ADA EDWARDS LAUGHLIN AWARD

Glee Heikes – Awarded May 11, 2015

Ada Edwards Laughlin may be known to you as the “co-founder” of Assistance League. When referred as such, Ada would reply that “I am her administrator of ideas and money,” referring to Anne Banning.

When Assistance League was founded in 1919, Mrs. Laughlin was one of the 12 friends of Mrs. Banning who joined her in the original plan for Assistance League. Mrs. Banning was elected President and Mrs. Laughlin, Vice President, an office she held until her retirement in 1948, when she was named Vice President Emeritus. Ada was the epitome of volunteerism. She was associated with and involved in a myriad of social and cultural activities, as well as in every service founded by Assistance League from 1919 until 1941.

In 1935 Ada was appointed by Anne Banning to draw up bylaws for a national organization and to form a committee to outline its policies for promotion and expansion. The purpose of National Assistance League was to carry on the community services after patterns established by Assistance League of Southern California, the founding chapter. Ada founded the Board of Review, which investigated and admitted groups of women’s organizations from cities other than Los Angeles to provisional status to become chapters of National Assistance League.

It is in the spirit of Ada’s less visible and It is in the spirit of Ada’s less visible and hardworking “behind the scenes” involvement that an “Ada Edwards Laughlin Award” was created. It is given to a chapter’s unsung heroine who has been a member for a significant number of years, having given outstanding “behind the scenes” service in a relatively inconspicuous way.

It is my distinct honor and pleasure to present the Ada Edwards Laughlin Award to our own founding and still hardworking member: Glee Heikes

Carol Shows,, President