The League will celebrate its commitment to service through community events and projects.

Raleigh | April 4, 2015: In honor of its 85th anniversary, the Junior League of Raleigh will host a Week of Service from April 18-25. Throughout the week, League members will participate in events, fundraisers, and community projects that directly benefit women, children and families in Wake County.

In partnership with The Pit, the League will kick off the week-long event at the 7th annual ‘Cuegrass Festival on Saturday, April 18, from noon-6 p.m. in the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh. The event features Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue and a selection of locally made beers along with local bands including Hank Sinatra, The Moore Brothers, The HillBenders, Four Founders, Billy Strings and Don Dulin, and Town Mountain. Proceeds from the event will benefit the JLR’s Backpack Buddies program that feeds elementary school students on weekends/breaks.

Also on April 18, League members will participate in the annual SAFEChild gala to benefit the child abuse prevention agency founded by JLR. The gala will be held at Marbles Kids Museum from 6-10 p.m. The event will also honor Marjorie Menestres, the agency’s first and only executive director, who retires in June.

Throughout the week, Leagues members will also volunteer for special projects hosted by partner community service organizations. Partner projects include:

• AventWest Children’s Mentoring (Health and Resource Fair)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County (Annual BGC Carnival)
• Communities in Schools of Wake County (Story Night)
• Green Chair Project (Showroom Behind-the-Scenes)
• Habitat for Humanity of Wake County (Apex Home Build)
• InterAct (Supply Drive for Youth Support Groups)
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (Grocery Bags for Seniors)
• Learning Together (Preschool Classroom Experience)
• Loaves & Fishes (Egg Drop Fun; Resource Room Makeover)
• Miracle League of the Triangle (Player Buddies)
• Passage Home (Welcome Baskets)
• Project Enlightenment (Playground Enhancement)
• Rex Blood Services (Rex Bloodmobile)
• StepUp Ministry (Children’s Program Nursery)

This year’s Week of Service is just one example of the work the Junior League of Raleigh has done to impact in the Wake County community since 1930. In its 85 years of service, the League has donated over $4.5 million in grants and special projects to more than 170 nonprofit agencies in Wake County, and provided more than one million volunteer hours. Currently, each week, more than 250 League members serve directly in the community

About the Junior League of Raleigh

The Junior League of Raleigh is the local chapter of the Association of Junior Leagues International, an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League reaches out to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in, and commitment to, volunteerism. Now in its 85th year, the Junior League of Raleigh includes nearly 1,700 women supporting community organizations around Wake County.