Anniversary year: October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017
La Leche League International celebrates their 60th year with a programme of events with the theme of Building a Legacy. Leaders around the world are invited to join in the celebrations. From souvenirs to a conference, from competitions to new projects, there is something for everyone.
By breastfeeding our children we lay the foundations of a legacy for good health; the work we do as Leaders builds a legacy of breastfeeding knowledge in our communities and the families we work alongside; La Leche League as an organisation has been building a legacy for future generations; and the Founders have built La Leche League to stand as their legacy to the world.
24-hour global meeting
Helping mothers to breastfeed is the heart of our mission, so we begin our anniversary year on October 1, 2016, with a 24-hour online meeting, celebrating our international organization with a fully global version of what we do best. We will hold a Facebook meeting for mothers, rotating every hour to different Leaders around the world in their own languages. A schedule will be published soon to show who is hosting each hour, and in what language. Leaders, save this date to attend the first ever round-the-world meeting, and invite the mothers from your Groups to attend. Facebook has a translation tool, so come and meet some mothers who speak a language different to your own! Check the LLLI website and the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group for further details and go to LLLI 24 Hour Global Online Meeting (Facebook) for the schedule.
A day of education and festivities in Chicago
On Saturday, October 15, 2016, LLLI will host a special one-day event at The Westin River North in Chicago, Illinois, USA. This will be a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends, celebrate our accomplishments, and look forward to pioneering new frontiers together. The event includes:
- Speaker lineup: Professor James McKenna, Diana Cassar-Uhl, Patricia Diaz Dennis, Catherine Watson Genna, Linda J. Smith, Trevor MacDonald, Amy Shaw.
- Three educational conference sessions including a review of LLLI’s history with a panel of representatives from our six decades, a presentation on the long-term benefits of mother-infant bonding, and an update on LLLI’s worldwide breastfeeding support effort.
- Evening festivities which will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a gala dinner.
- A chance to award and thank Founders Mary Ann Kerwin and Marian Tompson, and to recognize the contributions of all seven extraordinary founding women of La Leche League International.
Booking information
There is still time to purchase your ticket for this day of education and festivities! Visit us at LLLI60.eventbrite.com for the schedule of speakers and ticket options. You can also contact us by email at events@LLLI.org or by phone at 1-877-452-5324 for more information.
60th Anniversary Video
A beautiful 30 minute video capturing LLLI’s 60-year legacy has been made and is undergoing final edits. The video will be available for use at all LLLI Conferences between 1 Oct 2016 – 30 September 2017. Further details will be available once the video editing is complete. The video will be made available for individuals to download in spring of 2017.
Online conference with international speakers, April 3-7, 2017
We look forward to an online conference celebrating the foundations of LLLI with sessions based around the ten concepts, the LLL mission statement, Series Meeting topics, and LLL Leader responsibilities. Sessions will be available live and for download. The conference will also showcase the new LLLI DVD celebrating our foundations. Further details to follow – keep an eye on the LLLI website and social media. Conference coordinator: Lydia de Raad lydiaderaad@zeelandnet.nl
Souvenirs
Milkdrop Necklace
To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of LLLI, Family Tree Glass has created an exclusive souvenir necklace. Each droplet pendant is individually hand crafted by a breastfeeding mother and glass artist, and is meant to symbolize mothers’ milk. They come strung on your choice of an adjustable length black necklace cord (18-20.5 inches/46-52 cm, $US 20), or an 18″ (46 cm $US 35) sterling silver box chain. Every necklace also comes with a sterling silver tag at the clasp, engraved with the words “LLLI 60.” This unique jewelry can be worn as is, or can be used as a “starter kit” from which you can build your 60th anniversary necklace. The glass droplet pendants are made of strong, crack-resistant glass measuring 1.25 in/3 cm long and 0.5 in/1.25 cm wide and come wrapped in a gift box. 25% of each sale of each necklace goes back to LLLI.
To Order Necklaces
Visit www.FamilyTreeGlass.com and click on the LLLI banner at the top of the home page. Additional fees for shipping will be added.
Build Your Necklace
The 60th Anniversary Committee are encouraging all Groups and Areas to design their own bead that mothers can purchase to add to their starter milk drop necklace. Groups or Areas can find a local jewelry designer or even a group of local women to design and make beads. In order to fit the starter kit necklace beads should have a hole size of approximately 5mm in order to easily slide on and off when building the necklace. The focal pendant is approximately 1.25 in/3 cm long.
If you have a bead to sell please email us at cmbwhite@gmail.com with a description of your bead, your contact information for ordering and a photograph and we will place it on our webpage so Groups and Areas can order directly from you.
Alumnae Pin
The LLL Alumnae Association has produced a 60th Anniversary pin for sale. A three mm clear stone is embedded in the Cloisonné pin. Order these lovely recognition pins for a mentor, Area Leaders or yourself at http://lllalumnae.org/content/leader-recognition-60th-anniversary-pins
Anniversary souvenirs
If LLL Areas or Groups have anniversary souvenirs to sell, the anniversary workgroup would love to hear from you. Post on the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group or drop Carolyn and Sheri an email at carolllyndb@hotmail.com or sheralyn.parpia@gmail.com
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60th Anniversary Pin
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Build Your Necklace
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Calling new Groups in 2016-2017
Can we establish 60 new Groups in our 60th anniversary year? If you are a new Group established during the calendar years 2016 or 2017, then we want to hear your story. Already we have welcomed the first Korean-speaking Group in South Korea and a rural Group in New Zealand. Where in the world next? Please enter the details of your new Group using the New Groups form on the LLLI website, save and send to alisonstanton@me.com, with a photo if possible.
Sister Groups
Are you an established Group willing to extend a hand of friendship to assist a new Group, an isolated Group or a Group needing support? With your help we can strengthen our ability to reach more mothers and babies around the world. Or are you a new Group, or an isolated Group needing support? Would you value having a sister Group at your side? Register for a Sister Group by completing the Sister Group form on the LLLI website and email alisonstanton@me.com. Together we can build a legacy of LLL Groups around the globe.
Introducing Ayu a travelling breastfeeding doll!
On October 1, 2016, Ayu and her baby Paco will begin a journey around the world, visiting LLL Groups wherever someone would like to host her! She will start by visiting the LLL New Zealand Conference on October 1. If you would like to host Ayu, please contact Ruth at ruth.brodbeck@lalecheleague.ch. You can keep up with Ayu’s travels on the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group in the Ayu album.
Photography contest
We have two photography initiatives coming up.
- We will announce the details of a photography contest soon with a planned start date in October 2016. See the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group for more information.
- We hope to collect photographs of “Leaders in Action” from all over the world. These could be pictures of LLL meetings, District meetings, outreach/events, and any images of Leaders helping mothers in general. This is not a competition, but a way of sharing our resources.. Please send your photos of Leaders in action to photos@llli.org. We ask that emailed images be no larger than 250 KB and jpeg format is preferred.
Meme contest
There were some wonderful memes submitted for the anniversary contest. Have a look at them in the Meme album on the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group. They are available for use by LLL entities, so you may freely use them to advertise the anniversary or your own events.
Recognizing unsung heroes
Who was a breastfeeding pioneer in your part of the world? Would you like to share a bit about their positive impact on breastfeeding? We are looking for unsung heroes who have left a legacy in their own special way. If you would like to nominate a hero, you can share their story on our 60th Anniversary Facebook page or email your nomination to sheralyn.parpia@gmail.com.
Tributes
The LLL Alumnae Association has a wall to recognize Leaders who have passed away, and is encouraging Leaders to send in names over the course of the year. You can find the current listing at lllalumnae.org/We-Remember. If you have a name to submit, please complete this form so we can recognize them.
Other projects
Please share any projects that your Area or Group is planning to celebrate the anniversary. Post on the LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group or drop Carolyn and Sheri an email at carolllyndb@hotmail.com or sheralyn.parpia@gmail.com
More information
LLLI website; LLLI 60th Anniversary Facebook group; Twitter hashtag #LLLI60
