Junior League of Boca Raton to Celebrate Women Who Give Back

The foundation of the Junior League of Boca Raton is volunteerism, and there’s no greater showcase of that than the organization’s annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon.

A tradition for 37 years now, each year nonprofits from throughout Palm Beach County and North Broward County nominate an exceptional woman volunteer from their organization to honor and applaud.

This year, a committee of independent judges has the tough task of selecting one winner from a field of 43—representing charities ranging from arts and culture to child welfare, healthcare, food insecurity, animal welfare, and more.

“Most of these women have a long history of volunteerism and giving back to the community,” says Nikki Stelzer, the president of the Junior League of Boca Raton. “It’s a very difficult process for the selection committee to make a determination on who ultimately will be named Woman Volunteer of the Year.”

The 43 nominations were received by Boca Raton Regional Hospital and judges are selected by the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation. The winner will be announced at The Boca Raton on Nov. 1 during a lavish luncheon. Starting at 10 a.m., there will be a social hour and silent auction with bubbly. Afterward, guests will be seated in The Boca Raton’s Grand Ballroom for lunch and a runway fashion show.

“I feel proud,” Stelzer says of the turnout year after year. “When I see 800-plus people filling up that massive ballroom at The Boca Raton, I feel like the Junior League is achieving its mission of promoting volunteerism and recognizing the efforts of women.”

This year’s event is co-chaired by Meryll Bangsil and Khrisna Kellerman; Kelly Woods Fleming is honorary chair. Stelzer has been a member of the Junior League for 15 years and served as event chair for the Woman Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Now serving as president of the League, she has a special appreciation for the work that goes into putting on an event of this size and caliber.

The Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon is the signature fundraiser for the Junior League of Boca Raton. It helps fund the organization’s community initiatives throughout the year, such as a community garden in Meadows Park, learning libraries, nonprofit training, school readiness programs, and a new period poverty prevention program, where members have distributed more than 50,000 period supplies to preteens and teens in need. The Junior League also founded the Diaper Bank, which has since become its own independent nonprofit in 2021, and the program has distributed more than 6 million diapers.

Of the support for the event, Stelzer says, “I think it says that Boca Raton is one of the most philanthropic communities, and that our friends and neighbors really have a heart for giving back, and especially, I would say women, that that they are really the backbone of our community in terms of putting their time and energy into improving other people’s lives.”

To become a sponsor or to donate auction items, email philanthropy@jlbr.org. Tickets can be purchased at wvoy.givesmart.com. To learn more about the Junior League of Boca Raton, click here.