Lake Austin

About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Lake Austin 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 within 50 miles of the Austin City Hall area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Lake Austin aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

 National Charity League, Inc. (NCL) has empowered mothers and daughters to serve their communities since its formation in 1925 Los Angeles, CA. The National organization has since moved its headquarters to Texas. What began as “The Charity League” supporting the American Red Cross has grown into a nationwide force for good, now spanning 27 states with 318 chapters and 80,000 members strong. In 1938, the daughters of The Charity League members formed their group called the Ticktockers – named for watching the clock as they waited for their mothers to finish their charitable work. Today, this name takes on new meaning as we help young women step away from their phones and into meaningful community engagement. Our girls learn to dynamically respond to community needs while developing strong foundations in philanthropy, leadership, and culture.

Our Lake Austin Chapter members are mainly Westlake families, making a meaningful impact since 2006. Gaining our full charter by NCL, Inc. in 2008, we’ve grown into a dynamic community of 141 mothers and 172 daughters who serve 28 local philanthropy organizations and four national philanthropies. We contribute thousands of volunteer hours annually to strengthen the Austin community.

Join our vibrant mother-daughter organization, where lasting bonds are strengthened and meaningful traditions are forged. Our membership, open to mothers and their daughters in grades 7-12, offers a unique space for shared growth and creating cherished memories together. Prospective members should apply during their daughter’s 6th grade year, with our annual membership drive running from January 15th through March 1st.

We embrace our chapter motto: “Keep it simple, keep it meaningful, keep it productive, and keep it fun in a supportive environment to foster the success of our members.” Like our mascot, the pink flamingo, we stand tall in our commitment to service while maintaining grace, unity, and a touch of fun in everything we do.

In 2025, we are stronger than ever.  We will continue to build upon our legacy of mother-daughter service, leadership development, and cultural experiences that have defined our local chapter and the national organization for generations.

 

Join Our Chapter

Interested in joining our chapter? Membership opportunities are dependent on chapter openings.

Please complete the Membership Inquiry Form so we can contact you directly. If you know a current chapter member, feel free to reach out to them as well to learn about getting started.

Membership Inquiry Form

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

Join Our Chapter

 

We provide close, long-lasting ties to each other and the community. We are excited to announce that our chapter has received the Blue Rose Chapter Award and continues to win various awards year after year. We have exceeded our annual requirements and participated in #GivingTuesday through the national philanthropy program.  Way to go, NCL – Lake Austin Chapter!      

Our Chapter enjoys a lovely Mother-Daughter Tea every April at Austin Country Club. At that time, we recognize our seniors moving on to the next chapter of their lives and the members’ annual awards for service to our community The goal is to help build a sense of responsibility and service to our community, but we do this through strengthening mother-daughter bonds and, of course, have our young ladies enjoy serving together!

 

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:

  • Meals on Wheels -Meal Delivery
  • Alzheimer’s Association
  • American Heart Association
  • American Red Cross
  • Any Baby Can
  • Austin Sunshine Camps
  • Brookdale Westlake
  • Caliber Kids
  • CASA of Travis County
  • Central Texas Food Bank
  • Community First! Village
  • Disaster Response
  • Feeding America
  • Foundation Communities
  • Harvest/Woven Blessings/Baby Blessings/Blessings Delivered/Austin Blessings
  • Hungry Souls
  • Keep Austin Beautiful
  • Lake Austin Chapter of NCL
  • LifeWorks
  • Meals On Wheels Of Central Texas
  • Mobile Loaves & Fishes – Austin Ridge
  • National Day of Service
  • Nicole’s Place
  • Operation Gratitude
  • Posada Esperanza
  • Prom Rack
  • Pug Rescue of Austin
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas
  • Salvation Army Austin
  • Special Olympics Texas – Central Texas Area
  • The Kindness Campaign
  • The Settlement Home for Children
  • Trinity Center
  • Umlauf Garden
  • Westbank/Laura Bush Community Library
  • Wonders and Worries
  • Zilker Theatre

Here at NCL, Inc., Lake Austin Chapter, we take pride in serving our community by enjoying every minute we volunteer!

Community Service

Lake Austin Ticktockers in 7th-12th grades are required to volunteer a minimum of 15 hours annually.  Each grade year has a different focus according to the NCL, Inc. Core Program.

Focus areas for these years include:

  • Elderly and Children (7th)
  • The Arts and Community Involvement (8th) 
  • Families and Environment (9th) 
  • Hunger and Community Involvement (10th) 
  • Families in Crisis (11th) 
  • As Lake Austin Ticktockers enter their Senior year (12th), they may choose a favorite service area on which focus.

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: Katie Jaffe
  • President Elect: Annette Alexander
  • Secretary: Karen Steakley
  • Treasurer: Teresa Wohlers
  • Parliamentarian: Leslie Sweet
  • Vice President Communications: Amanda Bullock
  • Vice President Membership: Jennifer Withers
  • Vice President Philanthropy: Tina Pena
    Tina Pena
  • Vice President New Members: Monika Phenix
  • Vice President Ticktockers: Cari Henry
  • Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Amber Kolander

Lake Austin Ticktockers learn different leadership roles throughout their 6 years in NCL, Inc.

In the first few years the girls learn the basics of how to conduct meetings, parliamentary procedure, project and event management, communication skills and etiquette, and job responsibility, as well as focusing on positive self-image and life skills.  As the girls gain confidence and knowledge, they focus on more detailed meeting coordination emphasizing equality, social network etiquette, self-defense and safety, stress management, and goal setting. In their final years, Ticktockers plan and execute their meetings with the tools they have learned. They focus on college preparation, career choices, and independent living skills, including finance management and women’s health.

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 in the Lake Austin chapter include learning about different cultural dances and what they mean, experiencing multicultural cuisine, and visiting places of cultural interests in the Austin area.

   

Cultural Experiences are an important part of the NCL Lake Austin Experience:

  • In middle school, Lake Austin Ticktockers focus on architecture, gardens or multicultural cuisine, and fine arts. As part of these experiences, Ticktockers learn the art of etiquette, friendship, positive self-identity, manners, and valuing differences. 
  • In 9th and 10th grade the girls focus on performing arts along with how to be a gracious host, personal style, conflict resolution, conversation skills, interviewing skills and respectful dating skills.  

  • As 11th graders the Ticktockers focus specifically on the visual arts with an additional emphasis on college visit etiquette, poise and presentation, and developing core values.  

  • Finally, Lake Austin seniors are given an opportunity for a class choice as their cultural focus while they work on letters of support, poise and presentation, and senior recognition.