About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Rio Grande Valley 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 in the Rio Grande Valley area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Rio Grande Valley aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

The Rio Grande Valley Chapter was established in February 2022, by founding Board Members: Norma Flores-Ruiz-Founding President, Marissa Gomez-Martinez, Delia Quilantan, Christi Maldonado, Rebecca Parks Coca, Minerva Castillo, Rebecca Solis, Abby Murry, Monica De La Garza & Vanessa Curl. We proudly live the NCL Core Program, which enables Mothers and Daughters (grades 7th-12th) to participate in a program that embraces THREE CORE PILLARS. Within just 19 months, the Rio Grande Valley Chapter was chartered and became an established chapter in September 2023.

 

We look forward to making huge impacts and serving the community for many years.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Understanding our community’s philanthropic needs and taking hands-on volunteer action to help solve them. The Rio Grande Valley Chapter proudly supports areas to include disadvantaged women & children’s agencies, local food pantries, women’s health initiatives, military (active and veteran) organizations, convalescent hospitals and senior citizen centers, and animal shelters.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Nurturing confidence in both mothers and daughters through opportunities to learn and grow in a supportive environment.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES: A cultivation of values and traditions that shape the organization’s role and contribution in our community.

 

OUR SIX-YEAR PROGRAM 

The NCL, Inc. six-year plan enables girls, known as Ticktockers, to obtain unique and memorable experiences within each of the three pillars to support her personal growth and development so that she is set for success as a contributing member of society now and in her future. Monthly Ticktocker meetings, supported by Patronesses (mothers), place emphasis on specific age-appropriate activities and experiences that support the three pillars as well as social, mental, physical, and spiritual development. Our Ticktockers also benefit from the rich relationships formed over the six years through our chapter’s diversity and inclusion efforts. 

 

Patronesses also participate in monthly meetings with various topics to strengthen relationships with each other and our community. While many mothers choose NCL for their daughters, Patronesses always mention their own personal growth and many lasting friendships formed during their time in NCL.

In addition to supporting NCL, Inc.’s core mission, its three pillars, and a powerful six-year program for our girls, the Rio Grande Valley also has an annual theme. The founding theme was chosen by Founding President Mrs. Norma Flores-Ruiz, “doing small things with great love.” This theme definitely holds true year after year.

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.

A Prospective Member must apply during our annual membership drive, which runs from January 15th through March 1st of each year, for membership that begins the following school year. Prospective members apply when daughter is in 6th grade to begin her 7th grade year. 

If you know someone in the Rio Grande Valley Chapter, talk to her about getting started, membership obligations, and our membership drive timeline. If you do not know someone in our chapter, you are invited to submit the Membership Inquiry Form above.

The Rio Grande Valley Chapter will hold multiple Prospective New Member meetings in the winter. At these informational meetings, prospective members (mothers only) attend to learn more about NCL Inc.’s mission and six-year program. This is a great opportunity to meet our Chapter Board Members and some of our Active Patronesses, ask questions, and get a feel for our Chapter culture. 

 

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
• Boys & Girls Club of McAllen
• Children’s Bereavement Center
• Food Bank of RGV
• International Museum of Arts & Science
• Make A Wish of the Rio Grande Valley
• National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
• Operation Gratitude
• Palm Valley Animal Society
• Practice Mercy
• Salvation Army of McAllen
• Windsor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Edinburg

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: Norma Flores-Ruiz
• President Elect: April Flowers
• Secretary: Jeanette Mata-Reynolds
• Treasurer: Abby Murray
  Jennifer Alanis
• Parliamentarian: Christi Maldonado
• Vice President Communications: Amber Guerra
• Vice President Membership: Rebecca Coca
• Vice President Philanthropy: Marissa Gomez-Martinez
• Vice President New Members: Brenda Ochoa
• Vice President Ticktockers: Delia Quilantan
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Rebecca Bechtold

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.

Each chapter lives the richness of NCL’s almost 100-year history by celebrating national traditions each year along with our very own chapter-specific traditions.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEA

The Rio Grande Valley Chapter Mother-Daughter Tea is an NCL, Inc. required event that all members look forward to attending each year. Traditionally held at the historic Gelman Stained Glass Museum in San Juan, it’s a memorable event that many look forward to where they come together for a great social gathering in an enjoyable environment and practice a lesson in etiquette. Our Sophomore classes learn the art of hosting, while our Junior Class holds a special ceremony and fashion show, and our incredible Seniors receive their much anticipated NCL Honor Cords. 

SENIOR RECOGNITION

The Rio Grande Valley Chapter celebrates its Senior Class in May of each year. This special event is the culmination of a Ticktocker’s six-year journey as we recognize and reward all of her accomplishments, celebrate her high school graduation milestone, and set the stage for her to bridge over to the role of a Sustainer member post-graduation. By this time, our graduates realize the value of their NCL journey and how it will continue into her college years as she meets and forms lasting relationships with other young women who also benefited from the NCL experience in one of the other 300+ Chapters across 29 states.

AWARDS CEREMONY  

The annual awards ceremony, held in August of every year during Kickoff, is a wonderful afternoon of celebration and fun where all Chapter members come together to celebrate Ticktocker/Patroness accomplishments for the previous NCL year. This annual tradition is the perfect way to start off the NCL year as we highlight the service of our members and the thousands of hours Chapter members serve in the community.

TICKTOCKER DAY 

Held in October, all our Ticktockers come together for a fun day of service and team building. This fun, casual event is filled with an opportunity to hear from special guest speakers, prepare unique little gifts for a chosen philanthropy partner, outline job duties, and have an exciting time being a teenager. Usually held at a local pumpkin patch, this enables the bonding across grade levels as we kick off the holiday season. 

OUR LEGACY OF CHAPTER PRESIDENTS AND YEAR’S THEME:

The Rio Grande Valley Chapter offers Leadership Development opportunities for both Mothers and Daughters as we nurture confidence through opportunities to learn and grow, while also building problem-solving skills through a supportive environment of healthy relationships.

OUR LEGACY OF CHAPTER PRESIDENTS AND YEAR’S THEME:

 2021-2023: Founding Year- Mrs. Norma Flores-Ruiz “Doing small things with great love.” 

2023-2024: Mrs. Norma Flores-Ruiz “Little Ripples Make Big Waves.” 

2024-2025: 

  

Ticktockers also benefit from many leadership development experiences and opportunities as she holds various positions throughout her six years to lead her fellow Ticktockers through an impactful year. Guided by her Grade Level Advisors, her roles (whether an officer or a council or committee member) enable her to receive training and the ability to exercise skills to build upon leadership skills she’ll use for a lifetime.