What are the Jaycees, anyway?
If you don’t know, you’re not alone.
For one thing, the Jaycees, which celebrated its 100th anniversary two years ago, is not a religious organization. JC does not stand for either Jesus Christ nor is it the Jewish Community Center, a common mistake, said Gronvold.
And it’s not (although it was, way back), the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and has little to do with local business any more, she explained.
What the Jaycees, now known as JCI USA, are, according to the national website, is a not-for-profit organization of “ young active citizens all over the world, (ages 18 – 40) , living, communicating, taking action and creating impact in our communities”.
“It’s mostly for young people, about service, and leadership, and making friends,” said Kelly Edwards, Chapter Vice President of Community and Events.
JCI is currently active in over 124 countries with over 200,000 members and one Mission statement:
“To contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing the opportunity for young people to develop the leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive change.”
And as the international group continues to celebrate its 100th anniversary with a major rebranding to bring it into its second century, the Hollywood Jaycees has its own big event to celebrate: 75 years of service to our city.
