The Greater Watertown Jaycees will empower young people by providing the opportunity to develop personal and leadership skills through local community service and organizational involvement while expanding the Jaycee movement. The vision of the Greater Watertown Jaycees is to be the organization for young adults in the Greater Watertown area, providing service and leadership to our communities, the state and the nation in order to affect positive change.
Who Are We?We are a local chapter of a national leadership development organization, which builds tomorrow's leaders with the focus on self-growth for our members. This is accomplished through a hands-on approach to running projects that enhance the local members' communities.
National members of Jaycees (past and present) include: President Bill Clinton, Domino's Pizza mogul Tom Monaghan, and former Miss America Kaye Lani Rae-Rafko-Wilson. Name the field and Jaycees can be found at the forefront.
The Greater Watertown Jaycees chartered in July of 2003. Our members are young professionals in the community - including media professionals, teachers, outreach professionals, military population, consultants, and retail managers.
To learn more about the U.S. Jaycees, click here. To learn more about the New York State Jaycees, click here.
What We DoWe are a Leadership Development Organization
The Greater Watertown Jaycees builds tomorrow's leaders with the focus on self-growth for our members. The way this is accomplished is through a hands-on approach to running projects that enhance the local members' communities.
We are a Community Service Organization
The Greater Watertown Jaycees offers many programs and ideas that benefit the community. The local community dictates where the area of emphasis needs to be focused (i.e. running events for kids, job advancement, helping disadvantaged youth, senior visitations). The Greater Watertown Jaycees provides support and training materials so that the local chapter programs can be run effectively.
We are a Networking Organization
We are the cure for the common social life, plus you'll grow your career potential through meeting fellow members. The Jaycees is all about having fun while making promising business connections. Whether we meet for drinks and dinner, go white water rafting or hiking, or catch a movie or a ballgame, we are a group of young, fun, professional people who know how to have a great time together.
What We've DoneWe take pride in involving ourselves in our local community. Here are just a few of the events we've participated in over the course of the past couple of years.
March of Dimes Chef's Auction -
This fundraiser helped generate funds for the Syracuse chapter of March of Dimes
Media and Community Leader Rafting Competition
This event helped kick off Watertown's 2005 Black Water Challenge and Riverfest. We invited over 150 local community leaders and members of the area media to shoot the Black River's rapids, courtesy of Hudson River Rafting, Adirondack River Outfitters, and B.O.B. Rafting. Special thanks goes out to Subway, Pewter Mug, and Cam's Pizzeria, who provided services for the after-party, held at Toddy's Ice Cream Cafe.
Click here to see some of the pictures from this fun event.
Watertown PumpkinFest 2004
The Watertown Jaycees had the honor of judging jack-o-lanterns at this event.
Destination Downtown Public Forum
By far, this event got the Greater Watertown Jaycees the most attention. It's obvious that citizens of Watertown and the surrounding area care about downtown. Destination Downtown is an ongoing Jaycees project. Click here to e-mail Bryan White, who masterminded the event.
Adopt Our Soldiers
This is another of the Watertown Jaycees' ongoing projects. Click here to find out more.
Outstanding Young New Yorker Scholarship for Local High School Seniors
The 2007 Outstanding Young New Yorker (OYNY) Winner is Caitlin Simard from Brantingham, NY, within the South Lewis School District. Caitlin is the recipient of our local $500 Scholarship that we award and receive sponsorship for. Caitlin competed in the NYS Jaycees OYNY competition in Binghamton, NY and placed 1st in the State for Outstanding Young New Workers. Caitlin truly shine among the competition. For winning first place in the State she will be awarded another $1500 Scholarship from the NYS Jaycees. Caitlin is a fine example of the talented youth in the North Country and we are delighted she is our OYNY winner this year. She is currently her class valedictorian, and involved in several community groups such as Reality Check and volunteers for the local Humane Society. Caitlin plans on attending Georgetown in the Fall.
Thank you to several local business for helping the Watertown Jaycees support this scholarship program - Aubertine and Currier, Black River Paper Company, DOHL and Bolton's Pharmacy. We appreciate your help.
If you're interested in applying for this scholarship or if you'd like to find out how you can donate money for our 2006 OYNY scholarship, contact our President, Leslie O'Hara.
Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser - Willowbrook Golf Course
No one walked away empty-handed at our first big fundraiser, held in August 2005. Thanks to the vendors who provided prizes and support: DOHL Development.
American Cancer Society Relay for Life Team
The Greater Watertown Jaycees team had a wonderful time this year at the Relay for Life fundraiser. Click here to see photos from the event.
Annual Meet and Greet
Our Meet and Greets give members of the community who are interested in finding out a little more about the Jaycees the opportunity to mingle with members. We always have interesting speakers and great food at this event!
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