Jackson residents explore reviving Jaycees group

Plans are being laid to bring a Jaycees chapter back to Jackson.

Jaycees Region 8 district director Les Vannasdall is organizing an informational meeting for anyone interested in being a member at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Jackson Pizza Hut.

"There already was a Jaycees chapter in Jackson some years ago, but it kind of faded out," Vannasdall said. "And we're trying to bring it back."

The Jaycees are an international organization of civic groups for people ages 18 to 40 that often are involved in fundraising about town.

Travis Bickings, Vice President of Missouri Jaycees and member of the Oran Jaycees chapter, said the organization is more than a fundraising body. It strengthens the community, he said, by nurturing and connecting individuals who will be leaders in business and the community in the future.

"It helps you meet young people with like interests," he said. "It's helped my business maturity, [my skills] have evolved, and a lot of it's due to [my involvement with] the Jaycees."

Bickings has been involved in the Jaycees for more than 18 years and says although every chapter is different, the Jaycees effect positive change in their towns, he said.

"We've started three new extensions in New Madrid, Portageville and Dexter, and they've all done a lot of good things for their communities," he said.

Vannasdall said the Jaycees are about community involvement.

"Everything that we do, we put back into the community, whether it's fundraising or whatever it may be," he said.

But first, he needs to drum up more interest among residents. To establish a Jackson chapter, he must have at least 20 members. He has about a dozen prospective members and hopes to draw more at the informational meeting.

Alex Skelton, who works at Bluff City Beer Co. in Cape Girardeau, said he's curious how Jackson Jaycees would be involved in the community and would consider becoming a member, based on what he's seen of other Jaycees in the surrounding towns.

"I believe it will be a benefit to our community," he said, "especially when you take a look at what the Jaycees do down in Sikeston or Cape, where they have a strong organization, especially with the younger generation."

tgraef@semissourian

388-3627