During their anniversary celebration, former Jaycee members are being asked to share memories. The newly elected 1999 officers will also be installed.
Officers being installed are: Liz Greguson, president; Ann Johnson, chapter management vice president and membership vice president; Todd Greig, community development vice president; Paul Osborne, individual development vice president; Sarah Baumhardt, state delegate; Joyce Hislop, secretary; Tierney Viessman, treasurer; and Laurie Nepsund, Welcome Neighbor coor-dinator.
Drawing for door prizes will be held throughout the evening.
The Paynesville Area Jaycees held their “charter night” on Oct. 27, 1968, with Miss Minnesota, Mary Williams, and John Zwach, 6th District Congress-man present.
The Paynesville chapter came into existence following an open meeting sponsored by the St. Anthony Village Jaycees.
The first officers for the newly formed organization were: Joe Spaulding, president; Wally Thyen, internal vice president; John Holden, external vice president; Richard Nelson, state director; Tom Thelen, treasurer; Lloyd Berryman, Jr., secretary and Joe Voss and Jim Clowes, directors.
Other charter members were: Dave Fremo, Gene Nygaard, Art Rittenhouse, Gerald Kern, Jerry Burr, John Carlson, Bruce Krupke, Steve Sullivan, Dave Holtz, Norm Athmann, Linus Nistler, Dwight Putzke, Howard Adler, Dick Johnson, Tom Burr, John Erickson, Gordon Everson, DeWayne Strodtman, Dale Nathe, Arne Eastman, Wayne Fischer, Dave Rohde, and Ron Frauenshuh.
Joe Voss said the internal programs help the members as much as the external programs.
Among the first projects of the Jaycees were: state and national plowing contests, sandbox fills, Christmas decorations, country music show, snowmobile races, car ice races, a Santa phone-in. They also helped start a Jaycee chapter at St. Cloud Reformatory, and built a softball field behind Northern Lights Dining and Lounge (Bernie’s Barn). The area now serves as a parking lot for the ice arena.
Present day projects include: the sand- box fill each spring, Punt, Pass and Kick, SuperShot, Pumpkin decorating, volleyball tournament, Fourth of July fireworks, kid wrestling tournaments, Diamond skills, Welcome Neighbor program, Red Cross bloodmobile, bicycle safety training, and Letters from Santa. The Jaycees are also working with the city to help develop a hiking/biking trail from the gazebo in town to the swimming beach at Veteran’s Park and stating a chapter in Kimball.
The mission of the Jaycees is to provide young people the opportunity to develop personal goals and leadership through local community service and organizational involvement while expanding the junior chamber move-ment.
The Paynesville Area Jaycees meet at 7 p.m., the first Thursday of each month at the Paynesville Area Senior Center. The Jaycees is open to men and women ages 21 to 39.