About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Lake Washington 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 or attend school within the City of Mercer Island. In the event there are additional spaces available, the chapter may also consider new members from the Greater Seattle area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Lake Washington aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

THE NCL EXPERIENCE

National Charity League provides opportunities for mothers, known as Patronesses, and daughters, known as Ticktockers, to enjoy both mother-daughter and peer relationships through the NCL experience.  The purpose of the NCL experience is to inspire and empower women to succeed as confident, well-rounded, and socially-aware contributors in their communities.

NCL Inc., Lake Washington Chapter activities fulfill the NCL mission to foster mother-daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development, and cultural experiences.

• Community Service:  Our desire is to learn what philanthropic needs exist in our community and to help meet those needs whenever possible.
• Leadership:  Our intent is to enhance potential leadership skills through team building, problem-solving, mentoring, and group dynamics.
• Cultural:  Our goal is to create an environment that nurtures a positive identity by recognizing and appreciating the value of differences in each other and the world.

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

Your membership in NCL, Inc., Lake Washington Chapter and participation in our program, Program Overview and NCL Experience 6-Year-Plan, will offer opportunities to participate in community service, leadership and cultural experiences.  It is our hope that our daughters will develop a greater appreciation of the community values and ideals that our generation holds to be important and worthy of preservation.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Mercer Island is lucky to have a large number of philanthropic-minded women.  Thus, there are two NCL, Inc. Chapters on our island:  Evergreen Chapter and Lake Washington Chapter. 

Mothers and daughters of 6th-9th grades: Ready to have fun together while helping our greater Seattle area? Lake Washington National Charity League (NCL) is holding a mini-membership drive from May 1-15, 2023. The Lake Washington chapter will be accepting applications for the classes of 2029, 2028, 2027, and 2026.
Spend time with girls in your class and choose from over 30 local philanthropies and make a difference in our community! Join with your friends and make new friends, too.

Moms, meet other mothers during monthly opportunities featuring speakers and events. It’s also a rich, rewarding way to spend time with your daughter while helping others!

Want to learn more? Join our Information Meeting via Zoom on Monday, May 8 at 6:30 PM.

Contact Kirsten Bourke, VP Membership, Lake Washington Chapter at membershiplakewashington@nclonline.org for the Zoom meeting and application links.

General Information about NCL:

We Are NCL on Vimeo

Lake Washington Chapter Info

Lake Washington Philanthropy Partners

For any questions regarding membership, requests for transfers, or assistance with connecting as a Sustainer, email Kirsten Bourke at bourkes3@comcast.net. Thank you!

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 Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Birthday Dreams
• Disaster Response
• Eastside Baby Corner
• Encompass
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Seattle
• Kindering Center
• Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club
• Mercer Island Fine Arts Council
• Mercer Island Preschool Association
• Mercer Island Rotary Club
• Mercer Island Thrift Shop
• MIYFS Foundation
• Mountains to Sound Greenway
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Northwest Harvest
• One Love
• Operation Gratitude
• Rivkin Center
• Seattle Childrens Hospital
• Senior Foundation of Mercer Island
• Special Olympics
• Swim Across America
• Treehouse
• Urban Artworks
• YouthCare

Angeline’s Center/YWCA of Seattle

Birthday Dreams

Books to Prisoners

Childhaven

Eastside Baby Corner

Encompass

Food Lifeline

Fred Hutchinson/Obliteride

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Seattle

Kindering Center

Listen & Talk

Mary’s Place

MI Boys and Girls Club

MI Fine Arts Council

MI Preschool Association

MI Rotary Club

MI Thrift Shop

MIYFS Foundation

Northwest Harvest

Operation Deploy Your Dress

Seattle Children’s Hospital

Seattle Humane Society

Senior Foundation of MI

Senior Social Program of MI

Swim Across America

Treehouse

Urban Artworks

USO

YouthCare

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: Leslie Mesnick
  Jennell Fuchs
• President Elect: Jennell Fuchs
  Kara Lucas
• Secretary: Sandra Schwarz
  Elizabeth Kaplan
• Treasurer: Mary Williamson
  Krista Kosmiskas
• Parliamentarian: Kristiana O’Brien
  Jody Blohm
• Vice President Communications: Melissa Saelzer
  Lisa Buccino
• Vice President Membership: Kirsten Bourke
  Stephanie Gribble
• Vice President Philanthropy: Huyen Nguyen
  Meghan Hamill
• Vice President Ticktockers: Romney Walker
  Kelly Rogan
• Sustainer Liaison: Emily Ferrari
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Nicole Kelly
  Chelsea Nov

PATRONESS LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Patronesses serve two years in a leader role in one of the following:  Board Officer, Committee Chair or Grade Level Advisor.  Serving in a leadership role is an opportunity to learn and grown, increase confidence, and sharpen skills in:

• Problem solving
• Gaining consensus
• External partnership management
• Team building
• Written communication
• Public speaking
• Conflict resolution
• Event planning
• Parliamentary procedure

TICKTOCKER LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Ticktockers serve two years in a leadership role as a Grade Level Officer, such as President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary and more.  For many Ticktockers, this will be the first opportunity to serve in a leadership role, instilling confidence and developing management skills early on.  Each year, each class elects officers based on self-nominations.  Officers are trained in their position and in parliamentarian procedure.  Officers conduct their own officer meetings and lead grade level meeting with the support of Grade Level Advisors.  The officers and class members also organize philanthropy projects for their own purposes and/or for the Chapter to participate in.

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.

Besides the annual Mother-Daughter Tea, held in the Spring, other cultural experience our chapter provides are:

• Theater
• International Foods and Cooking Class
• Dance Class or Performance
• Music Concert or Musical Theater
• Museums
• Architectural Tour or Garden Event

Our Sustainers