About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., San Marino Area 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 the San Marino area or the surrounding San Gabriel Valley communities. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, San Marino Area aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

About Our Chapter

The San Marino Area Chapter is one of four local chapters of NCL, Inc. in the San Gabriel Valley overlooking the Sierra Madre mountains. Our Chapter supports about 500 active Patronesses, Ticktockers, and Clockwatchers and engages them with twenty philanthropic agencies in the community.

Collectively, the Ticktockers in our Chapter typically work about 17,000 – 20,000 hours per year. The variety of the volunteer opportunities ensures that each Ticktocker is likely to connect with one or more agencies that are particularly meaningful and interesting to her. We consider the diversity of our agencies a strong asset. These groups contribute to our community in a myriad of ways; we are proud of our relationship with each of them.

Additionally, the Chapter hosts two annual events. In June, the Presentation Tea honors the new graduate Ticktockers and their mothers. Each December, the Ball presents the Chapter’s debutantes and celebrates their years of service to the community. Throughout the years there are cultural, social, and educational events which provide experience, training, and leadership opportunities for the Ticktockers.

Main Street Attraction

Our Chapter owns a very successful resale boutique, Main Street Attraction, located in Alhambra. It is staffed by members and stocked with members’ donations. The profit from the shop is the primary source of revenue for the scholarships and grants that the Chapter supports. On average, the Chapter contributes $20,000 – $25,000 in scholarships annually and donates approximately $25,000 – $40,000 to the various philanthropic agencies with whom we are affiliated. Patroness members, collectively, work an average of 7500 hours annually running Main Street Attraction.

 

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.

How to Get Involved

If your daughter will be going in to the seventh grade next school year, then this is the time to ask! Our Membership Process begins each January.  If you still have more questions, please email our Chapter’s VP of Membership at nclsanmarinoarea@nclonline.org.

How the Program Works

A prospective candidate should attend a Prospective Member Open House in December.

Membership is by invitation. The review process focuses solely on the mother. No information about the daughter is reviewed or considered. Offers of Membership are based on compatibility with the goals, traditions, and members of the San Marino Area Chapter.

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:

• Ability First (9, 10)
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Armory Center for the Arts (8, 9)
• Crowell Public Library (10, 11)
• Disaster Response
• Foothill Family Services (8, 9)
• Huntington Hospital
• Huntington Library
• Kidspace Children’s Museum (11)
• LAC+USC Medical Center (7, 8, 11)
• Main Street Attraction (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
• National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
• Operation Gratitude
• Pasadena Humane Society (9)
• Pasadena Museum of History (8, 10)
• Pasadena Ronald McDonald House (10, 11)
• Pasadena Senior Center (7, 8, 11)
• San Marino Unified School District (7)
• Shriners for Children Medical Center (10)
• South Pasadena Public Library
• South Pasadena Unified School District (7)
• South Pasadena/San Marino YMCA (9)
• Union Station Homeless Services
• Villa Esperanza (10)

Community Service

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:

Ability First provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential throughout their lives. Ticktockers assist the Activity Leader with classroom arts, crafts, dramatics, games, and sports while working with both children and young adults with a range of physical and developmental disabilities. Special events where help is needed include Afterschool and Saturday programs, Pancake Breakfast, Stroll & Roll, Festival of Fall, and on-going Thursday Fundraising Sales.

Almansor Center serves children, teens, and adults with developmental and/or emotional disability. Older Ticktockers interact with infants, toddlers, and preschool children in the Early Childhood Education Program through individual and small group activities with art projects, games, and music.

Armory Center for the Arts offers an extensive set of summer art programs taught by professional artists. Volunteers assist teaching artists in class and are responsible for set-up, clean-up, and storage of art materials.

Crowell Public Library in San Marino offers a Summer Reading Club that’s popular with the Ticktockers. Older Ticktockers can also volunteer on an on-going basis to shelve books.

Foothill Family Service serves children and families in the San Gabriel Valley through counseling, social services, mental health treatment, education, and outreach. Our Ticktockers primarily work with the administrative offices in their support of ongoing development projects, fundraising, back-to-school and Adopt-a-Family programs.

Huntington Hospital offers a year-round volunteer program for older Ticktockers to help in either the Hospital, Senior Care Network, or the Huntington Collection. In addition, Ticktockers may also contribute to project-based giving with origami animals and hearts and donation items.

Huntington Library offers a 6-month program for High School Volunteers who work in the areas throughout The Huntington, supporting staff in a variety of projects such as the Conservatory, Discovery Carts, Gallery Welcome Center, and Gardening in the Children’s Garden.

Kidspace Children’s Museum is an interactive, multi-disciplinary site with exhibits in art, science, culture, and nature education. Our Ticktockers assist in special events such as Family Nights, Butterfly Release Weekend, Anniversary Event, Dino Days, Farmer Days, World Wide Day of Play, Pumpkin Festival, Native Cultures Day, Snow Days, and their Summer Camp.

LAC+USC Medical Center partners with our Chapter to host their Holiday Shop-a-Thon where gift bags are assembled for each child served at the hospital and their siblings. Besides for this annual event where all members take part, the hospital also supports other volunteer activities through their Junior Volunteers for older Ticktockers and seasonal volunteer opportunities.

Main Street Attraction (MSA) is the Chapter-affiliated business in Alhambra which sells high quality, pre-owned merchandise to customers in need, operating with an all volunteer staff provided by our members’ time and talents, enabling us to award the proceeds for need-based scholarships to young women from area high schools and to affiliated philanthropies.

Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA promotes the humane treatment and quality of life for all animals. Theire shelter provides animal control services for seven cities in the Pasadena area. Ticktockers help with their annual Wiggle Waggle Walk and project-based cat beds and homemade doggie biscuits. Older Ticktockers can apply as a Regular Junior Volunteer, working directly with shelter animals as an Animal Socializer.

Pasadena Museum of History is one of the country’s premiere institutions of its size, promoting an appreciation of history, culture, arts, and sciences relevant to Pasadena and adjoining communities. Ticktockers provide assistance in the Museum Store and with special events such as ArtNight, MOTA (Museums of the Arroyo) Day, Happy Birthday Pasadena, Fall Exhibition Free Day, and December Holiday Free Day.

Pasadena Ronald McDonald House provides a community-supported “home away from home” for families coming in to Pasadena seeking advanced medical treatment for critically or terminally ill children. Ticktockers can assist at their many special events throughout the year such as Walk for Kids, Hits for Hope, and the SHINE Gala. In addition, older Ticktockers can apply for their House Volunteer Program to assist with cleaning, office work, gardening, and organizing. Mothers and daughters can help with their Meals of Love.

Pasadena Senior Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of seniors in the San Gabriel Valley through stimulating programs and services. Volunteer opportunities are event-based and include Concerts in the Park, Senior Olympics, Center Benefit events, Annual Holiday Homebound Gift/Visiting Projects, Seasonal holiday parties, and Spring Visitation programs.

San Marino Unified School District supports activities at all four school sites. Ticktockers are involved with the Summer School Program, Hauntington Breakfast, Valentine Fair, Carver Carnival, Classroom projects, and baking opportunities for Grad Night Light Up and theatre productions.

South Pasadena Public Library has a Summer Reading Program and a Teen Volunteer Program that is supported through our Ticktockers.

South Pasadena Unified School District supports five school sites within South Pas. Our Ticktockers help with summer school activities and afterschool enrichment classes.

South Pasadena/San Marino YMCA offers support and resources to the community to be more healthy, confident, connected, and secure. Ticktockers help in various ways throughout the year with afterschool homework help, Youth Fit, Healthy Kids Day, Y-Run, STEM classes, Christmas Tree lot, and their annual campaign.

Union Station Homeless Services is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest, most comprehensive homeless services agency. It operates an Adult Center and a Family Center. The Adult Center accepts baked goods and chili prepared by Ticktockers and encourages participation in the Holiday Meals in Central Park program with their families. The Family Center provides an opportunity for mother-daughter on-site activity on the first Tuesday of each month by coordinating, preparing, and serving dinner to the residential homeless families with children. Each grade level participates in this service twice a year.

Villa Esperanza Services serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. Ticktockers can assist in infact/children classes and after school programs. They assist adults who are learning hobbies, cooking, and arts and crafts. They also assist with clerical duties and prepare materials in the curriculum lab.

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: Olive Choa
• President Elect: Jane Feinberg
• Secretary: Blythe Maling
• Treasurer: Stephanie Yan
  Sunny Oh
• Parliamentarian: Alison Moller
• Vice President Communications: Stefanie Lutero
• Vice President Membership: Jennifer Yuan-Kang
• Vice President Philanthropy: Weni Wilson
• Vice President New Members: Janice Segimoto
• Vice President Ticktockers: Nancy Szeto-Ko
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Maura Harrington-Roggero

Leadership Development

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. Our Ticktockers are encouraged to join the Ticktocker Council for annual leadership opportunities as well as support their grade level advisors as grade level officers. In addition, the formation of NCL Families across the grade levels affords many informal opportunities for the older Ticktockers to mentor the younger ones. Our Chapter supports 32 families across all grade levels.

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.

Cultural Experiences

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 and events of our Chapter include:

• All Ticktocker and Patroness support for the annual LAC+USC Holiday Shop-a-Thon.
• Support from each grade level for a graduating class event.
• Strawberry Tea for our 10th grade Ticktockers.
• Public presentation skills for our 11th grade Ticktockers.
• Mother/Daughter Tea and Debutant ball for our graduating seniors.

 

Our Chapter History

Our Chapter History

The San Marino Area Chapter was founded in 1960 and has grown to be one of the largest chapters in the organization.

Our core values include:

• Honoring the mother-daughter bond by together learning, growing, and modeling responsibility and graciousness;
• Empowering women with the skills and confidence to lead;
• Nurturing through mentorship;
• Inspiring a legacy of social awareness and compassion;
• Providing depth of support in local communities;
• Integrity and excellence in everything we do.

These core values are exemplified in our three pillars of Community Service, Leadership Development, and Cultural Experiences as modeled to the next generation.

The Active membership is comprised of a mother or guardian, and her daughter(s). The mother is referred to as a Patroness and the daughter is a Ticktocker. Together and separately, they devote many hours of service to the community. The mother/daughter configuration of the organization offers an opportunity to engage the Ticktockers in charitable activities, thereby affording a chance for them to learn firsthand and by example, the importance of giving to others and the rewards of these efforts.

Membership begins in the daughter’s seventh grade and ends when the daughter graduates from twelfth grade. At that time, the graduate Ticktocker is invited to become a National Charity League Debutante, and the mother is invited to join the Sustaining arm of the organization as a Clockwatcher.

Clockwatchers

Given the opportunity to meet new people and forge closer friendships while helping those in our community, our Patronesses continue to meet socially as Clockwatchers. This group supports the active membership both financially and otherwise with their donations to MSA and the wealth of their knowledge and leadership. Our Clockwatcher group stands at over 100 Sustaining members.