true Junior Leaguer should be”. We are lucky to have her as a member of our organization.
  
2011 JLA President's Awards

Amber Serio - The first President’s Award goes to a 2nd year member who has done a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes. This woman took on a co-chairing job that quickly turned into a one woman committee when her co-chair transferred leagues.  Just when you are worried about it being too much she shows up at market with her new born in hand asking how she can help. She has also taken on a new job this year in her professional life.  All the while, chairing a committee that has had $115,000 in sales this year. 
Thank you Amber for all you do.

Emily Tracy - The second President’s Award goes to a member who transferred in from another league. She has been a tremendous asset from the day she transferred in. As her committee chair said “she can be relied on to take charge and tackle any project that comes her way.” Not only did she serve as Merchant Chair for AVMM but she then took on another placement with Done in A Day. When nominating/placement conducted placement interviews, she immediately asked to be double placed next year. Congratulations to Emily Tracy.

Trish Leleux - The third President's Award goes to a 3rd year member who, as chair of one of our major fundraisers, exceeded budget expectations chairing the most profitable event to date! Her energy is unreal. All who worked on her committee loved their experience and many signed on to the same committee next year.  That’s a sign of a good leader. But that’s not all. When her placement commitment was finished she asked to take on our much needed website. She worked with Nathan and Katie Febuary to redesign jlalex.com. What an incredible avenue for the Junior League of Alexandria to celebrate our 70th anniversary. I am proud to present the final President’s Award to Trish Leleux.