On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Junior League of Seattle members gathered at the Washington Athletic Club to celebrate the close of another impactful League year during our May General Membership Meeting and Celebration. The evening brought together members across all stages of JLS to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, recognize outstanding service and leadership, and look ahead to an exciting new League year.

The celebration highlighted a year defined by service, leadership, and community impact. Members contributed more than 30,000 volunteer and training hours throughout the year, creating an estimated $1.25 million in community value. A lot of the volunteer hours came from the 79 service shifts led by Done-in-a-Day.

When community needs arose, members responded quickly. Following a 50% reduction in state funding for diaper banks, JLS launched a Find the Good Day diaper drive supporting KidVantage. In just four days, members and community supporters donated $10,000 worth of diapers and formula. Later in the year, members mobilized in response to federal SNAP benefit cuts, collecting and delivering 1.47 tons of food to Northwest Harvest in just two weeks. At the request of YouthCare, volunteers also came together on short notice to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal for 50 unhoused youth.

This year also showcased the League's commitment to developing women leaders. JLS more than tripled its training opportunities, increasing from 20 trainings to 65 delivered throughout the year. The League also welcomed senior League leaders from across the country to Seattle for the POLL Conference, providing more than 2,000 hours of leadership development and training. Additionally, 67 Provisionals advanced to Active membership, continuing a tradition of preparing women to lead and serve in our community.

The League's fundraising efforts also reached new heights. Through innovative campaigns and strategic member engagement, JLS raised $15,000 on Giving Tuesday through a new Sustainer and Emeritae outreach initiative and increased Annual Campaign donations from $30,701 to $66,264—a 116% year-over-year increase. Members also launched a friendly fundraising challenge with the Junior League of Boston inspired by the Super Bowl, raising $9,000 for JLS while helping Boston raise an additional $4,000. Powered entirely through social media, the campaign generated more than 15,000 unique impressions at no cost to either League.

We welcomed our newest Active and Sustainer members and celebrated the many ways members continue to strengthen and exemplify the League’s mission and spirit of service.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients:

Mary Harriman Community Leadership Award: Sue Mecklenburg
AJLI 40 Under 40 Award: Leah Pezzetti
Honorary Member: Halinka Wodzicki
Dorothy Stimson Bullitt Community Leadership Award: Bobbie Stern
Frances Graham Award: Rebecca Wilson
Community Touchstone Award: Washington Women's Foundation

Membership Awards:

Provisional of the Year: Siena Kitch
Active of the Year: Payton Schneck
Sustainer of the Year: Kim French
Spirit of Service Award: Amy Feliciano
President’s Award: Kate Watters
Transformational Leader Award: Emerson-Jane Jones

One of the evening’s most meaningful moments was the recognition of Halinka Wodzicki as an Honorary Member of the Junior League of Seattle. For 23 years, Halinka served as the Art & Education Curator for The Junior League of Seattle’s Northwest Art Project, generously sharing her time, expertise, and passion for the arts. As Halinka recently passed away, her husband and family accepted the recognition on her behalf as a tribute to her lasting impact on the League and community.

The celebration also marked an important leadership transition as we officially passed the gavel and welcomed Rebecca Dolan as the Junior League of Seattle’s new President. We are grateful for the leadership that guided us through another successful League year and excited for the vision that will carry us forward.

As we reflect on all that has been accomplished this year, the May Celebration served as a reminder of the power of collective service, leadership, and community. Whether responding to urgent community needs, strengthening nonprofit partners, developing future women leaders, or investing in long-term community impact, JLS members demonstrated what is possible when women come together to create meaningful change.

Thank you to all who attended and helped make the evening such a meaningful celebration of the Junior League of Seattle and the incredible members who continue to make our mission possible. We look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.