About the Marin Chapter of the National Charity League

The Marin Chapter was founded on March 11, 1999 and chartered by National Charity League, Inc. on April 21, 2001. We were the 88th chapter chartered.

It all began at the home of Anne Hamblett, when Diane Balch invited leaders in the community and business to meet with Diane Anderson, an NCL expansion specialist, and Winnie Jasper, from the Executive Council. The assembled women listened and heard for the first time about an organization called National Charity League, a mother and daughter Philanthropy organization that believes in community service, leadership, education carried out through partnerships and commitments between mothers and daughters.

At the first meeting, "Anne presented a truly elegant tea, lovely flowers and goodies to eat" according to Diane Balch. "Though beautiful and thinking it was a wonderful idea to begin an organization such as this, it was also a bit overwhelming to begin from ground zero". Leaders from this first meeting emerged and the founding board was formed.

Shawn Sylvia-President
Becky Loback-VP Membership
Julia Asiano-VP Philanthropy
Kim Lynch-VP Patroness Activities
Peggy Riley-Treasurer
Anne Hamblett-Corresponding Secretary
Lauren Gertz-Recording Secretary
Diane Balch-Parliamentarian


Shortly thereafter, Sher Honchariw and Suzi Hileman completed the founding Board as VP Ticktockers and National Council Representative. National charity League, Inc assigned us a Provisional Chapter Director, Gala Mowat, founding president of the Oakland-Piedmont Chapter. Her job was to mentor the Marin Chapter from prospective through charter status.

We worked from May through early September creating the foundation for our organization. We held many Board meetings to create the chapter bylaws, Ticktocker Procedures, Standing Rules and 6 Year Plan (a one page snapshot outlining the themes and required events by year for the Ticktocker meetings). We held our first mother daughter "kickoff" event at the Rocco Dance Studio in order to meet as a group and introduce the mothers and daughters. We held our first Recognition Event at the Belvedere Tennis Club as a strawberry social put on by the class of 2005. The class of 2005 was the first class to go through the complete 6 year plan from 7th to 12th grade. Classes ahead were called "Les Dames", the first class to hold a Senior Presentation.

The Marin Chapter is proud to be the first NCL chapter to grant "philanthropy" hours credit only if mothers and daughters worked together. Some of the first Philanthropy's were with The Redwoods, Marin Food Bank, Race for the Cure, James Brady Therapeutic Riding in GG Park, Halleck Creek Riding, Special Olympics, Making Waves and Deck the Halls for the SF Symphony.

In February of 2000 we held our first membership drive and the class of 2006 was formed. We continued to add philanthropies and activities and in May of 2001 we received Charter from National Council and were recognized as a full fledged Chartered Chapter of NCL.

Our founding theme was "Heart-to-Heart". The Marin Chapter founding Patronesses adopted a saying: Participation in NCL is a gift to our daughters, what they do with it is their gift to society"