Desert Cities

About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Desert Cities 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 La Quinta and surrounding Desert Cities. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Desert Cities aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

 

Welcome to the Desert Cities Chapter of National Charity League, Inc.

Desert Cities chapter of National Charity League, Inc. was founded in June 2005.

We became a Charter Chapter in April 2007.  Our chapter serves La Quinta and its surrounding areas, primarily east valley Desert Cities, including Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Indio.

At the heart of our organization are mothers and daughters working together to serve our chapter’s permanent philanthropy partners. 

Please contact our Chapter President, Kathleen Doyle, at ncldesertcities@nclonline.org with any questions. 

 

Our Chapter’s Philanthropy Partners Include:  

American Cancer Society

Bianca Rae Foundation

Coachella Valley Autism Society

Desert Best Friends Closet

Desert Sands Educational Foundation

Desert Sands Unified School District

Desi Strong Foundation

La Quinta Library

Make A Wish Foundation

Meals on Wheels

The Narrow Door

National Junior Tennis League

Old Town Artisan Studio

SafeHouse of the Desert 

Tour de Palm Springs / Patriot Ride 

MCAS Military Baby Shower 

 

Desert Cities Chapter, along with other participating NCL chapters nationwide, also supports the following National Philanthropy Partners in specific activities:  

Operation Gratitude

American Heart Association 

The Kindness Campaign

Alzheimer’s Association 

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.

Membership Inquiry Form

For any questions regarding Membership, requests for transfers or assistance with connecting as a Sustainer, email us.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

The 2023 Membership Drive will begin October 1, 2022!  If you are interested in joining our chapter, please review the information below.

Prospective members need to be sponsored by a current member of the National Charity League, Inc. (NCL) Chapter they wish to join. If you know someone in NCL, talk to her about our Chapter’s boundaries and membership obligations.

Inquiries: If you do not know someone in NCL, and would like to learn more about our organization, please contact our Membership at MembershipDesertCities@nclonline.org.

 

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:

  • Alzheimer’s Association
  • American Cancer Society
  • American Heart Association
  • American Red Cross
  • Bianca Rae Foundation
  • CVSPIN – Tour de Palm Springs/Patriot Ride
  • Desert Best Friends Closet
  • Desert Sands Educational Foundation (DSEF)
  • Desert Sands Unified School District
  • Desert Triathlon
  • Desi Strong Foundation
  • Disaster Response
  • Ironman La Quinta
  • La Quinta Library
  • LifeStream
  • Make a Wish
  • Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton/Operation Homefront
  • Meal Prep – Member help
  • Meals on Wheels
  • National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
  • National Junior Tennis League
  • Old Town Artisan Studios
  • Operation Gratitude
  • Safe House
  • The Narrow Door

Each NCL, Inc. Chapter promotes social awareness by considering the local community’s needs and selecting appropriate non-profit organizations to serve.  Each Chapter then supports its philanthropic service partners through different volunteer activities.  Philanthropies supported by our Chapter include:

American Cancer Society

Bianca Rae Foundation

Coachella Valley Autism Society

Desert Best Friends Closet

Desert Sands Educational Foundation

Desert Sands Unified School District

Desi Strong Foundation

La Quinta Library

Make A Wish Foundation

Meals on Wheels

The Narrow Door

National Junior Tennis League

Old Town Artisan Studio

Tour De Palm Springs / Patriot Ride

SafeHouse of the Desert

Tour de Palm Springs

 

Philanthropy is the heart of our organization.  Mothers and daughters volunteering together help serve our chapter’s chosen philanthropy partners and projects earn philanthropy hours.

 

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: Amy Hays
  • President Elect: Darcie Cotton
  • Parliamentarian: Karen Salas
  • Vice President Communications: Angela Cabanyog
  • Vice President Membership: Jenny Johnson
  • Vice President Philanthropy: Kirsten Seebart
  • Vice President New Members: Brandi Bilhartz
    Jessica Huettner
  • Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Jasmine Garrison
    Kathleen Doyle

Desert Cities NCL Members have opportunities to engage in experiences that build essential skills, such as confidence, consensus and team building, event planning, conflict resolution, and parliamentary procedure.

Activities of our Chapter include:

Committee and Board Meetings

Patroness/Ticktocker Meetings

Event Planning and Execution

Learning Roberts Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedures

Public Speaking

 

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.

As future leaders, 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. We celebrate our history through traditions that honor the past while serving the future.  Activities of our Chapter include:

Annual Fashion Show at Senior Recognition Modeled by our Juniors. Teaching them poise, elegance, grace, in a fun atmosphere..

Outings to local McCallum Theatre to see performances.

Excursions to Oak Glen Pumpkin Patch and Riverside Inn Holiday Lights Display

Adventures to Sunnylands Gardens

Lessons in Etiquette and Table Setting

Our Leaders

Our Leaders

Board Members

 

Position

VP

Co-

President

Kathleen Doyle

n/a

President Elect

Amy Hayes

n/a

VP Membership  

Bobbi Jane Castaneda

Anisha Koyanagi

VP Ticktockers

Heather Dore Margo Steenhard

VP Philanthropy

Kirsten Seebart

Rachel Griffith

VP Patroness Engagement & Inclusion

Jasmine Garrison

 

VP Communications

Brandi Bilhartz

 Angela Cabanyog

VP Provisionals

Darcie Cotton

 Amy Hayes

Secretary

Margo Steenhard

Misty Lara 

Treasurer

Yvette Villasenor

 Rici Plastino

Parliamentarian

Briar Geraci  Ana Sobrero

VP Ways & Means

 Renee Diaz Misty Lara 

VP Hours & Awards

Alexys Pertler

 Rebekah Bojórquez

Immediate Past President

Tiffany Norton

 
     
     
     
     

Grade Level Advisors

 
     

2023

 Angela Cabanyog 

 Glenda Morden

2024

 Heather Dore

 

2025

 Marie Alhalasa

 Tiffany Norton

2026

 Marie Alhalasa

 Tiffany Norton

2027/2028

 Jenny Johnson

 

 

Liaisons

 

 Philanthropy

 

 

Tanya Irwin

 

Safehouse of the Desert 

 

Kathleen Doyle

 

Bianca Rae Foundation

 

 

 

Tammy Christensen

 

Old Town Artisan Studios

 

 

Holly Farley

 

Desert Best Friends Closet  

 

 

Desi Strong Foundation

 

 
Kathleen Doyle

 

Desert Sands Educational Foundation

 

 

 

Jessica Mendoza 

 

La Quinta Library   

 

Myra Sanchez

 

Make a Wish

 

 

Jenny Johnson 

 

Meals on Wheels 

 

 

Karen Salas

 

The Narrow Door 

 

 

Heather Dore 

 

National Junior Tennis League  

 

Renee Diaz 

 

MCAS Military Baby Shower  

 

 

Kirsten Seebart 

 

CV Spin/Tour De Palm Springs,