Janet Jendron, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

The mission of the LLL Alumnae Association is to provide an opportunity for current and former LLL Leaders and members to continue a lifelong connection with one another, extend LLL values and wisdom into all stages of life, and support the mission of La Leche League.

The LLL Alumnae Association provides a unique and irreplaceable way for older and newer Leaders and members to enrich each other in La Leche League activities, professional experiences and personal life. At La Leche League (LLL) conferences and Leader workshops, the perspectives brought by Alumnae speakers and exhibitors always add something special:

Helping mothers is a process, not one event! The experienced or seasoned Leaders and the newer, excited Leaders balance each other out.

-Naomi Hambleton

In my experience, the wisdom shared works both ways. Connecting with younger parents through local LLL potlucks and meetings has given me compassion and understanding when friends and family make parenting decisions different from my own.

The Alumnae organization is very special to me because it keeps all of us in touch with a great group of friends who share a common bond. We can all be proud of the work we did together over the years and the hundreds of thousands of babies who were breastfed because of our dedication and love.

-Judy Torgus

I enjoy going to LLL (International, Area, state) conferences because there always seems to be the understanding that even the Leader Applicants and new Leaders have valuable experiences to share. Cultivating that kind of sharing, regardless of how many years’ experience or whether your name is well known, helps build confidence and community within the organization. LLL Leaders, young and old, have helped us with our knowledge about breastfeeding and how it fits into real life.

-Melissa Clark Vickers

Alumnae events

The LLL Alumnae Association Council spent over a year planning the 2015 trip to Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Living close to Charleston gave me the chance to re-connect with active Charleston Leaders. We visited sites together; ate at potential restaurants together, discussed possible trip activities and deepened our personal friendships at the same time. When LLL members gather there seems to be an immediate connection and lovely positive energy. I love the activities of the Alumnae Association because we’re able to take time to “be.” To talk, to sit with others, to be “fully present” to each other. I believe we bring this gift to every La Leche League gathering we attend.

At the Sunday evening dinner, local active and former Leaders were able to join the Alums for a truly memorable moment in time.

The trip to Charleston was definitely a wonderful experience in every way possible! Thinking about it brings to my mind an array of lovely memories. Among my favorite events was having our last dinner with a number of the current South Carolina Leaders along with Jerry McManus, one of the ‘founders’ of LLL of South Carolina, for whom I feel special gratitude. Marian Tompson and I had the pleasure of sitting with Jerry and her daughter, Caroline, who followed in Jerry’s footsteps. I felt honored to sit with them during that special dinner along with other South Carolina Leaders. It was delightful to talk with each one of the Leaders and observe their enthusiasm for our mission.

-Mary Ann Kerwin, LLL co-Founder

I deeply appreciate how the Alumnae Association promotes reverence and respect for the wisdom of those who have “gone before us.” I believe that appreciation is becoming rare in our culture. By helping “younger Leaders” keep in touch with “older Leaders,” we create opportunities, online and in person, for open discussions about how our changing culture and world affect our ability to promote the LLLI mission. We can all learn from each other!

LLL Groups, Areas and other entities are welcome to invite Alumnae Association members to be a part of ongoing activities, planning and enrichment. The possibilities are endless and the benefits are profound!

To join:

• Online, go to lllalumnae.org/
• To  join online, use the form at the end of the Join page. Or go to “Join by Mail” on the Join page and click on PDF Membership Form.

Membership is $36 per year in the USA and $44 outside the USA. The LLL Alumnae Association is open to current and former LLL Leaders, former LLL members and interested friends of Leaders/members.

Benefits of membership

• Members receive a printed copy of the Alumnae newsletter Continuum, mailed three times a year. Past issues are available at lllalumnae.org/Publications
• Each issue contains a variety of articles—members’ personal growth and challenges, grandparenting, book reviews, local Alumnae gatherings, biennial sightseeing trips, and women’s challenges beyond the breastfeeding years. About 55% of members are active Leaders and 45% are former Leaders, former LLL members, or friends of Leaders.
• A portion of the membership fee currently goes toward the support of the LLL Breastfeeding Helpline-US, donations to the LLLI 60th Anniversary DVD, and other La Leche League projects.
• In the spring, check the website for registration details for the October 19-23, 2017 sightseeing trip to San Diego, California USA.

Online

• Join the ALLLumnae Yahoo! Online Discussion Group, available to current Alumnae members and an opportunity for members to connect with each other. To join, send a request to Sara at saradfurr@gmail.com and indicate you are a current member.
• Go to facebook.com/groups/109172860448/ to join the Facebook discussion for current and former LLL Leaders and members who wish to share stories or photos of breastfeeding in the news or one’s family, current breastfeeding research, grandchildren’s comments about breastfeeding, how to contact a local LLL Leader or LLL Group, recommend a book, share LLL memorabilia, connect with other Leaders, and more.
• Go to facebook.com/LLLAlumnaeAssociation to join over 900 people on the Alumnae Facebook page and receive daily posts, breastfeeding news, and links to current LLL journals.

“We Remember” names of deceased Leaders
“So as we live, they too shall live…for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.”

The Alums maintain a list of deceased Leaders at lllalumnae.org/We-Remember. Help us keep the list up-to-date. If you know of a Leader who passed away in a current or past year, go to lllalumnae.org/We-Remember to view names already recorded. To add a name, click the link “send us the information.” At lllalumnae.org/node/add/we-remember enter the required information: Leader’s name, state/country where she was active as a Leader, year of death, and obituary link, if available.

For more information about “We Remember,” contact Fran at dereszyn@verizon.net

Janet Jendron is a Member-at-Large with the La Leche League Alumnae Association Council. She has been a Leader for over 25 years, a former LLL of South Carolina, USA Area Coordinator of Leaders, Area Conference Supervisor, and frequent speaker at Area Conferences. She also helped coordinate LLL Alumnae Teas held at LLLI Conferences. Janet was a member of the La Leche League International Board of Directors for 11 years. Recently retired, Janet has four adult children and three grandchildren.