LANCASTER, PA (May 16, 2018) – The Junior League of Lancaster, PA, Inc. sent two of their members, Leslie Buch and Chaplin Mazzocchi, to a national training in Orlando, Florida. This training opportunity, known as the Organizational Development Institute (ODI), is one of many hosted by the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. It brings together members from all leagues to provide mission-based training in significant areas vital to the healthy functioning of a League. ODI delegates help to build organizational capacity within their league by learning about new ways to build relationships through marketing and communications, strategies for a robust fund development program, innovative ways to build strong community programs and partnerships, and best practices for developing Junior League members into effective civic leaders.

These members were trained alongside 315 delegates from 103 Leagues across the nation. Each member attended a concentrated track. Buch focused on Membership Development, while Mazzocchi focused on Communications. Both ladies had the chance to network with women from across the country as well as gain key skills for both personal and league development.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to network with other women across the country. It was exciting to hear what works in their communities and to see how we can potentially incorporate some of that here,” stated Buch. “I was amazed to see how many women are passionate about bettering their communities by volunteering their time to finding solutions to issues such as: poverty, food insecurities, girls in STEM, youth at risk, and literacy, to name a few. I’m excited to take what I’ve learned and utilize those skills as a Board member for the 2018-2019 League year.”

“The two day training on communications taught me how to tailor my posts to the social media platform for which I am using,” stated Mazzocchi. “I was given the tools to develop a cohesive social media campaign, along with tips on how to streamline our Facebook presence.”

The Junior League of Lancaster prides itself on giving back to Lancaster County by training their volunteers. These training opportunities provide members with a chance to develop their leadership skills and learn best practices they can bring back to the community. This is one of the many ways the Junior League of Lancaster invests in their members.