A Message from the 2022-2023 Sustainer Board Chair of the Junior League of Lancaster Katie Keister

Unrest and innovation. Turbulence and stillness. Endings and beginnings. The world of 1923 held all of these in the same space. A failed coup in Germany; the first use of insulin to treat diabetes in Canada. The Great Kanto Earthquake rocks Japan; a civil war ends in Ireland. President Harding suffers a fatal heart attack; Roy and Walt Disney start a cartoon company. As with much of the world’s shared history, grief and joy did coexist in 1923. But, as is often the case, the light that shines through the cracks is always brightest.

Fifty-five women, led by Laura Watt in a room at the YMCA, were determined to be this light. On November 13, 1923, the Junior League of Lancaster was born. And for one hundred years, a myriad of countless projects; lasting memories; and forever friendships have continued to shine. Each of your lights has a place in the history of this League. As we head into our special anniversary, and all of the celebrations that will follow, I want to thank every Sustainer—those present on Earth and those continuing to shine from stars in the sky—for the dedication and service to the Junior League of Lancaster. The year of 1923 was the beginning; in 2023, let us continue the good work, and reserve hope in an often-unsettled world, shining light through the cracks.

Yours in Service,

Katie Keister, 2022-2023 Sustainer Board Chair of the Junior League of Lancaster