A Collaboration for Community
By Tanya Stuart Overdorf
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Due to increasing demands placed on women in business and community in the last 10 years, volunteerism for women’s civic, social and service organizations has changed significantly, taking on a different complexion and requiring these groups [and the organizations they serve] to rapidly adapt to our ever-changing environment as well as the needs of their members. In January 2000, leadership within the Junior League of Indianapolis, who at the time had a membership topping 1,400, recognized an underlying urgency to address these issues. As a result, the Presidents Roundtable was founded to be a “collective” of organization Presidents, their elects, and past Presidents, to strengthen each group and the organizations they serve.
The inaugural meeting, with rep- resentatives from 10 member organizations, provided an empowering opportunity for these women to better serve their community by sharing information, building relationships, and participating together in projects to improve the quality of the lives of women and children in Central Indiana.
The Presidents Roundtable (PRT) today consists of 20 member organizations, representing nearly 6,000 women volunteers and more than $3 million raised annually for nonprofit organizations, in Central Indiana and has been honored with the Association of Junior Leagues’ International Award for collaboration. And while PRT maintains its original mission–it has also included cutting-edge training to enhance the leadership skills of its members, allowing them to better-serve their organizations and the community.
Additional activities that PRT has participated in includes their role as host for the Indianapolis Saks Fifth Avenue grand opening [generating national record attendance]; serving annually on the Mayor’s Community Service Awards committee; meeting with elected officials; and serving on the Governor’s Residence Steering Committee.
What does this all mean to you? Presidents Roundtable is excited to begin a new editorial partnership with Indianapolis ORG Magazine, presenting The Roundtable, in every bi-monthly issue beginning in February 2010. We are thankful for this opportunity because it provides PRT with the perfect vehicle to further strengthen our impact on the Central Indiana community of nonprofit organizations and volunteers, many of which are YOU.
In upcoming issues, you will read about roundtable discussions with some of our members surrounding a wide variety of topics that are impacting our communities today. These discussions are intended to provoke readers, like you, to share information or insight on a particular topic; exchange ideas with our members; or perhaps cultivate a relationship that could result in a community collaboration.
Regardless of your reason for reading The Roundtable, it is our sincere hope that the mission of PRT along with Indianapolis ORG Magazine’s mission to collaborate, educate, and inspire will allow you to better serve your community.
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Tanya Stuart Overdorf is the current Chair for Presidents Roundtable and past president of the Junior League of Indianapolis. Currently Overdorf is Board Chair for the Indianapolis Art Center and serves on many other volunteer boards in Central Indiana.
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| More than a dozen executive board members gathered for their Spring 2009 meeting at Woodstock Country Club. |
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Current PRT Membership
Alliance of the Indpls. Museum of Art, Assistance League of Indpls, The Children’s Museum Guild, Inc., Christamore House Guild, Inc., Conner Prairie Alliance, Crossroads Guild Inc., Day Nursery Auxiliary, Indpls. Garden Club, Junior League of Indpls., Indpls. Chapter of Links, Inc., Methodist Hospital Task Core, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Indpls. Chapter; Noble Auxiliary; People of Vision; St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild, Inc.; Sunnyside Guild; Women’s Committee of the Indpls. Symphony Orchestra, Women’s Committee of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra-North Group, Indianapolis Mayor’s Office
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