Never had I ever thought I could have such influence on another person

I always seemed to be one step ahead of my college friends and one step behind friends who were having babies. My friends who lived in town made friends with other young people who lived in town. My friends with babies made friends with other people with babies. I was stuck in the “in-between” with no place to meet anyone who seemed to be where I was in life.

And so when I joined JLGNF in the fall of 2013 my main goal was to find one or two friends with whom I had something in common and were in similar places as me in their lives. But in all honesty, I expected to get very little out of the experience.  Little did I know, JLGNF would offer so much more!

Everything I have done in the league has provided me with exactly what I wanted – friends. However, it has also provided me with a wonderful experience of growth and learning for myself, as well as a profound feeling of amazement knowing that I have managed to change the life of a stranger!  

Volunteering with Girls on the Run (GOTR), one of JLGNF’s community partners has been amazing. Most notably, a lesson we did about gossip seemed to reach these pre-teen girls. Having been the subject of much gossip growing up  (as well as having been quite the active gossiper) I knew the level of pain that such talk can bring to its victims. Sharing several personal experiences with the girls and working through the lesson provided by GOTR helped them see how choosing not to gossip is the right choice and really the only choice there is to make. Afterwards, one girl even told her mom that the lesson spoke so strongly to her that she felt SO guilty about all the gossiping she had ever done and would try her hardest to never gossip again! And she would encourage those around her to stop gossiping as well! The thought that something I said, an experience I shared, could potentially change the actions and life of a 10 year old girl was mind-blowing to me. Never had I ever thought I could have such influence on another person.

And so, even though I only joined JLGNF to find friends, I stay a member because JLGNF helped me realize the impact I can have on my community. Junior League helps you to see your own potential and the positive influence that you, as an individual and as a part of a group of strong women, can have on the world around you.

For more information on how to get involved, e-mail JLGNF at recruitment@jlgnf.org. 

-Rachael Bergmann, Active JLGNF Member