Junior Women’s President Builds Community Support

Before Alyssa MacMiller became president of the Junior Women’s Club, she admits there were jobs on the board that she would have declined. ‘I wouldn’t have done the Home Tour; it seemed like a big job. At that time, I didn’t see the support this effort receives from the whole group.’ MacMiller assumed the president’s job after serving six months as vice president (the former VP moved out of town in the middle of her term), and discovered just how helpful the 80 or so active Juniors can be’most particularly the 27-member executive board. That’s right, 27 women. Although the board size may appear unwieldy, MacMiller contends the board members are women who want to participate, so why not encourage them? ‘My attitude is if they are committed, the number is irrelevant.’ MacMiller, who comes from a corporate background, marvels at the capabilities of the Junior members: ‘Their backgrounds are so fascinating.’ Women who are drawn to membership, which is an open process, offer a variety of life experiences, perhaps belying the notion that all the Juniors are young homemakers and moms. ‘We have quite a few unmarried members, double income with no children, and 30 or 40 sustainers, who pay reduced dues but do participate in some of our fundraisers, especially the Home Tour,’ MacMiller says. ‘Our main goal is to build community within community,’ she says. ‘Our success is having diversity, which means women who bring different connections and skills to the group.’ Originally from Houston, MacMiller found her way to California by attending UC San Diego, where she majored in psychology and met and married her husband Jim, at the age of 23. Permanence became an obsolete word, as the couple moved from city to city following job opportunities. Alyssa worked in public relations and marketing, while Jim’s focus was finance. In each city’Cincinnati, New York, Chicago’MacMiller affiliated with the Junior League, but when the MacMillers moved to Pacific Palisades with their children in 2005, she decided not to join the L.A. League. She didn’t have to. ‘I looked at the Chamber of Commerce directory and saw the Junior Women’s Club. I thought, what a great way to meet people and learn about the community. Moving around so much has helped me. Getting to know people is the easiest thing for me.’ In the last four years, MacMiller has served as social chairman, overseeing Junior events such as the Will Rogers Family Day and Girls Night Out, and membership co-chair. Because the organization’s philanthropy is focused entirely on Pacific Palisades, MacMiller has learned much about both the business MO and the wide range of nonprofit organizations that serve the town. Admittedly ‘a very organized person,’ MacMiller relies on the subcommittees to keep the organization’s projects moving forward. The group’s main fundraiser is the annual Home Tour, which funnels all proceeds to various nonprofit organizations and schools in the town. In May, the Juniors distributed $77,000 (including proceeds from the annual Poker Night) among 32 groups. Planning for November’s Home Tour is already under way. Typically, three houses are open for tour, accompanied by a boutique, and this year the Juniors are including a ‘green’ house and a child-friendly fun home, with play areas and kid-friendly spaces. MacMiller also aims to give a boost to the businesses in town. ‘We recognize the difficulties facing all business in this economy,’ she says. ‘So we want to highlight one business in our monthly newsletter. This is about the future, which is about today,’ she adds. ‘It won’t be the same community if we don’t support the local economy.’ The Junior Women wish to continue their collaborations with various other groups in the Palisades. They provided logistic support and volunteers under the leadership of Junior Helene Dameris for the Susan Love Walk for cancer research that took place in the Huntington Palisades in May. They also helped the Village Green committee in a recent maintenance day. And they continue to assist Meals on Wheels, delivering hot meals to infirm or elderly people. Each year they fill 90 slots in this effort. The organization also participates in the annual Pacific Palisades Americanism Parade and will drive the new Mini E Earth-friendly’car owned by Junior Suzanne Trepp and her husband, Peter. MacMiller seems to be enjoying her role as Junior president. Her days are full, but her course steady. In addition to serving on the Methodist preschool board, where her daughter, Wesley, is a student, and Palisades Elementary first-grade room mother for her daughter, Kirby, she says that she’s ‘not the type who jumps right up to raise my hand and volunteer for everything. I like to see and digest, and understand where I am and where I can help.’