Valley Forge

About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Valley Forge 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 Methacton, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, and Springford School Districts, and the surrounding areas. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Valley Forge aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

The NCL, Inc., Valley Forge Chapter made history when it formed on March 4, 2014 as the first-ever National Charity League, Inc. (NCL, Inc.) chapter in Pennsylvania.

Our Founding President, Tammy Ashliman, first learned about NCL, Inc. in 2013 through stories from her sister who resides in Georgia, one of many states benefitting from thriving NCL, Inc. chapters.  Prior to hearing these stories, she and her daughter already had been discussing different ways they could give back to their community.  When they learned that NCL, Inc. offered a unique opportunity for a mother to volunteer together with her daughter, often along with a group of other mother/daughter members, they felt inspired to get involved.

With no NCL, Inc. chapters in Pennsylvania at that time, research was done to understand how to start a new chapter.  Well aware that forming a chapter could not be done alone, Tammy was thankful for her daughter’s enthusiasm for volunteering, unwavering support and excitement to start this chapter.  This was the catalyst to commit to this endeavor.

Our chapter will be forever grateful to the initial, small group of big-hearted, caring moms who willingly met in October 2013 to learn about NCL, Inc. for the first time.  They took the lead in understanding its importance in a community, and began to spread the word.  Thanks to the collaborative efforts of these first amazing ladies and their daughters, the awareness, momentum and interest in joining NCL, Inc. continued to build, allowing for the successful formation of our Valley Forge Chapter.  Many of these same moms stepped-up for roles on the Founding Board of Directors.  We advanced to chartered chapter status in March 2016.

Since forming in 2014, our Chapter has quickly grown to over 250 dedicated members, supporting 20 local philanthropies through hands-on volunteerism.  Our members volunteered over 5,000 hours last year.

Together, we are rewarded with all of the benefits membership offers as we develop strong women leaders serving and impacting our community today, and for generations to come.

For more information email us at membershipvalleyforge@nclonline.org

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.

Please join us for

our Chapter Information Meeting

on January 23rd at 6:45 pm

at Arcola Middle School. 

Please click here to view flyer for more information.  Please share flyer with a friend.

 We invite you to consider membership in the NCL, Inc., Valley Forge Chapter. Our chapter offers an organized program for members to grow as leaders, mentors, and friends while making a difference in our community through hands-on volunteerism.

Some things to keep in mind about the membership process:

  • Timeline: Applications for membership are accepted during the Annual Membership Drive from January – March each year for mothers or female guardians and their daughters in 6th grade at the time of the Membership Drive. Membership could also be open to 7th-9th grade depending on current class size at the time of the Membership Drive.
  • Residence: A Prospective Member shall reside in the Methacton, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, Spring-Ford School Districts and surrounding areas.

 

Thank you again for your interest in our NCL, Inc., Valley Forge Chapter. We look forward to meeting you!

 

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 Heart Association
  • American Red Cross
  • Cradles to Crayons
  • Daily Bread Community Food Pantry
  • Disaster Response
  • Gift of Life Howie’s House
  • Habitat for Humanity – Montgomery County
  • Mitzvah Circle Foundation
  • Montgomery County Down Syndrome Interest Group
  • Operation Gratitude
  • Parkhouse Nursing & Rehabilitation
  • Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
  • Phoenixville Area Community Services
  • Project Linus
  • Special Olympics
  • Today Is A Good Day
  • Valley Forge Park Alliance

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: Alicia Cadogan
  • President Elect: Reena Kolar
  • Secretary: Kim Rathburn
  • Treasurer: Sharon Germany
  • Parliamentarian: Lisa Sommer
  • Vice President Communications: Jennifer Reith
  • Vice President Membership: Maria Rozinsky
  • Vice President Philanthropy: Bernadette Demilio
    Colleen Duffy
  • Vice President New Members: Hemisha Ly
  • Vice President Ticktockers: Carlla Carr
  • Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Holly Bi

National Charity League, Inc. Patronesses (moms) and Ticktockers (daughters) have opportunities to engage in experiences that build key leadership skills.  The above list contains our current Patroness board members.

Every Ticktocker class appoints its own board officers and committee members, with roles changing each year.  Ticktocker leadership opportunities include presiding over monthly meetings, organizing meeting agendas, managing class funds, taking and recording minutes as well as planning philanthropic, cultural and social events.

Each Ticktocker class focuses on a different aspect of leadership:

7th Grade – Explores leadership styles and National Charity League, Inc. core values

8th Grade – Learns effective communication and listening skills

9th Grade – Practices time management and building self confidence

10th Grade – Strengthens conflict resolution skills and engages in public speaking

11th Grade  – Establishes future goals and identifies college opportunities

12th Grade  – Mentors younger Ticktockers

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.

The National Charity League, Inc. experience promotes positive identity by recognizing and appreciating the value of differences in each other and the world. Exposure to diverse cultural values and traditions broadens perspective, promotes awareness and teaches cultural sensitivity.

Cultural activities for the Valley Forge Chapter of NCL, Inc. include:

  • Annual Mother-Daughter Tea
  • Annual Grade-Level Cultural Activity
  • Annual Ticktocker Day Speaker
  • Ticktocker Meeting Speakers
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Theater Visits
  • Musical Events
  • Educational Daytrips
  • Career Development
  • College Planning
  • Cultural Enrichment Dinners