NALS Got Talent: Holly Mitchell

Quilt Raffle: Patricia Infanti

Congratulations to the recipients, and thank you to all our contestants!

NALS 90th Anniversary is something special, so special, in fact, that the NALS Foundation is stepping up our sweepstakes game! 

Would you be more likely to spend more money at the NALS Foundation Sweepstakes, and thus receive a higher tax-deductible donation receipt, if you knew that you could win an item worth at least $90? That’s right friends! We are increasing the prize value for the NALS Foundation Sweepstakes items! The NALS Foundation is seeking donations with a retail value of at least $90 to celebrate the NALS 90th Anniversary! Our hope is to increase the value proposition for ticket purchasers to raise even more money to support the NALS Foundation programs! That means that for each ticket purchased, the buyer will have a chance to win a prize valued at $90. The more tickets you buy ($90 worth, perhaps?) the more chances you have to win at least one $90 item. 

Does that mean that I cannot donate my smaller item? No.  In fact, we encourage you to work with friends, family, law firms, employers, vendors, suppliers, local chapters, and state associations to put together a bundle valued at no less than $90. If you and three other people pool your resources, you each only have to donate an item valued at $22.50 to meet the $90 minimum. You can also solicit donations from anyone you know or do business with.  You can reach out to your local communities to make donations to support the NALS Foundation.  

Jewelry, watches, electronics, cash, gift cards, gift certificates, purchased items, and hand-crafted wares are all accepted.  You may ask, do I actually have to spend $90 to donate a $90 item? No. One thing that many who regularly donate to the NALS Foundation Sweepstakes do is visit an outlet mall. You can obtain valuable items from stores like Coach, Michael Kors, Fossil, Gap, Guess, Kate Spade, Merrell, Ralph Lauren, Quicksilver, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sketchers, Tommy Hilfiger, Vera Bradley, and more at a discount. The retail value of an item may be $90 or over, but you may be able to purchase the item at an outlet for less and donate it to the NALS Foundation Sweepstakes. You may also consider hand-making items to donate. Your time and talents have value. Consider what the items you make would cost someone to purchase in a store and then bundle a sampling of items together to reach $90, or team up with another creator to reach the $90 minimum. 

Once you have an item or items you would like to donate to the NALS Foundation, here’s how you can. Click here to visit the online submission form. Log in to NALS.org then, submit an In-Kind Donation Form (available at the bottom of the linked page).  Package your item(s) and mail via the postal service of your choosing (i.e., USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.) to the following address:  Orr Willhite, PLC, c/o Mimi Mangrum Jackson, 601 Southwest Drive, Jonesboro, AR  72401.  Donors who prefer to hand-carry donated items to the NALS Conference must also fill out the In-Kind Donation Form but may deliver the items to any NALS Foundation Trustee at the conference.  Please note that all donated items will be used for NALS Foundation fundraising purposes.  This means that your donation may be allocated to special fundraising projects, bundled with other items, and/or not necessarily be included in the Sweepstakes.  We appreciate all donations and look forward to celebrating NALS 90th Anniversary with all of you! Thank you for your continued support!

• NALS of Missouri was awarded a grant of $900 to assist with the leasing of booth space for the Missouri Bar Annual Meeting.
• Douglas-Carson Legal Professionals (Nevada) was awarded a grant of $530 to assist with its Legal Survivor Course in November 2017.
• Mobile Legal Professionals Association was awarded a grant of $500 to assist with its membership drive and educational session.

We are excited about these programs and encourage you to be innovative and submit a grant for your program by September 1, 2017! Click here for more information.

As a way to support health and wellness, NALS Foundation is hosting a virtual 5K. This means you can run (or walk!) anytime and anywhere, even on a treadmill or on your breaks. All participants will be earning awesome medals for themselves while raising money to support the enhancement of the legal support profession.

All proceeds from this event are tax-deductible and will go toward supporting NALS Foundation efforts and projects.

The NALS Foundation was established in 1989 and is dedicated to ensuring a rewarding future for you and all legal support professionals.

Since its establishment, NALS Foundation has since created, supported, and/or mandated the following projects that support NALS members, paralegal and legal professional students, certification examinees, NALS conferences, and NALS Resource Center: 

Welcome to the 2017-2018 NALS Foundation year! 

The NALS Foundation is preparing for a great year ahead of funding quality education programs for legal professionals working with attorneys and the public to enhance their skills and provide them with the latest information on their profession. The NALS Foundation also keeps the good of the legal profession in the public eye, emphasizing a positive image of the profession and the importance of qualified, competent legal professionals.

In moving forward, the NALS Foundation would like to thank Tara Hughes, PP-SC, ACP for leading the NALS Foundation for the 2016 year.

Delana Freouf, PLS was appointed the chair and has assumed the responsibilities of this position as of March 2017. 

As one of the first orders of business, Delana oversaw the March Foundation Grant process and here are the winners! 

• NALS of Washington will be hosting a Eula Mae Jett C.R.A.M (Certification, Recertification, and Mastery of the legal profession) Camp this summer. They were awarded $500 to assist with this event!
  
  
• NALS of Oregon Scholarship Fund, Inc. was awarded $400 to fund a keynote speaker for the NALS of Oregon Fall Board Meeting in September 2017.
  
  
• Wisconsin Association for Legal Professionals were awarded a partial grant of $700 to help fund a keynote speaker for WALP's 50th Anniversary Celebration. 

Congratulations Delana and to each grant winner!