As Jaycee members we have a long history of driving change in our communities across the country and all through our grassroots skills and efforts. For example, when a group of young business men in the Los Angeles area were dissatisfied with their representation in congress they sought out a candidate and came across a young who was a Jaycee their first reaction was here is a young man who has been through the best training in the world.

Over the weekend I read another chapter of the book Young Men Can Change The World. I came across another great story this one of how the Abbeville Jaycees was founded. The story was a recount of the adventure of at the time U.S. Jaycees National Vice President Robert E. Condon who at the age of 29 also held the position of civil defense commissioner for the greater New York metro area.

Since 1954 Outstanding Young Farmers has been a signature program of the US Jaycees and believe it or not we’ve got very little to do with. now i know that’s hard to believe that the largest Jaycee state and is covered by 80% of farm land hasn’t Produce an Outstanding Young Farmer since 2008. Well that changes this year, because our states goal is to submit 5 outstanding candidates for this award.

As i write this i reflect back on January when State VP Geno asked me what was my Goal for Nothing But Nets? I pondered for a second and said I want to double what we made in 2010 and I wrote down $3000 dollars and then i started to wonder could we really do it? Well I’m excited to say that in just 5 months we’ve crossed the $3,000 dollar mark and were still going.

By Richard Lewis National Programs & Government Involvement State Chairmen Richard.lewis@iljaycees.org It’s that wonderful time of year if you’re a student the nice weather outside may signal the near end of another year and it’s the time when most Jaycee chapters give away there annual scholarship to students in their communities. But did you know that as a Jaycee member you and your family are eligible for FIVE scholarship programs funded by our organization?

Want to win 100 bucks? This year’s National Chair for the Support Our Troops program has setup a facebook group to communicate challenges and project ideas to directly to chapter members. She is running a challenge, she wants the chapters around country to send their completed CPG’s to her for projects they’ve ran this year by June 1st and she will give the best one selected One Hundred Bucks. Join her group at http://www.