The League for People with Disabilities is committed to offering individuals the opportunity to gain independence, increase self-sufficiency and to improve the quality of life.

March Newsletter

The League Celebrates Women’s History Month

The following has been prepared by

The League's Cultural Diversity Committee:

Women’s History Month commemorates the many accomplishments and contributions made by women throughout history. In the United States, Women’s History Month is observed annually during the month of March.

The beginnings of Women’s History Month date back to 1978 in Sonoma, California. The Sonoma school district organized a weeklong celebration honoring women’s contributions to culture, history, and society. The idea caught on in many communities across the country, which led women’s groups to successfully lobby for national recognition. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter made the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8th as Women’s History Week.

The following year, in 1981, the U.S. Congress and President Ronald Reagan passed further resolution to establish Women’s History Week as a national celebration. It wasn’t until 1987 that the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to a month.

Women’s History Month coincides with International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th. This day has been sponsored by the United Nations since 1975.

The League's origins are rooted in the kindness, goodwill, and perseverance of women. Through the efforts of Mrs. Isabell K. Frank and the Council of Jewish Women, The League was started in a single room on E. Franklin Street in 1927 to provide services to crippled children. The League wishes you a very Happy Women's History Month as we admire the trail blazing women of our past and the phenomenal women that comprise our present staff, participants, Board Members, and volunteer committee leaders and members. Together, we are able!

Director of Medical Day Operations Latoya celebrates her female colleagues and the power that all women possess.

March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month

March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month and The League is fortunate to have been expanding upon its day program for individuals with MS since 2018. Prior to the pandemic, there was an unshakable sense of community amongst the members but through virtual sessions available on League University, the bonds and support systems have grown exponentially during such challenging times.

Learn More About MS Day Here

MS Day members gather in-person and online to suggest resources, play games, make art, offer reading suggestions, incorporate community partners and volunteers in their dynamic programming, share in a collective experience of living with MS, and much more.

Our thoughtful, relevant, and curated programming provides therapeutic, social, and recreational opportunities that help our members reach their goals and live meaningful lives while building a community where they can reach out to each other for support and share good news. Through physical exercise, stress management, recreational activities, community projects and outings, members grow together as they navigate wellness with Multiple Sclerosis.

Manager of Multiple Sclerosis Day Jessica poses a trivia question to the hybrid group of MS Day participants as they divide into teams for a classic battle of the wits.

Medical Day: Unofficial OREO Cookie Taste Testers

Not all programming is fun and games at The League; sometimes, we challenge our participants with very serious tasks that require taking risks and subsequent in-depth analysis. For the month of March, Adult Medical Day participants had to make a decision on a very critical question...

Which OREO flavor is best?

Java Chip?

Original?

Lemon?

Because Sunday, March 6th was National OREO Cookie Day, The League's Therapeutic Recreation Team presented our participants with a buffet of OREO Cookie choices to answer the ultimate question: which OREO flavor tastes the best? It was a tough call as some preferred the sweet and sugary Birthday Cake flavor and others went for the tart Lemon OREO. And don't even get us started on that Java Chip; who needs coffee when you can grab an OREO or two?! Recreation staff even added an extra element of flavor when they fried the OREO's with some fluffy batter to really treat the judges' taste buds. At the end of the day, our super serious question turned into a lot of smiles, laughs, and full bellies with spirited discourse over which OREO flavor reigns supreme.

Pictured Above: The deep fried OREO's ready to be presented to the unofficial taste testers; it's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Pictured Bottom Left: Medical Day staff and participants deliberate on which OREO flavors Nabisco needs to make more of.

Become a G.E.M. Club Member

Join The League’s G.E.M. (Give Every Month) Club to continuously provide culinary and social experiences to our brave taste-testing participants. For just $10 a month, you can provide cooking supplies for programs that unite our participants through food and the joys of eating fried Carrot Cake OREO's.

My League Story: Phil Wetzler, Committed League Volunteer

Phil Wetzler revisits the wonderful memories of taking his team to the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2007 while standing in front of The League's Malcolm Hecht Therapeutic Pool where he taught many pupils to swim and reach their fitness goals through water aerobics.

Phil Wetzler has been committed to The League since he was 8 years old. His years spent volunteering with The League are filled with an immeasurable sense of joy and pride. He was first introduced to the organization by his parents and grandparents who began a legacy of philanthropy and commitment, instilling a sense of normalcy and compassion when helping individuals with disabilities that Phil would pass along to his two sons and seven grandsons.

Phil (pictured left) thanks Herb Kasoff during the garden plaque presentation honoring Phil's and his late wife Marni's dedication to The League.

After graduating from Duke University in 1959 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and History, Phil enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where he learned many valuable life lessons. His life has always been influenced and impacted in a positive way through swimming. For eight years, Phil was the head coach for the Baltimore Special Olympics Swim Team. In 2007, was the head coach for the Special Olympics Swim Team USA at the World Games in China and again in 2011 in Greece.

Read Phil's 2007 Baltimore Sun Tribute Here

Phil’s admirable passion for helping others was a natural fit at The League’s Malcolm Hecht Therapeutic Pool where he taught swimming and water aerobics for fifteen years. Working strictly on a “volunteer” basis, Phil has helped countless men, women, and children learn to swim and improve their health at The League; he served on the Board of Directors for ten years and has built many long-term and meaningful relationships with the employees and participants that make him feel at home when he visits.

Staff, participants, and their families are extremely grateful for Phil and his late wife Marni for their unwavering support of The League. As The League prepares to celebrate its 95^th anniversary in April, Phil looks forward to remaining committed to an organization that has been an integral part of his life since he was a small boy. Phil continues to support The League when he is able and is excited to attend the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD at the end of this month.

Phil joins League Fitness Instructor Judy for a wintry photo opportunity during the 2021 Annual

Board Holiday Luncheon for Participants & Staff.

Phil (pictured left) shows his support of The League's SCALE Aphasia Program by attending the Gathering in the Garden last October.

Congratulations to Board Member Carol Dodson: Mentor of the Year

Congratulations to Carol Dodson for receiving the Baltimore Business Journal's Mentor of the Year Award for 2022! Carol serves on The League's Board of Directors, supporting The League with her invaluable volunteer leadership and philanthropic giving.

Carol Dodson is Vice President of Transmission and Substation at Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (BGE). Dodson joined BGE in 1983 and has held positions in Exelon, as well as BGE in the areas of utility oversight, engineering and project management, business transformation, distribution construction, operations and maintenance, distribution system operations, strategic customer engineering, energy sales and services, and substation support services. Carol is a graduate of Leadership Baltimore County class of 2009, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland with honors and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Baltimore. Carol lives in Baltimore County with her husband and two daughters.

"A 2019 report from the International Renewable Energy Agency found that women only make up 32% of the global industry. Despite that low number, Dodson said she’s seen the industry improve greatly during her time with BGE and its parent company, Exelon Corp., where she has worked since 1988. Her resume includes serving as BGE’s first woman field director, a role that involved overseeing a department of 350 people — all men. Today, 17 years after Dodson left that role for an executive position, women make up the majority of field directors." - Jessica Iannetta, Managing Editor, Baltimore Business Journal

Read the Full Article Here

Employee Appreciation Day

On Friday, March 4th, The League wanted to show its staff just how valuable they are with hand-delivered treats. For this Employee Appreciation Day, League staff were treated to cookies just as sweet as they are! We could not be an Employer of Choice without our all-star employees! Join us in thanking the incredible men and women that make our work possible!

Explore League Career Opportunities Here

#OMGFOOD:

Last Call for Support/Get to Know the Tasting Partners

We are excited to announce that the event has reached capacity! Thank you to those that have committed as sponsors, tables hosts, and guests! With your generous support of the event, we have been able to raise over $160,000 and counting to support The League’s important work with individuals with disabilities. We cannot wait to celebrate YOU at the Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre on Thursday, March 31st to enjoy a taste of Maryland’s cocktails and cuisine.

Learn About Our Tasting Partners Here

If you are still interested in attending and would like to be placed on the Wait List if additional tickets become available, please reach out to our Vice President of Development & Marketing, Lauren Yankolonis, via email at lyankolonis@leagueforpeople.org or 410-323-0500 x308.

Or you can show you support of The League in a multitude of other ways including:

Purchase an #OMGFOOD Fun Package (Orders received prior to Friday, March 11^th will receive delivery on the week of March 28^th. Additional orders can still be placed for delivery after the event date to enjoy whenever you are able!)
Make a donation, of any amount, to Fund-Our-Mission and support the individuals with disabilities that we serve
Bid on some exciting items from the silent auction, starting Sunday, March 27^th and continuing through the night of the event
Enjoy dinner at one or all of the restaurants donating their proceeds to The League during the week of the event
Forward this email to your friends and share our posts on social media with your networks

Click Here to Explore Other Ways to Support The League

For more information on the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD event, visit our event page here or contact Robyn Dammers, Director of Development, at rdammers@leagueforpeople.org or 410-323-0500 x383.

A Concluding Note from Our President & CEO

Dear Friends of The League,

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I count myself extremely lucky to work with such talented, compassionate, and resourceful individuals. From our staff to our participants to our volunteers, there is no shortage of inspiration, dedication, and hope.

For nearly 95 years, The League has grown through the abilities and passions of strong female leadership. For Women’s History Month especially, I wish to celebrate the phenomenal women that help us make a difference in the Baltimore community and beyond. The League was founded in 1927 by a group of Jewish women led by Isabel Kann Frank. Thanks to Ms. Frank’s passionate vision, The League has been improving the lives of children and adults for nearly a century. Also, congratulations to our very own League Board Member Carol Dodson for being honored as Baltimore Business Journal's Mentor of the Year for 2022! And a big shout-out and sincere thank you to our female employees, participants, volunteers, donors, partners, and advocates!

Finally, I am pleased to announce that the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event has reached capacity for ticket sales but there are still ways in which you can show your support. If you would like to learn more, please contact Lauren Yankolonis at lyankolonis@leagueforpeople.org or call 410-323-0500 x308. Thank you to the members of the many event committees and your outstanding efforts; I cannot wait to check out all of the amazing auction items and order from some of our restaurant partners the week of March 27^th! Until then, be well and stay healthy! Sláinte!