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Shelley Osterloh ReportingA top ranking federal official was honored today in Salt Lake City for her volunteerism and efforts to improve the lives of women, children and families. The Junior League of Salt Lake is hosting the Association of Junior Leagues International Conference for more than 1,000 women who are all dedicated to service.
These are the leaders of nearly 300 Junior League organizations from four countries. They have gathered in Salt Lake to exchange ideas about community activism and improve their leadership skills.
Each year they honor one person with the Mary Harriman Community Leadership Award. This year's winner is Federal Communications Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, who was with the Junior League of Nashville for 17 years. Among her many other accomplishments, she co-founded a drug recovery program for women and children and helped pass a new mental health law for Tennessee.
"Commissioner Tate exemplifies what it means to be a volunteer, committed to issues in her community, as well as broadening her influence to make sure that she can make a difference. In her case it has a lot to do with women and children issues."
Now, as a presidential appointee to the FCC she still focuses on family issues, TV. She credits the broadcast industry for developing good tools for the family like the V-chip, but wants more.
Commissioner Tate: "I'd like to see more and better quality children's and family programming. In addition to that, I do think that parents have some responsibility."
She says limiting a child's TV viewing can help solve another family problem.
While each Jr. League focuses on its own community's issues they have come together as an international association to fight one problem, childhood obesity. It's an issue these Junior League leaders plan to tackle in their own communities.
The Association has developed a website for families with tips for healthy eating and activities, http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org/
