Westside
About Our Chapter
NCL, Inc., Westside Chapter is a group of mothers and daughters who have come together in a commitment to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences.
Members shall reside in the Los Angeles area loosely defined as the “Westside” area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Westside aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.
The Westside Chapter was founded in 2010 as a Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. organization. Mary Ruth Schreier, a third generation Ticktocker herself, formed the Westside Chapter with the idea that women need to look after one another in life and that wherever our TT’s or Patronesses may be, they can go to a local chapter for networking, business, social or philanthropic connections.
Core Values
- Empowering women with the skills and confidence to lead
- Inspiring a legacy os social awareness and compassion
- Providing depth of support in local communities
- Integrity and excellence in everything we do
Join Our Chapter
Interested in joining our chapter? Membership opportunities are dependent on chapter openings.
If you know someone in our chapter, talk to her about getting started, membership obligations and our membership drive timeline. If you do not know someone in NCL, you are invited to complete this Membership Inquiry Form.
For any questions regarding Membership, requests for transfers or assistance with connecting as a Sustainer, email us.
The membership timeline for the Westside Chapter begins January 15th and applicants should apply online. Typically, we accept applications for incoming 7th, 8th and 9th grades. We will host a prospective member meeting where you will have the opportunity to learn about our three pillars: philanthropy, leadership and cultural experiences.
Mothers and their daughters (grades 7-12) participate in a program that embraces:
Community Service
We understand and serve communities in partnership with local and national nonprofits. Each NCL, Inc. chapter promotes social awareness by considering the local community’s needs and selecting appropriate non-profit organizations to support through different volunteer activities.
We work with the following philanthropies:
- Access Books
- Alzheimer’s Association
- American Cancer Society Discovery Shop of Santa Monica
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
- Ballona Wetlands Restoration
- Disaster Response
- Heal the Bay
- Hollygrove
- Mar Vista Family Center
- Meals on Wheels
- NKLA, Best Friends Animal Society
- Operation Gratitude
- Ronald McDonald Charities
- St Joseph Center
- The Giving Spirit
- Upward Bound House
- Westside Family Health Center
The Westside Chapter supports local philanthropies through hands-on service. Each philanthropy partner serves a specific community, and it is our honor and privilege to work alongside them to deliver assistance to those in need. Mothers and daughters work together in a variety of onsite and offsite volunteer opportunities, many of which are specific to our Chapter. These opportunities include but are not limited to:
- Serving dinner to families in transitional housing
- Volunteering at summer camps for disadvantaged children
- Making Paracord bracelets for soldiers
- Delivering meals to the food insecure
- Assembling survival kits for homeless families
- Working with dogs and cats in shelters
- Cleaning up beach sites
- Supporting our partners’ local events
- Helping with environmental restoration projects
- And baking cookies!
Leadership Development
We build capable, courageous leaders through opportunities to learn, reflect and develop. Our leaders become successful in their education, career and communities by learning the necessary skills during their NCL experience.
Examples of skills developed include:
- Confidence
- Consensus building
- Team building
- Conflict resolution
- Event planning
- Parliamentary procedure
Our Chapter Board of Directors:
- President: Ariela Plata
- Secretary: Kristen Chambers
- Treasurer: Tina Kenefick
- Parliamentarian: Deborah Conrad
- Vice President Communications: Laura Gerson
- Vice President Membership: Jennifer Solum
Stefanie Huie - Vice President Philanthropy: Coleen Ghaffari
- Vice President New Members: Ainslie Sugarman
Ainslie Sugarman - Vice President Ticktockers: Shelly Detmer
- Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: K.C. Ryan-Foster
Each girl, at every grade level, holds a class position that she performs throughout a given year. Some of the unique grade specific leadership opportunities include:
- New Member Tea Chair (7th)
- Mom’s Tea Chair (8th)
- Big Sis/Lil Sis Event Chair (9th)
- College Advisor Chair (10th)
- Career Panel Chair (11th)
- Money Management Chair (12th)
Cultural Experiences
We preserve National Charity League traditions and core values, while appreciating the growth that comes from connecting with different communities and cultures. We continually strive to build stronger ties with our communities and the individuals within them. It is through this understanding that we grow and develop broader worldviews that will shape and support our lives.
- Traditions – We celebrate the richness of our history through traditions that honor the past while serving the future.
- Values – We embrace values that make us strong as an organization of mother-daughter leaders.
- Community Connections – We build connections through experiences that impact our communities.
- Etiquette – We encourage and mentor kind, respectful and gracious social conduct.
Activities of the Westside Chapter include:
- Cultural Day
- New Member Tea
- Modelette Program
- Chapter Tea and Fashion Show
- Senior Recognition
