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About Us
History
The Springfield Junior Chamber of Commerce, a civic organization
for men aged 21-40, was organized March 10, 1939. Ten young
Springfield men, plus members of the local Pill Rollers Club,
a young men’s organization, attended the first meeting to plan
the new Jaycee chapter. William B. McKenzie Jr. was elected
charter president for the balance of the 1939-40 year and the
1940-41 year. The purpose of the Jaycees - leadership training
through community service - has remained constant since the
establishment of the national organization in St. Louis. The
Junior Chamber of Commerce officially changed its name to "Jaycees"
in the 1950s. Membership was opened to women in August of 1980.
Throughout the years, the Springfield Jaycees have remained
a vital part of the community. In the 1940s, Jaycees were directly
responsible for the establishment of the Springfield Airport
Authority. They also developed plans for the salvage of scrap
metal, tin cans and paper in the area as requested by the War
Production Board and gained nationwide recognition for this
effort. Over a million pounds of scrap was collected during
the drive. In 1948, street signs were placed throughout the
city of Springfield by the Jaycees. After a study of the community
to determine the organizational needs of boys, a charter of
incorporation was presented on April 3, 1956 and the Boys Clubs
of Springfield was formed. The program promoted the health,
social, educational, vocational and character development of
boys from eight to eighteen , regardless of race, creed or color.
Lincoln Greens, a golf course located at Lake Springfield, was
developed by the Jaycees and opened for business on June 1,
1957. The decade of the sixties saw the Jaycees involved in
many activities to benefit the citizens of Springfield. Governmental
action included campaigns to eliminate municipal garbage collection,
add water fluoridation, pass sewer and school bond issues, and
sponsor candidate information programs. Many projects targeting
the youth of the area were also ran. From the introduction of
the Haunted House in 1970 to the donation of a crime prevention
trailer to local law enforcement agencies in 1980, the Springfield
Jaycees organized and ran a multitude of projects to benefit
the community. In 1976, the Bicentennial Freedom Train rolled
into town with the Jaycees distributing coloring books to commemorate
the event. In September 1981, the Harvard Park Dad’s Club signed
over the deed for the property at 2525 South 12th to the Springfield
Jaycees, giving us a permanent place to call home.
The Springfield Jaycees also helped form the original Crimestoppers
in 1982. The chapter has become one of the outstanding chapters
in Illinois and the nation, producing many inter-organization
and governmental leaders.
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