About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Lamorinda 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 the Lamorinda area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Lamorinda aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

Our chapter, located in Northern California, is comprised of approximately 250 members from the communities of Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda.  Members shall reside in the Lamorinda area. We are part of the NCL, Inc. District 12 Council- Region IV which also includes chartered Chapters in San Ramon Valley, Pleasanton, Oakland-Piedmont, Sacramento, Granite Bay, Reno, South Placer County, Davis and Walnut Creek.  We were established in 1989 and were the 34th Chapter to Charter.

Members are Patronesses (Mothers) and Ticktockers (Daughters) who typically join in the spring of their 6th grade year.  Each new Ticktocker class generally consist of 24 mother-daughter pairs, balanced among the three towns and managed by elected Ticktocker officers who are coached by Patroness advisors.  

NCL, Inc. follows a 6-YEAR PLAN from 7th through 12th grade. It guides Patronesses and Ticktockers through their NCL Experience with a variety of age-appropriate and meaningful activities organized under the Three Pillars of NCL, Inc: Community Service, Leadership Development (professional and life skills) and Cultural Enrichment (social skills).

SERVICE REQUIREMENTS:  The membership year runs from June 1 through May 31.  Each Patroness and Ticktocker must complete a minimum of at least 15 hours of Philanthropy and 10 hours of Leadership Hours to remain in good standing.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS:  Patronesses attend at least five regular meetings each year which are held on the third Wednesday evening of the month at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center.  Ticktockers attend at least six regular class meetings each year which are usually held on Sunday evenings at the homes of chapter members.  We do not meet during the months of June, July and August.  All Patronesses and Ticktockers are required to attend the annual Mother-Daughter Tea/Recognition Event each year. 

CHAPTER REQUIREMENTS:  All Patronesses fill an organizational role within the chapter.  This could be Board Member, Ticktocker Grade Level Advisor, Committee Chair or Committee Member.  These positions rotate each year giving Patronesses ample opportunity to contribute to the organization in a variety of capacities.  

Please visit us at https://www.facebook.com/NCLincLamorinda for more stories and information.

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.

Interested in joining our chapter? Membership opportunities are dependent on chapter openings.

If you are interested in applying for membership, you are invited to complete the online application below.  Applications are due by 11 pm March 1, 2024.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

For any questions regarding Membership, requests for transfers or assistance with connecting with a Sustainer, please contact Cynthia Heckler at cynthiaheckler@gmail.com or (925) 360-2831.

Our membership drive is conducted annually between January to April.  We serve the communities of Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda, California.

Membership selection for the Lamorinda Chapter is done by a blind draw with equal consideration being given to applicants from each community that we represent.  Prospective members who have an older sibling in the Lamorinda Chapter of NCL or whose Mother is an active sustainer, are considered legacies and are given priority consideration for membership. 

If you are interested in joining Lamorinda NCL the first step is for you to attend a highly recommended prospective informational meeting that will take place in January 16, 2024.  In order to ensure that you are on the contact list for information, please fill out our Membership Inquiry Form  or send an email to membershiplamorinda@nclonline.org. All membership applications will be due no later than March 1, 2024. Our New Member Draw will occur in March and notifications will be emailed to all applicants on April 1 via email after 4 pm.  While we wish we could offer memberships to all who are interested, we often receive more applicants than we can accommodate in our chapter.

Please note there are two NCL chapters serving Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda – the Lamorinda Chapter and the Acalanes Chapter.  While all NCL, Inc. chapters share a common mission statement and are governed by the same National Bylaws, each has its own set of membership guidelines and philanthropies.  A prospective member may only apply for membership to one chapter during any given year.  Careful consideration should be given as to which chapter is most suited to the prospective member and her daughter.  

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:

• 10,000 Lunches
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Aspire Education / Community Reading Buddies
• Blue Star Moms- San Francisco East Bay Chapter
• Cake 4 Kids
• California Shakespeare Theater
• Choice In Aging
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Northern California
• Diablo Women’s Chorale
• Disaster Response
• East Bay Heritage Quilters
• Food Bank of Contra Costa County
• Friends of the Lamorinda Libraries
• Grateful Gatherings
• Hope Solutions
• J.F. Kapnek Trust
• John Muir Land Trust
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Greater Bay Area Chapter
• Lafayette Community Foundation
• Lamorinda Arts Council
• Lamorinda Village
• Loaves & Fishes
• Milo Foundation
• Monument Crisis Center
• Moraga Royale
• National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
• New Day for Children
• Operation Gratitude
• Pacific Chamber Orchestra
• Park Theater Trust
• RotaCare Bay Area
• Save Mount Diablo Foundation
• SPCA-Mats for Cats-San Francisco
• Special Olympics of Northern California
• Sydney Paige Foundation
• Town Hall Theatre Company
• Valley Oaks Respite Center
• White Pony Express

 

During the 2022-2023 NCL year, our chapter ALONE served a grand total of 9,360 hours.

 

Sample of Opportunities With our Philanthropy Partners:

• Make lunches to be distributed to the homeless. 
• Sort food for area food distribution partners. 
• Staff events run by our philanthropy partners (galas, fun runs, plays, fairs, etc.) 
• Provide companionship for seniors at senior care facilities.
• Tutor youth online for reading.
• Pack backpacks and supplies for underserved children.
• Provide and/or pack supplies and treats for those serving in the military.
• And many more!

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: Carrie Hack
• President Elect: Ellie Attwood
• Secretary: Kimberly Campbell
• Treasurer: Stefanie Galizia
• Parliamentarian: Kitty Stephens
• Vice President Communications: Lisa Brown
• Vice President Membership: Cynthia Heckler
• Vice President Philanthropy: Lara Williamson
• Vice President New Members: Leslie Machtmes
• Vice President Ticktockers: Kendall Glynn
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Tania Harrick

There are six areas of focus as part of the Six Year Core Program for Ticktockers, including:

• Friendship/etiquette
• High school preparedness
• Time management
• Interpersonal relationships
• College/career; choices/applications/interview skills
• Independent living skills

 

Senior Class Ticktocker passing the President’s gavel to 7th Grade Class Ticktocker

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.

 

As future leaders, 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. We celebrate our history through preserving NCL’s traditions and core values while appreciating the growth that comes from deeply understanding and connecting with different communities and cultures:

• Attending a musical or live theatre performance at our local high schools
• Screening a documentary film
• Visiting area cultural centers and museums
• Our meeting speakers include – first-aid responders, book authors, life and wellness coaches, diversity & inclusion leaders, space program experts, sports achievers, philanthropy partners

Our Chapter Tea – This NCL tradition brings our chapter together each year to teach etiquette in a large, formal social setting.   This event is a highlight as we celebrate the annual volunteer achievements of all our Patronesses and Ticktockers.