Central Carolina Jaycees

Vendor Fair & Community Yard Sale

2011-08-07T18:21:00.002-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees invite you to our Community Yard Sale & Vendor Fair happening on August 20, 2011 from 7am to noon (no early birds please!!!!) at the Jaycee Hut (809 Tryon Street) in Sanford.

Not sure where to find the Jaycee Hut? It's right around the corner from the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy and behind Kiwanis Children's Parkplace, located on Carthage and Wicker streets. But don't worry -- we'll be sure to post plenty of signs in the area!

Vendors include: Auntie Di’s De-Lites, Avon, Crooked Pigtails, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, Tastefully Simple, and Thirty-One Gifts. Most of these vendors will have products available for you to buy right then and there, while others will help you order for delivery on a later date. Yard sale items include clothes, furniture, housewares, an air conditioning unit, kids items, and more.

This is the perfect chance to buy clothes for going back to school and pick up a little something for yourself at the same time!

Interested in being a vendor at the fair? Get in touch with Ashley via email.

Want a flier with all the important details? Click here!

Back-to-School Book Bag & Supplies Raffle!

2011-07-28T14:57:00.005-04:00

It's that time again -- the back to school sales are in full swing and school supplies are on every store's shelf.

We have a great deal for parents, grandparents, and educators alike. We're raffling off two backpacks filled with school supplies! There's one girly backpack and one that's more for boys, and both are filled to the zipper with the tools and items children will need when summer vacation comes to an end.

Take a look:

Here's a flyer that gives you an exact breakdown of the supplies. Share it with your friends, family, and coworkers!

Ticket prices: 1 for $1, 6 for $5, 12 for $10, 18 for $15, or 25 for $20 (best deal).

To purchase tickets: Send an email to Dee Prince or to the Central Carolina Jaycees. You can mail checks (payable to the Central Carolina Jaycees) to PO Box 1532, Sanford NC 27331. Or, you can buy tickets from any Jaycee member.

Now, we know that many Lee County children have already returned to the classroom, thanks to Tramway's year-round schedule. But that doesn't mean their families can't take advantage of this great raffle! You could store your winnings for when the first round of supplies runs out or donate the supplies to your school for children whose families may be struggling.

Great idea: Many local organizations are preparing to help area families by running school supplies drives, such as Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Communities in Schools of Lee County.

Thank you for supporting the Central Carolina Jaycees!

In Honor Of Elijah

2011-07-26T11:14:00.002-04:00

Angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. --Author unknown

One year ago today, our community suffered a loss that still reverberates today. Five-year-old Elijah Caddick, who was autistic, left this life after a tragic drowning accident. He left behind him hundreds of people who loved him -- his mother, father, and brothers; his family and friends; his teachers, caregivers and therapists; and all the many people who learned about this child in the months after his death.

His mother, Melissa, has been a pillar of strength over the past 12 months despite her immense pain and loss. She has showered love on her other boys, one of whom has Mitochondrial Disease. She has lost friends who can't understand her loss, but she has also gained friends who look to her as an example of how to survive grief and live in a way that honors the child she lost.

Through her work with ERA Strother Real Estate (the Real Agents of Harnett County), she has raised thousands of dollars for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which helped 12 children to attend summer camp. Melissa has also joined the Central Carolina Jaycees, through which she hopes to truly honor Elijah's memory and make a lasting impact on the community in his name.

How? Melissa wants to build a park. Elijah's park. The kind of park where he could've played for hours without worrying about heat or noise, where he could swing or play without getting hurt, and where the equipment is especially suited to children with physical, mental, sensory, or behavioral conditions. A park where every child in Lee County can come and play -- not just typical ones.

In honor of Elijah, his mom wants to build the type of place Elijah would've loved, and that will keep both his name and spirit alive in our community. But neither she nor the Central Carolina Jaycees can do it without the whole community's help. Here's how you can help:

Volunteer. If you can volunteer your time for planning or your "elbow grease" for building, we'd love to have you.

Donate. Parks cost money. Often, a whole lot of money. We welcome any fundraisers or donations (money or materials) and are working on establishing a 501(c)3 just for this park project.

Support. Please let us -- Melissa, most especially -- know you are in our corner for this project. Share the word. Tell your family and friends. Ask you coworkers to get involved. The more support for this project, the better chance we can make it happen.

And if you're reading this on July 26, the anniversary of Elijah's death, there's one more way to honor this sweet, special child.

Elijah loved princesses. In his honor, his mom has asked everyone to release a princess balloon in his memory. Take a picture of your release and tag her on Facebook. If you aren't friends with Melissa, you can tag us and she'll see it.

From the Caddick family and the Central Carolina Jaycees, we thank you in advance for helping us making Melissa's (and Elijah's) dreams a reality.

Join Our Community Yard Sale!

2011-05-25T15:25:00.001-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees are hosting their annual yard sale at the Jaycee Hut at 809 Tryon Street on Saturday, June 11 from 7am-noon. This sale will be part of the Lee County Super Yard Sale.

We'd love for you (and you! and you!) to come sell your gently used items with us! We have space inside or outside and for $5 you can come set up the night before (a great deal for those who don't want to be at 4am).

Prices are:

$10 to be outside (bring your own table)
$15 to be inside (includes 1 table and 2 chairs)
$35 for a booth (includes 3 tables and 2 chairs)

Here's a yard sale flier to share with those who might be interested.

Click here to grab the form you'll need to fill out to join the sale. Follow the directions on the form to submit it to us. Feel free to share your spot with up to 2 people. Space size will be limited, so multiple families will not be able to share one space.

We also welcome any direct sales vendor or craftsperson to come out and sell their items during this time.

The deadline to enter the sale is Thursday, June 9 at 5pm. This is also the last day to cancel your entry for a partial (50%) refund. After 5pm, there will be no refunds, even if you can't attend the sale.

Have questions? Send an email to Ashley.

Let Your Teen Dance The Night Away

2011-05-16T16:04:00.002-04:00

If we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times -- there's nothing for teenagers to do in Sanford. Until now, that is. The Central Carolina Jaycees are hosting our first ever After Dark Teen Dance this weekend!

All teens ages 12-15 are invited to come out and have fun ... no matter what school they attend (or if they're homeschooled)!

Where: Jaycee Hut at 809 Tryon Street (behind Kiwanis Children's Parkplace).
When: Friday, May 20 from 8-11pm
What: Music provided by a live DJ, concessions for sale, and adult supervision.
Cost: $5 per person

How your child can attend: All you need to do is bring your child to the Jaycee Hut starting at 7:30pm. The dance will reach capacity at 150 bodies, and this is a first-come-first-served event. We encourage you to leave your teen with us rather than stay, but parents are welcome to stay if they'd like.

You must indicate who is allowed to pick up your child on the mandatory permission slip. Anyone picking up a child must present a picture ID. We will not release a child to any unauthorized persons.

Still have questions? Give us a call at (919) 356-6360 and we'll be happy to answer them. In the meantime, let your child know she or he should prepare for a great night of dancing and fun!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

2011-03-16T00:32:00.001-04:00

Cadbury eggs in the grocery checkout line, aisles full of pastels, artificial grass and baskets in neon colors can only mean one thing: Easter is right around the corner!

The best part of Easter? Egg hunts, of course! The Central Carolina Jaycees are excited to invite everyone out to participate in our annual hunt, which will fall a little early this year. Here are the details:

Where: Kiwanis Family Park (across from Parkview Retirement Home) on Wicker Street.
When: Saturday, April 2 from 11:30am-1pm
Who: The hunts are for children under age 10. However, facepainting, crafts, and games are open to children of all ages.
What you'll need: Don't forget your Easter basket! You may also want to bring a picnic blanket or chairs if you plan to spend the whole time.

Along with the hunts, crafts, games, and facepainting, you'll also have a chance to get a photo with the Easter Bunny. We'll be selling refreshments throughout the hunts, so don't worry about being hungry!

Special thanks go out to our sponsors: Added Accents, Steele Street Cafe, and VLO Signs & Graphics!

We hope to see you there!

Take the Chill Out with the Jaycees

2011-03-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

Spring is coming, but it's still a bit chilly out. Warm up with a steaming bowl of soup delivered right to your door!

The Central Carolina Jaycees are selling soup and sandwich plates on Friday, March 11 from 11am-3pm. For just $6, you can get your choice of potato soup, veggie beef soup, or chili along with a sandwich, chips, and a dessert. And if you have more than 5 orders, we'll deliver right to your door!

Of course, if you don't have 5 orders or you'll be out and about, then you can come eat with us at the Jaycee Hut (809 Tryon St) or take your order to go. We'd love the chance to say hi and chat with you over a bowl of delicious food!

You can place your order by mailing your order form to us at PO Box 1532, Sanford NC 27331 -- or sending it to us via email. Be sure to include a contact name and number, the number of plates and soup choices, and where to deliver the plates (if you qualify).

Share our sale with your friends and co-workers using this flyer. And if you have questions, feel free to shoot us an email or post on our Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing you on the 11th!

Workin' at the car wash ....

2010-07-22T22:11:00.000-04:00

Muggy heat and days without rain mean one thing: filthy vehicles!

Come out and let us rid your car or truck of all the grime and dust it's picked up over the summer. We'll be with the Hanks Chapel youth group at the Advance Auto in Pittsboro on Saturday, August 7 starting at 8 am with our buckets and rags ready to wash your car.

While we get things spic and span, you can nosh on hot dogs (complete with chili and coleslaw if you want it), chips, and drinks. Profit from the car wash and hot dog lunch will help the youth group go to youth camp and enable us to bring more fun events to the community.

We can't wait to see those dirty cars come rolling in!

A fun day at the zoo

2010-07-18T15:29:00.000-04:00

In early July, we packed up the Jaycee kids and headed over to Aloha Safari Zoo for a fun day of feeding the animals, touring the zoo, and learning more about the animals living right in our backyard.

Though it was hot and crowded, everyone had a great time!

We are currently gearing up for an Applebee's pancake breakfast fundraiser to benefit this zoo. Tickets are $7 and must be purchased in advanced. All profits will go toward helping the zoo build a habitat for Bodie the bear (Russian brown bear).

Without the construction, the bear will have to find a new home. Please let us know if you'd like to purchase a ticket to help this little guy out!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-03T22:24:00.001-04:00

We can't miss a chance to celebrate our nation's independence. So it's no surprise that we were at the local Family 4th Festival in Depot Park on Saturday, July 3 doing what we do best -- arts & crafts!

We made red, white, and blue flags on one side and "patriotic" bird feeders on the other side. We had many great patrons and got the chance to meet several interesting local families.

Rebecca has made it her mission to bring fireworks back to Sanford, so she took this opportunity to raise funds for a great show in 2011.

Did you make it out to the Independence Day celebration in Sanford? If so, tell us what you loved (or hated) about it. We'll be taking it over next year and want to make sure you have a blast -- like these little folks did. :)

Spring Fling!

2010-05-10T01:23:00.000-04:00

We had a fantastic time at the Spring Fling this weekend!

The weather was toasty hot, but the fountain kept everyone cool as they made crafts like popsicle harmonicas, pinecone birdfeeders, and sand art necklaces.

Festival goers also had a fun time playing on the bouncy house, listening to great live music, watching cool demonstrations, and having their photos taken with Truman.

Though we were all pooped at the end, we can't wait to do it again next year!

Yummy!!!!!

2010-05-04T06:04:00.005-04:00

Yummy!!! Spaghetti PLate Sale Fundraiser was a sucess on Wednesday, February 10. 2010. Over 100 plates were sold to help with this ways of means project for the renovation of the Jaycee Hut. Plates were $5.00 for a plate full of spaghetti, salad, roll, and dessert. You can't find that deal anywhere in town! Our chapter cannot say thank you enough to the members of our chapter that sold plates, worked the event and also to the community members that made this event possible.

New year, renewed chapter!

2010-01-13T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees' first meeting of the year was last night, and it was a big night for our group. Over free pizza and drinks, we inducted four brand new members.

Welcome to Ashley Smith, Ashley Quinones,

Gina Guerrero, and Kamilah Davis!

We'll be holding a new member orientation later this month for these folks and anyone else in the community who is interested in learning more about who the Jaycees are and what we stand for.

We also named a new Executive Board for the 2010 year! Our new board members are:

President: Kelly Quinones Miller
Management Vice President: Laura Bruce
Individual Development Vice President: Michael Lamping
Community Vice President: Gina Guerrero
Membership Vice President: Hampton Rutledge
International Vice President: Kamilah Davis
Chair: Shannon Shuey

The board has a few open spaces that we're looking to fill. They are Communications Vice President (perfect for someone with a marketing and public relations background or interest), Secretary (standard note taking and member notification duties), and Local Director (someone who'll work closely with the Secretary).

And as you can see, new members are more than encouraged to take on a board position. Our mentoring program is designed to help all members feel supported and informed as they take on more responsibility in the chapter.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 26 at the Jaycee Hut. If you think you'd enjoy being a Jaycee or serving in a board position -- please come say hi!

A Sanford Tradition!

2009-12-06T09:59:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!!!! The Sanford Christmas parade was a great success with over 50 floats and organizations involved. The Central Carolina Jaycees helped out the Chamber this year with hope to take the reins of the parade next year with their help. Future plans are by the third year making the Sanford parade completely a Central Carolina Jaycees event. The member’s that took part in the parade this year helped with placement of floats and vendor registration. This year’s event followed the same route as last year, starting at the Elks Club on Wicker, traveling through downtown and ending back at the Elks Club on Carthage Street. This parade continues its family fun event and has been a Sanford tradition for nearly 60 years.

What a MESS!

2009-10-15T12:44:00.003-04:00

What a MESS! The Central Carolina Jaycees and the local Life Line and Recovery Mission teamed up to clean up the hut on September 5th. The filthy tiles and moldy ceiling have been taken down and new tiles have been put up. The walls have been repainted with one coat and the need for one more is in the near future. The back wall and the floor still need to be cleaned and/or reconstructed. Please join us for the next hut clean up day on October 20th at 5:00 at the hut. We will be working on the second coat of paint, reconstruction of the back wall, cleaning of the floor and much more! All help is needed to get ready for our first Halloween Bash on the 30th of October. Hope to see all of your there

An Apple A Day

2009-10-15T12:40:00.004-04:00

Apple picking has become one of the Central Carolina Jaycees favorite fall traditions. Our chapter has never done this event together, but now we can’t imagine going a year without a trip to the orchard. This year, we headed to the Millstone Creak Orchard in Ramseur, North Carolina. The orchard was beautiful and family friendly. Most of the apples were high in the tree tops. Some of the members climbed to the top to get the best picks. Fortunately there were apples near the bottom so that the kids could pick a juicy apple take three bites then drop them on the ground. The picking didn’t last long for our apple buckets to be filled to the rim. We were able to pick apples, enjoy apple smoothies, and have a picnic while the kids played on the tire swing and humongous rock. What a great family day! If you missed we are sure to go back next year.

3rd Annual Food Drive

2009-10-15T12:23:00.005-04:00

The 3rd Annual Food Drive collection was a resounding success! The Central Carolina members collected over 60 bags of food for the Sanford Area. The community’s response was absolutely incredible. Members and friends arrived to help collect food on October 3rd. Many thanks must go to the wonderful group of Jaycee volunteers and Sanford Community which helped make this food drive a success. The food collected was given to the Life Line Recovery Mission. The Life Line Recovery Mission members were excited and humbled by the generosity of the Central Carolina Jaycees Food Drive. With such a great success over the years we are truly looking forward to this project for many years to come.

Wii Wars: MarioKart!

2009-06-28T18:00:00.000-04:00

If you've ever played MarioKart, then you know no one needs a reason to spend hours playing it ... but we came up with one: the Wii Wars MarioKart Tournament!

Several Central Carolina Jaycees and their friends and spouses got together on Saturday night to RACE TO THE DEATH -- or until one clear winner emerged. The boys practiced for an hour or so and then we got down to business.

After four heats (and a brief intermission for the kids to play), Billy Miller, Bill Shuey, and Ian Lindauer emerged as the top three racers. They then battled in a three-way race for the cup. After a grueling and action-packed four races, Billy claimed the final victory with Bill in second place and Ian following up the rear.

If you weren't able to attend, don't worry -- we'll definitely be doing it again soon. And next time, the Golden Steering Wheel could be yours!

Distinguished Service Awards

2009-06-26T00:48:00.000-04:00

We honored some of Lee County's top community members last night at the Central Carolina Jaycees' Distinguished Service Awards dinner, which was held at Cape Cod Grill in Sanford.

At the dinner, we named Officer Marshall Cameron as our Outstanding Public Servant, Katan Akinosho as our Outstanding High School Senior, and Genevieve Quinones as our Outstanding Senior Citizen. Each of the awards were given based on the community members' hard work and dedication toward improving the lives of those around them. We were also proud to announce that Genevieve won Outstanding Senior Citizen for the State of North Carolina.

We all know that Sanford and Lee County are home to some amazing people, but it's nice to have a few certificates and plaques to show those hard workers how much we appreciate them.

Think someone you know deserves a Distinguished Service Award? Just let us know why and we can nominate him or her!

Kidsville News! of the Sandhills

2009-06-23T21:42:00.001-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees were excited to have Vicky and Jack from Kidsville News! of the Sandhills come to speak at our meeting tonight.

The paper is a community-based kids' paper that promotes literacy and that the State Board of Education has begun using in end-of-grade tests. Very cool!

All local businesses should support community newspapers like this one. We plan to do our part. Let us know if you'd like to connect with Vicky or Jack to find out how you can help.

It's spaghetti time!

2009-04-19T22:12:00.003-04:00

April showers bring more than May flowers ... they also bring our annual spaghetti supper!

This year we're hosting the dinner at Jonesboro United Methodist Church right on Main Street in Sanford and proceeds from the supper will benefit Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Just like last year, plates are $5 for spaghetti, bread, salad, and dessert; and if you buy three plates, you get a fourth for free! Where else can you find a meal for four for only $15?!

Contact us today to make sure we'll have a plate for you. And, please consider eating with us at Jonesboro Methodist ... we're providing a wonderful and talented spectrum of entertainment from some of Sanford's most talented singers!

A beautiful day for hunting!

2009-04-06T22:04:00.004-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees were excited and proud to host the 2nd annual Community Easter Egg Hunt at Kiwanis Children's Parkplace this past weekend.

We had tons of kids, three face painters, a big bucket full of prizes, food, drinks, and FUN! You can see some fun photos of our hunters here.

We hope everyone had a great time!

Family Talk

2009-03-19T22:24:00.003-04:00

Tonight, the Central Carolina Jaycees hosted FAMILY TALK at the Boys & Girls Club of Sanford/Lee County. FAMILY TALK is designed to help parents open up the lines of communication with their children to help prevent teen and pre-teen drinking.

Darla Cole, head resource officer for Lee County Schools, did a fantastic job of addressing a crowded room of elementary and middle school students, as well as some parents. She gave a dynamic and interactive talk about the dangers of drinking and how children can battle peer pressure. The kids had a great time trying out beer goggles and practicing different ways to say "No" when their friends or acquaintances pressure them to try alcohol.

If you are interested in more information about FAMILY TALK or preventing teen drinking, check out the resources on our website. In the meantime, here are some fun pictures from the night.

St Patty's M-Night

2009-03-17T15:33:00.002-04:00

If you weren't at the Central Carolina Jaycees' St. Patty's Membership Night, then you missed out on some great fun!

Jaycees from Fayetteville, Asheboro, and Sanford converged at Bill and Shannon Shuey's house to drink green beer, take green jello shots, and play all manner of fun games, including stump.

Check our website to find out when the next party will be. You don't want to miss it!

Membership night at Joe's

2009-02-21T15:53:00.001-05:00

Several new and old members of the Central Carolina Jaycees met to have drinks and hang out at Local Joe's Tap & Grill in downtown Sanford last night. We had a blast just relaxing and talking about stuff other than projects!

Morgan Cook & Shannon Shuey are all smiles.

Matt Dilworth & Kelly Quinones Miller toast to a fun night. Matt & Michael Lamping discuss physics ...
or something like that.
Matt Kaufman plays pool while
Ray & Tracy Culler watch.
Dana Kaufman lines up her shot.

You should come with us next time -- we promise you'll have fun!

Hearts 4 HAVEN

2009-02-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

HAVEN in Lee County is often the first place women and families go when they are trying to escape abusive relationships or domestic situations. Unfortunately, our nation's shaky economy makes it even harder for HAVEN to provide shelter, clothing, and other support to families in need.

To make it a little easier, the Central Carolina Jaycees ran "Hearts 4 HAVEN," a drive to collect paper and household goods that the group could use to better support their clients. Paper and household goods are perfect for HAVEN because they run out quickly and they can always be put to use. For our drive, we asked for items like paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, trash bags, feminine supplies, toiletries like shampoo and toothpaste, laundry supplies, and dish washing liquid.

Despite rampant job losses and a crumbling economy, the Sanford community -- as usual -- pulled together to make this project a success.

Sixth graders at San-Lee Middle School, members of the Good News Baptist Church, and employees at the City of Sanford, along with shoppers at Lowe's Foods and the Northview Food Lion, joined together to help us donate more than $150 worth of paper goods to the group.

Because of Lee County's dedication to helping each other, HAVEN can continue its amazing work and help more women and families live safe and happy lives.

Jaycee Week in Sanford

2009-02-16T15:01:00.000-05:00

The Lee County Commissioners and Sanford City Council declared this week (Feb. 15-Feb. 21) as Jaycee Week!

Lee County Commissioners proclaimed Jaycee Week at their 6 pm Monday meeting and the City Council made the declaration at their 7 pm Tuesday meeting. We were honored to be in attendance.

We would like to thank everyone in the city and county for their unwavering support of the Jaycees in general and the Central Carolina Jaycees in particular!

"Serve Up Hope" was a success!

2009-02-10T11:10:00.005-05:00

Our first Ways & Means project of the year was a hit!

The “Serve Up Hope” Soup & Sandwich sale was Friday, Feb. 6 at the Jaycee Hut. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, we sold 130 bowls of soup and made $650 for the chapter. Our soup choices were potato, vegetable beef, and chili. Each bowl came with a half sandwich, chips, and a dessert. Yum!

As you can see, we went through many pots in the course of the sale!

Project chair Kelly Quinones Miller would like to thank everyone who helped in any capacity, including soup makers Tom Johnson, Chad Gordon, and Shannon Shuey; dessert makers Laura Bruce, Shannon Shuey, and Amber Dunigan; and day-of helpers Andy Childress, Tracy Culler, Hampton Rutledge, Bill Shuey, Matt Kaufman, and Bobby Wade.

The best news is that we set a new record for the chapter. This project involved SEVEN men. That’s the most men ever involved in a single CCJC project!

We’re already planning the next plate sale. Let us know if and how you’d like to help.

Sanford Has A New Senator

2009-01-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

At our last meeting, we honored Chad Adams with a Senatorship - the highest honor you can bestow on a Jaycee!

Chad was a founding member of the Central Carolina Jaycees and has been a powerful force in shaping both our chapter and the Sanford community. Past CCJCs Alecia Adams, Darla Cole, Ray Culler, and Christine Weatherspoon attending the meeting to congratulate Chad on this honor.

Past CCJC Ray Culler and current member Mike Cole both spoke about Chad's long history with the Jaycees and how his experience in the organization helped him carve a unique path in his career with the John Locke Foundation. Mike also pointed out that without Chad's influence in politics, half of Sanford's current political figures would never have considered running for office.

So if you see Chad around, be sure to congratulate him on this honor. And don't be hesitant to ask him how he thinks you can best serve your community or make the most of your experience in the Jaycees!

Inauguration Day

2009-01-21T01:52:00.007-05:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees braved central NC's winter weather to gather on Inauguration night to celebrate and discuss the elections process and 2008's historic election of President Barack Obama.

We ate spaghetti and yummy desserts, including a red-white-and-blue jello trifle and red-white-and-blue snow cones made from real snow we collected throughout the day. Everyone sat around the kitchen table and made patriotic, themed signs and then watched highlights from the day's inauguration coverage.

We all had a great time discussing the highs and lows of the election, as well as sharing our personal opinions on the new administration. This part was especially interesting considering that the group is comprised of those who did and did not support Obama for the presidency.

You can see more photos from the night on our Flickr page!

Let's Build A Gingerbread House!

2008-12-10T16:15:00.003-05:00

Our annual Gingerbread House building party is this Saturday at noon. Hasn't time flown? It seems like we just did this, even though a whole year has passed by. This is our last event for 2008!

This year, we're building the houses at the Moose Lodge instead of squeezing into Shannon's living room. Another change is you just have to show up instead of bringing a bag of candy with you. We're supplying the pre-made cookie pieces, the icing, and the candy! Now, if there's something special your child wants, bring it with you - but most children will be more than impressed with our spread!

If you'd like to join us, let Shannon know through email or by calling her at (919) 7356-6360.

Also, Santa Letters are on sale now. This year we've added two new backgrounds in case you have children who will notice that everyone's letter looks alike. Otherwise, everything will be the same as last year: the letter will come in an envelope marked from the North Pole and will contain personal pieces of information that you give us about your children.

Order today!

Visit with the LCPFS

2008-11-21T11:01:00.003-05:00

Laura Bruce and I attended the Lee County Partnership for Children's board meeting yesterday so that we could present a donation from the Pumpkin Festival.

Everyone involved with the Partnership was very welcoming and thankful for our donation. The nation's economic hardship is filtering down to the county level, meaning that family- and child-focused organizations need community support more than ever.

We are very happy to have been able to help the Partnership and plan to do more work with them in the future. If you'd like to find out how to help, go to their website!

2009 Board!

2008-11-13T23:24:00.004-05:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees have elected the board of directors for 2009. They are:

President: Shannon Shuey
Management VP: Kelly Quinones Miller
Individual Development VP: Laura Bruce
Community Development VP: Brook Wade
Membership VP: Abbey Lindauer
Secretary: Sarah Lyons
Treasurer: Amber Dunigan
Local Directors: Justin Coggins and Matt Kaufman
Chair: Hampton Rutledge

Congratulations to everyone! If you're a member and want to serve on the board - let us know!

Central Carolina Jaycees' Regional Social

2008-10-29T15:06:00.002-04:00

Sanford is surrounded by some really great Jaycees, but unfortunately we rarely have the time or opportunity to just hang out together.

To resolve this problem, the Central Carolina Jaycees are hosting a Regional Social on Friday, November 21 at 6:30 pm for the Jaycee chapters in our region: Fayetteville and Moore County. We'd love to see members from chapters from outside of our region -- and the Sanford community -- as well!

The Social will be a pot-luck dinner prepared and served by the CCJCs. We'll also play lots of games (from poker to Pictionary) as we eat and gab. If there's a game you love to play, bring it along. Check back here for a menu and game list!

This is a family-friendly event, so we'll have food, games, and movies set up for the little ones. We hope that everyone will come to Social and have a great time.

Comment on this post or contact us to let us know you'll be there.

Samaritan's Purse

2008-10-29T14:55:00.004-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees are participating in Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child -- and you can, too.

We are stuffing five shoeboxes -- 3 girls, 2 boys -- with toys, hygiene ads, educational materials and other fun stuff to send to needy children around the world. If you'd like to help, you can drop off donations at the Jaycee Hut during one of our meetings or this weekend between 12 pm and 2 pm.

Here's a good list to go by when putting together your donation:

SHOEBOX GIFT IDEAS
TOYS: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS: toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.
OTHER: Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
A PERSONAL NOTE: In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)
DO NOT INCLUDE: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans.

A huge thanks goes out to Gwen Schott, a general member of our chapter and executive board member for the state chapter, for sponsoring our shoeboxes!

We need all donations by November 21. Luckily, this is also the date of our Regional Social, which everyone is invited to attend. You can just bring your donations with you to the party!

Celebrate Autumn With Us This Weekend!

2008-10-08T08:55:00.004-04:00

Our first annual Pumpkin Festival is this weekend! We can't believe how quickly October 11 is arriving, but we're planning an awesome festival filled with fun, games ... and, yes, pumpkins!

Luckily, Kent Yarborough has stepped up to help us out with pumpkins. His farm out on Hwy 42 is a favorite of my family's and I know he gets a lot of visitors from both Sanford and Broadway. We're very lucky to be working with him to get pumpkins to sell at the Pumpkin Festival.

But that's not all we'll have: There's a bee keeper coming, a lady who sells soaps and doggie treats, a lady who makes quilts and scarves, and Worth Pickard from Old Gilliam Mill to show off some antique tools, as well as demonstrations from clog dancers and G Force Kenpo Karate. This is on top of live performers all day, including The Gospel Echoes and Tim Hair.

So, all this stuff sounds great for adults. But don't worry - you can't have a Pumpkin Festival without fun for the kids. We'll have a bouncy house for little ones and a big blow up slide for big ones. Also, we're asking kids to come out in their Halloween costumes to be part of our costume parade and costume contest. Kids can team up with each other or a parent to build a scarecrow for our scarecrow contest.

All in all, there will be a lot going on - but it's going to be a blast for everyone. Oh, and you can come hungry - we'll be selling nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks! And, kids will get candy at each activity or station ... you know that'll go over well. :) We hope to see you there.

The Festival begins at 2 pm and runs through 8 pm. You can get details about the contests and directions for making a scarecrow at our website.

Clucks For Bucks

2008-10-08T08:28:00.005-04:00

In our first pre-pay plate sale, the Central Carolina Jaycees sold 113 plates out of the Jaycee Hut this past Friday! Each plate had a barbecued chicken quarter, homemade coleslaw, baked beans, a roll and a dessert.

Despite a few minor problems (like getting the grill to work), we delivered our plates to a ton of very happy customers.

Our sincere thanks go out to Mike Stone at O'Connell's Supermarket for helping us out with the chicken and allowing us to use his grill. We couldn't have had a successful plate sale without his help!

This project went over so well that we're already thinking about another one. We've tossed around some different ideas: chili and cornbread, soup and sandwiches, spaghetti, pancakes or another breakfast-type plate. Who knows what we'll come up with - but if you have any ideas, let us know!

Congratulations Anna & Drew

2008-10-07T00:42:00.000-04:00

CCJC Anna Lucas and her husband Drew welcomed their first child, a healthy baby boy, on Tuesday, October 7. Congratulations to you both!

Oh baby - it's a boy!

2008-09-26T00:25:00.005-04:00

We celebrated new life with two of our Jaycee moms this week. Anna Lucas and Amanda Wilson are both expecting baby boys, though Anna is due in October and Amanda still has a few months until her December due date.

The baby shower was a lot of fun. We rarely have time to just kick back and enjoy each other's company without worrying about what project is coming up next and what must be done immediately or the world will collapse. :) So just sitting around the table with friends was a refreshing change of pace ... and who doesn't want to talk about babies? (Okay, perhaps people without children - but they need the heads up!)

The theme for the shower was paper, so we showered Anna and Amanda with diapers and wipes ... two things you can't live without when a newborn enters the pictures. Two of our members turned up the talent factor: Shannon made two gorgeous diaper cakes and Dana crocheted two soft and fuzzy baby blankets.

Suffice it to say, we're all very happy and excited for our Jaycee moms. And we're already to cuddle those sweet new babies ... when they're ready to be born!

2nd Annual Food Drive

2008-09-21T00:06:00.002-04:00

We couldn’t have asked for a better response for our second annual “No More Hungry Bellies” Food Drive. We collected nearly 90 bags of food for Lifeline Recovery Mission — and delivered the food without a moment to spare.

When we got to the mission’s home, we found out that the group was completely out of food! Pastor Scott Yow had gone that morning to purchase breakfast for everyone out of his pocket, but they weren’t sure what to do for the rest of the meals. The group had prayed for food that morning ... and then we showed up.

This project really solidified for us why we enjoy being part of this community and working to make it a better place for everyone. Being a Jaycee makes you appreciate both what you have and what you can offer to someone else. Our thanks go out to the Sanford neighborhoods who were so generous: Devroe Meadows, Fairway Woods, Hawkins Run, Bridges Pond, and Woodbridge.

If you want to learn more about how you can help Lifeline, check out their website.

Mid-Year Convention

2008-09-09T16:40:00.007-04:00

Hampton, Dana, Amber and I spent two lovely days in Statesville at the end of August for the mid-year state convention. Hampton isolated himself in his own room, but the girls all shacked up in one dingy little room with two double beds. But at least we were in great spirits!

Amber spent the weekend collecting signatures for First Timers and the rest of us worked on the "Amber Must Win First Timers Campaign." Though Amber was a good sport for the first 24 hours, she started to lose steam as the end of the competition drew near. It didn't matter though - we whooped up on those other First Timers!

We had a great time overall and met some really cool gals from Ahoskie: J.J. and Jenn. We'll be headed that way before the year's out.

Oh - how could I forget about awards? We racked up! The entire list is here, but suffice it to say Shannon was loaded down with awards and the three girls (Amber, Dana and me) won debate (though we needed a stiff drink afterward)!

You can see the full list of awards here. As always, pictures are on Flickr!

Turkey Day Trim Down Challenge!

2008-09-06T15:38:00.003-04:00

Want to lose weight or just feel better? Join in on our "Turkey Day Trim Down" challenge!

For a $5 entry fee, you can meet us twice per month to check in, share weight loss strategies, and find new ways to get more exercise. At the end of the challenge, the person who has lost the greatest percentage of weight will win all the money everyone paid in.

You don't have to weigh in, but if you'd like to - an Enrichment Center volunteer will record our weights at each meeting. No one except that volunteer will have access to your personal information. Also, at each meeting we'll schedule a group workout session that everyone is invited to attend.

Here's the flier. We hope you'll come get fit with us!

Want to know more about Quakerism?

2008-09-06T15:25:00.002-04:00

If you're at all interested in or intrigued by Quakerism, you should attend our Sept. 9 CCJC meeting at the Enrichment Center. Asheboro Jaycees' president Melanie Coble is coming in all the way from Randolph County to talk about being Quaker and answer all of our questions. It should be a run informative and interesting night!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2008-09-06T15:01:00.005-04:00

A group of Central Carolina Jaycees and their friends and family headed out to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Friday, August 29 to root on the Durham Bulls as they faced the Charlotte Knights.

In attendance were: Local Director Sarah Lyons and her son Bryson; Community VP Amber Dunigan, her brother Josh, his wife Kelly and their friend Matt; Individual Development VP Kelly Quinones Miller, her husband Billy Miller and their children Javi and Bella; and Glenn and Michelle Szabo and their daughter Toni.

We had a great time, though the Bulls lost the game. However, it wasn't because we didn't cheer them on. The Jaycee kids (Javi, Bryson, and Bella) cheered, clapped and sang along with the rest of the Bulls fans. Meanwhile, we enjoyed lots of fun stadium foods and activities - including hot dogs and nachos, the kids' obstacle course, and Goodberry's frozen custard!

While we all had a blast, you can see here that Bryson really rocked out. What a cutie!

Here we all are after sweating it out in the stands. Next time, you'll have to join us!

Jaycees Welcome 6th Graders To SanLee Middle

2008-08-18T22:41:00.007-04:00

A small group of Central Carolina Jaycees welcomed the rising (and first) sixth grade class at the brand-new Sanlee Middle School this past Saturday.

We cooked and served hot dogs and drinks to the students and their families from 10 am to 12 pm in the SanLee Middle cafeteria. In case you didn't know - stuffing, wrapping and bagging hot dogs is a work out! You should've seen us hustling to get hot dogs in everyone's hands ... especially when the line stretched across the cafeteria!

But, a little sweat never hurt anyone and we were happy to help the school out. It was really great to see the excited faces of all those sixth graders who are experiencing all the nerves and butterflies of moving to a whole new school, from figuring out locker combinations to remembering their new teachers' names.

Despite the heat, the never-enough-hot-dogs and not enough ketchup, everyone kept their cool. See, here's a great example. Meet Shannon, Super Vice Principal (you don't even want to know what she was saying into that walkie-talkie):

CCJC Rafters Ride Again!

2008-08-08T00:51:00.007-04:00

For the third year in a row, a group of Central Carolina Jaycees and their friends headed to the Great Smoky Mountains to white-water raft down the Pigeon River near Gatlinburg, Tn.

On Friday, the rafters headed to a beautiful mountain cabin nestled between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. After doing some grocery shopping, all 16 of us settled in for a 2-night stay. After a yummy homemade breakfast on Saturday, 15 brave people piled into two minivans and one PT Cruiser for what turned out to be a 7-hour rafting excursion.

Luckily, no one got hurt, eaten by bears or kidnapped by crazy mountain folk. However, while everyone else was gone, Kelly attempted to use Betty Lou (the dog) to lure out some wild bears back at the cabin. Fortunately, the bears ignored Kelly's flatlander stupidity and waited for everyone to get home before making themselves known. Yet, when they did show up -- the mama bear and her three cubs -- we were shocked, awed and super excited to experience them. (See previous post for some video!)

Though most of our group was exhausted Saturday night, a small group of us ventured out to experience the Gatlinburg "night life." You don't want to know how easy and hilarious it was to make this picture happen!

Alas, Sunday rolled around and everyone had to head home. Somehow, the trip back to Sanford was much longer and more painful than the trip to Gatlinburg seemed. If you're thinking about white-water rafting, you must join us on the next trip down the river!

CCJCs' Pursuit Of The Jaycee Hut Pays Off!

2008-08-05T22:50:00.005-04:00

Keep your eyes on the Sanford channel! The Central Carolina Jaycees attended the August 5 Sanford City Council meeting, where the Council discussed the future of the Jaycee Hut, located at 809 Tryon Road. You can watch the meeting on the Sanford channel or view it online here.

The Council voted unanimously to allow the Central Carolina Jaycees to lease the Jaycee Hut, formerly home of the now-disbanded Sanford Jaycees. This meeting was a wonderful opportunity for the CCJCs to participate in local government, as well as get to know our Council members.

Here we are with Mayor Cornelia Olive and Council members Joe Martin (at-large), Charles Taylor (2nd Ward), and Mike Stone (at-large).

CCJCs pictured (from left to right): Amber Dunigan (Community VP), Brook Wade, Abbey Lindauer (Secretary), Kelly Quinones Miller (Individual Development VP), Dana Kaufman (Chair), Hampton Rutledge (President), and Shannon Shuey (Management VP).

Lions, Tigers & Bears - Oh My!

2008-08-04T18:26:00.003-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees (and friends) headed up to Gatlinburg, TN this weekend to do some white-water rafting and generally de-stress. Luckily, we happened to be hanging out on the cabin's upper deck when a smallish black bear appeared out of the woods. You'll have to watch this video to find out what happened next!

Excuse the running dialogue ... the excitement overruled any Discovery-type narration. You can expect lots of pictures and an update on the weekend later!

Want Some Watermelon?

2008-07-23T15:22:00.008-04:00

Nothing says summer like sweet, ripe watermelon. Or, sweet, ripe watermelon with a Vodka twist.

If you missed the party on July 12, you may not recognize these facial expressions:

That, my friends, is what happens when you bite into canteloupe marinated in Vodka. No, it's not pretty. Now, the oranges? You've got to try it!

Shout outs to Melanie, Gene and Kevin from the Asheville Jaycees. We had a blast!

Sandhills Rgional Family Day

2008-06-30T21:26:00.009-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees + Chris Hardee converged on Harris Lake County Park yesterday for a day of fun in the sun ... and in the water.

Despite forgetting the horseshoes and not bringing a volleyball - we managed to enjoy each other's company, eat some yummy food, and fit in some rest and relaxation.

For example, Shannon and Dana sunbathed:

While the boys and kids played softball:

All and all - we had a good time and I even helped the Shueys get a teeny tiny little bit closer to being parents!

International Night at El Rancho

2008-06-24T22:32:00.003-04:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees are meeting at El Rancho Caribbean Restaurant this Thursday (June 26).

Owner Jose Correa will tell us about growing up in the Dominican Republic and about his experiences as a business owner in the United States as we sample the different foods of the Caribbean. Before moving to Sanford, Jose spent 20 years running a similar restaurant in New York.

If you'd like to join us, plan to come around 6:30 pm if you plan to eat. The meeting begins at 7 pm.

Also, if you'd like to host an International Night, let us know!

We're On The Road To Discovery

2008-06-12T22:42:00.002-04:00

Do you have books lying around collecting dust or overflowing your book shelves? Put them to good use!

The Central Carolina Jaycees are holding a "Road to Discovery" book drive from June 9 through June 27. We will accept any book you wish to donate and will then distribute the books to Lee County schools, daycares and the Lee County Library system.

You can drop off your old books at these locations: Re/Max, the Lee County Enrichment Center, Ada's Bookkeeping & Tax Service, and VLO Signs & Graphics.

If you'd like to donate, but can't make it to a drop-off site, or if you'd like to collect books at your business, please call Amber at 478-3322 or Kelly at 718-9504 so that we can help you out!

Speak Up Training

2008-06-03T11:13:00.004-04:00

Our public speaking training session this past weekend went very well. Gwen Schott spent about an hour giving us tips and tricks, as well as helping us come up with back up plans for worst-case scenarios.

After a brief refreshment break, our Speak Up competitors prepared their speeches. Shannon Shuey, Matt Kaufman and I all competed. Shannon took first place in the Open division; however, she will be unable to compete on the Regional level on June 8, so I will compete in her place. Matt will move on to the Regional competition in the Novice division.

Please wish us luck (and steady nerves) as we prepare for this Sunday's competition. Also, if you have some speech writing advice - feel free to share!

UPDATE: Due to lack of participation, Shannon and Matt will advance to the State competition on July 12 in Asheboro.

~ Kelly Quinones Miller, 2008 IDVP

Which Do You Like?

2008-05-28T13:11:00.004-04:00

It's time to choose a logo for 2008. Which one do you like better - or do you like them both? You can vote in the poll on the right.

If you want to make changes or have concerns, then leave a comment on this entry. Thanks!

1. Expose Yourself

2. First In Flight Don't forget to vote!

Sandhills Regional Family Day!!!

2008-05-27T08:56:00.004-04:00

We are hosting this year's Family Day for our region. This will be a day of fun, family and - most importantly - watersports! Here's what you need to know:

When: Sunday, June 29 at 2 pm
Where: Lake Harris County Park in New Hill (directions below)
Cost: $8 per person or $30 per family of 4-or-more
RSVP: by June 21 to Kelly Quinones Miller at 718-9504 or Dana Kaufman at 777-3543

We will host a cook out at Harris Lake's picnic area on Sunday, June 29 from 2 pm to 6 pm. Participants can fish, swim, and play horseshoes or volleyball. There are also two playgrounds for children to enjoy -- one for older children and one for toddlers. We encourage everyone to come out with their watercrafts -- jet skis, kayaks, boats, etc -- but we will have a deck boat at the cook out for everyone to enjoy. Those who go out on the water can wake board, tube or water ski. Participants should supply their own swim suits, towels, sunscreen, fishing rods and portable chairs.

We hope to see you there!

****RESOURCES****

More info about the park: You can view or print a PDF brochure that outlines all the information about the park that you'll need, including a map of the land area.

Driving directions:

From Sanford/the south: Take U.S. Hwy. 1 North to exit 89 (Jordan Lake/New Hill). At the top of the ramp, turn right onto New Hill-Holleman road. After approximately 3 miles, you will see the park entrance on your right.

From Raleigh/Cary/Apex: Take U.S. Hwy. 1 South through Cary and Apex to exit 89 (New Hill). At the top of the ramp, turn left onto New Hill-Holleman Road. Park entrance will be on your right.

From Fuquay-Varina/Holly Springs: Off N.C. Hwy. 55 take Avent Ferry Road away from downtown Holly Springs. Go approximately 5 miles to New Hill-Holleman Road (landmark: large white house on corner). Take a right on New Hill-Holleman Road and the park entrance will be on your left.

Fun With The Family

2008-05-27T08:47:00.004-04:00

There are a slew of Family Day opportunities coming up. For instance, the Raleigh Jaycees are hosting Triangle Regional Family Day on June 7 at Carowinds. Everyone's meeting in downtown Raleigh around 8 am to carpool down to the water park for a day of wet & wild fun. Diane Raby is coordinating the day.

A little closer to home, Gene Shanks is getting everyone out to the Asheboro Zoo for the Piedmont/Triad Regional Family Day on May 31. Here are the details from Gene:

We will meet at the North American Plaza entrance at the North Carolina Zoo at 10am. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12. There are still some free tickets we can give to the kids if you RSVP in advance. We will have the boys from the Boys & Girls Home at Lake Waccamaw there as our guests, so here's a chance to interact with them and show them a good time with our families. Any chapter that would like to join us is welcome. This is a fun day that should be shared by all. Please let me know if you plan to attend so I'll know to keep an eye out for you -- Gene Shanks, 336-210-8132

Hopefully some of our members will take advantage of these opportunities to meet and hang out with our fellow Jaycees.

CCJCs all over Sanford

2008-04-30T07:52:00.006-04:00

Our chapter was all over Sanford this weekend - honk if you saw us!

Friday night we held a spaghetti plate sale for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation which featured singing from the Deep River Tones elementary choir and Turner's Chapel Children's Choir.

Fourth grader Gabe Dempster also spoke about how having CF affects his daily life. I don't think I could adequately descripe the young Master Dempster ... let's just say that "spirited" is just not vibrant enough.

The dinner was great. We had a wonderful turn out, the music was excellent and everyone ended the night in high spirits. You can see all our pictures from this event on our Flickr page and videos of the singers on our YouTube channel.

Then Sunday, a bunch of us reconvened at Andy's Cheesesteaks & Cheeseburgers for the "Eat Your Heart Out" challenge to benefit the American Heart Association. Tom Johnson, Ian Lindauer and Erin Quinones competed to eat the Andy's Big A burger plate - and win a free 3-month membership to the Nautilus - in 30 minutes or less.

Unfortunately none of our challengers could scart their burger plate in the time given, but they gave it a great try! Tom had only a corner of his bun left when his clock ran out and Erin wasn't far behind him. I think it helped that Andy's staff and customers cheered our competitors on from their seats or by crowding around them chanting: Chew! Chew! Chew!

Tom won the Nautilus membership and can now go work off all 52 ounces of beef and miscellaneous toppings - plus his fries and drink. I suspect 3 months isn't quite enough!

If you missed either of these events, you really lost out on some great opportunities to see our chapter in its element. Check the website for your next shot at having fun with us!

~ Kelly, 2008 ID VP

Marching for Babies

2008-04-20T23:55:00.003-04:00

Hampton, Amber and I joined Team Stone on Saturday for the March of Dimes' March for Babies. The weather was perfect, Nortel's campus was beautiful and the kids were amped on popcorn and snowcones -- you can't find a better combination for a 3-mile walk.

Although, I'm convinced they measured wrong and the walk was really closer to 4 miles because DUDE I was exhausted at the end of it, the kids were tuckered out and Amber was craving protein. We pit-stopped at Micky D's on the way home and I passed out as soon as I got in the house.

But I'm glad we were part of raising money and awareness for premature babies.

~ Kelly, CCJC IDVP

Activity Day - Another Chance To Register

2008-04-16T11:00:00.002-04:00

Dana and I are heading out to CCCC again this afternoon to help the student body continue registering voters. There will be a Wii tournament, paint ball and other fun stuff - so it promises to be a good time.

I just had a pretty interesting conversation with a friend who isn't necessarily politically active, but who is involved in local politics. We were discussing how many voters cast their ballots based on whose name they recognize. I have been guilty of this before - and I'm sure many of you have, as well.

She made quite a poignant statement that exemplifies the dangers of voting based on name recognition: "So you'd be, like, 'Hey, I've heard of the Devil! I'll just vote for him!' What kind of sense does that make?"

Quite an articulate - and fun! - analogy. The moral of this story is - now that you're registered, you must educate yourself on the candidates - both those right here in Sanford and those at the state and national levels. There's nothing worse than voting for someone (the Devil!) only because you feel familiar with the person's name ... even if you have no idea what they stand for.

You can get acquainted with local government by perusing our links at the right. There's some really interesting video footage included!

~ Kelly, CCJC ID VP

Are you registered?

2008-04-04T00:30:00.003-04:00

Dana Kaufman and I spent a couple hours on the CCCC main campus this week registering community college students and employees to vote.

Not only did we get the opportunity to connect with some great folks in the CCCC community, but we also were able to meet some really interesting students and have thought-provoking discussions about politics - at both the local and national level.

One thing we decided at the end was that we need to do a town hall/candidates' forum that will allow CCCC's students to get answers to their questions and concerns in a face-to-face format. I'm hoping we can set this up for late September/early October. Doesn't it sound like a great idea?

Anyway - for those who haven't heard me talking about it, the NC Primary Election is coming up on May 6. I'm super excited about the role NC may play in the Democratic nomination - and how the nomination could change history by providing us with the first female or first black president.

Regardless of political affiliation, the Central Carolina Jaycees want to do our part to ensure every adult in Lee County has the opportunity to register to vote in the primaries. We'll be in the Student Center on CCCC's main campus from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and on the Jonesboro campus on Wednesday, April 9.

Feel free to stop by if you want to register! Remember, even if you aren't politically active, it never hurts to register so that you have the opportunity to vote should you choose it. This is one of our duties as citizens of the USA! Plus, it's free!

Oh, and if you're not sure which party you should register with or which candidate best matches your beliefs, this quiz might help.

~Kelly

Get Your Hunt On

2008-03-25T00:12:00.003-04:00

Our first annual Easter Egg Hunt was a huge success! More than 60 children and their families came out to O.T. Sloan Park on Saturday to celebrate the holiday by hunting 1,000 eggs and enjoying fun Easter-themed crafts.

We had several contests and winners. Egg hunters who discovered gold eggs chose from prizes such as bubble toys, chocolate bars, sticker sets, stuffed animals, chocolate bunnies, and other fun items.

Aaron Scott won a hula hoop after wowing everyone by keeping the hula hoop up for 46 seconds. Another child won a frisbee for tossing it further than his competitors. Marissa Kaufman won a 1/2 gallon of bubbles for her great coloring.

Brook Wade spent the majority of the day painting a long line of excited faces. Children walked away with kitten whiskers, snakes, Easter eggs, butterflies, chicks, and other cute designs.

Thanks to our generous participants, the CCJCs raised more than $30 in donations at this free event. You can expect the 2nd annual hunt next year to feature more than double the number of eggs and be expanded to include 10 year olds - 13 year olds!

Interested in Crede?

2008-03-12T16:45:00.003-04:00

Even with all the great projects we're working on, Paul Messino has found time to schedule a visit to the Greater Crede et Vincent chapter ... the only NC Jaycee chapter comprised completely of prison inmates.

If you're interested in visiting the chapter with us, you'll have to submit some information to Paul so that he can get you on the prison's visitation list. He needs to know your full name, social, birth date and driver's license. Don't worry - he'll be discreet and you can be assured that no one will misuse your info. Also, you can call him if you'd rather not email the details - just ask him for the digits.

We have some pretty cool stuff coming up - including the Easter egg hunt, Eat Your Heart Out/Andy's cheeseburger challenge, March of Dimes March for Babies, Voter Registration Drive, and Sing-A-Song spaghetti dinner. You can read all about these on our website.

I'm most looking forward to the Easter egg hunt. There's something about wild kids tackling each other over cheap chocolate and plastic eggs that I find thrilling. Oh, and of course there's the whole handing out prizes and family fun - I guess that's pretty cool, too.

~ Kelly

Darla Cole, Senator

2008-03-02T13:29:00.003-05:00

Ray and Tracy Culler visited our chapter this month to award Darla Cole with her Senatorship.

Darla has been a pivotal member of the group - and even a "hero" to several of our members. We appreciate all of Darla's hard work with the Central Carolina Jaycees, and most of us aspire to one day know what it's like to fill her shoes.

Congratulations, Darla! You deserve it.

Chili Cook Off

2008-02-29T14:16:00.003-05:00

Several CCJC members traveled to the big city of Raleigh last night to attend the Raleigh Jaycees' chili cook-off, a fundraiser to benefit the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Foundation.

HOBY is a special project that Raleigh Jaycees have dedicated their time and energy toward for the past few years. It is a 3-day leadership program for approximately 200 rising high school juniors held each June at NC State. Ambassadors develop their critical thinking skills, learn about their personal leadership styles, and form an appreciation for community service. After the HOBY experience, high school Ambassadors return to their schools and communities eager to make a difference and share what they have learned.

The Raleigh Jaycees rocked the house with seven crockpots full of yummy, homemade chili (minus the Mitch's Tavern submission). After everyone tasted the chilis, the winners were announced: Jennifer took first place for a delicious chicken tomatillo chili and Shane won the second place spot with his 3-B chili (which included a secret ingredient that we coaxed out of him: cloves!).

Despite feeling like we had been driving forever and having somewhat unclear directions, Abbey, Amber, Dana, Hampton, Paul and I had a great time and enjoyed getting to know the Raleigh chapter more personally. Also, the brownies were amazing - of course, that's speaking as a girl, and Paul noticed that they were the star of the show with the overwhelmingly female attendees. :)

Even though Abbey took this outing as an opportunity to make change, the cook-off gave us lots of ideas for the potential barbecue cook-off we hope to run this summer. We may try an actual chili cook-off around superbowl time next year, though.

~ Kelly

So much to do, so little time to do it

2008-02-19T01:56:00.004-05:00

So far 2008 has been nothing but hectic for the Central Carolina Jaycees -- but that's a good thing and it's unlikely to change in the coming months.

We just wrapped up the Second Chance Prom but we're already lining up a slew of projects for March and April, including Eat Your Heart Out, Sing-for-a-Cure Spaghetti Dinner, Easter Basket Raffle and Egg Hunt. Looking down the road, we want to do a trike/bike-a-thon, field day, soccer tournament, 5K race/walk and the Care Fair.

So, it's obvious there's tons of room for new members to jump in and get their feet wet on a project that will help our community. Our next meeting is February 28 - hopefully we'll see some fresh faces and reconnect with past faces who want to help us pull off this ambitious list of fundraisers!

~ Kelly, CCJC Secretary

Second Chance Prom recap

2008-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

Saturday night was the Second Chance Prom. While we didn't have the best turnout, everyone who came out had a blast.

We had tons of food and DJ Jean Dickens kept the party going well past 11 pm. Everyone had their shoes off and the dance floor was the place to be seen.

Check out our Flickr page for all the fun pictures!

Timely Oprah

2008-01-31T23:58:00.000-05:00

Can you believe today's Oprah was about medical miracles, including organ donation? With the Second Chance Prom and Susy Dirr on my brain, I tried to zone out to my DVRed episode only to get even more great information about organ donation.

There was a segment on Jason Ray, the young man from right here in NC who told his parents that if something happened to him, he wanted to donate his organs to save other people. His parents remembered that after he was killed in a tragic accident ... and his organs went on to save seven other people.

It's all just a reminder of the wonderful gifts we carry around with us. Here's a link to a form you can fill out to make sure your organs are put to good use if you don't need them anymore. I'll have copies of this form at the Second Chance Prom for people to fill out, as well.

Okay - time to call it a night.

~ Kelly, 2008 CCJC Secretary

Sad news

2008-01-31T14:46:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, the Central Carolina Jaycees are having a Second Chance Prom to benefit the Sweet Melissa Fund. The Fund was started by the Dirr family in 2005 to honor the memory of Melissa Alexander, a vibrant young woman who lost her battle with cystic fibrosis during her lung transplant surgery.

Sadly, Susy Dirr lost her battle on January 24 at 31 years old. Susy was a beacon of light in her short life. Her touching obituary said it all:

She embraced life with joy and love and made the people and the world around her a better place. She charged ahead, unafraid, defying the odds that genetics would keep her down. Valedictorian, Summa Cum Laude, UGA graduate, traveler extraordinaire -- to France, England, Scotland and Wales and one glorious summer studying in Italy.
When her disease took its toll, she underwent a double lung transplant at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill. When a few years later, rejection sent her through another transplant, she faced it with the same positive attitude. Nothing was easy but she felt life was worth the risk.

Chapel Hill became her home and ours as she bounded through three and a half years of wonderful breathing, more traveling and embracing her job with the UNC Athletic Department. She tutored student athletes, mostly football players who learned to love her. When she couldn't climb the steps in front of the classroom building, they carried her.

There is not a person she knew, from her Georgia childhood friends, her family, her Chapel Hill friends and transplant community, who didn't love and admire her brilliance, creativity, biting wit, compassion and glowing soul.

When a star shines so bright, the light left behind never dies.
This is extremely difficult news for those, like my sister Ashlee, who knew Susy as a mentor for how to live an exciting and fulfilling life despite having Cystic Fibrosis and having had double-lung transplants.

However, this tragedy has bolstered my desire to make a significant donation to the Sweet Melissa Fund after the Second Chance Prom. I know I speak for all the Jaycees when I say that we want to help the Fund continue sharing Susy's mission to help all those who need it.

If you'd like to make a direct contribution to The Sweet Melissa Fund for transplant families, you can attend the Prom or send your donation to UNC Hospital c/o Becky Cicale, Lung Transplant Coordinator, 111 Hogan Ridge Court, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

~Kelly, 2008 CCJC Secretary

Second Chance Prom

2008-01-31T13:49:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching ... which means we're only about a week from the Second Chance Prom.

Things are coming together. We've gotten some great sponsors (including Hersheys, Cafe Vesuvio and Rockin' K Pottery), Lydia at the Wilrik has been extremely helpful, Jean Dickens has agreed to help us with the music. A big shout out to CheapCaribbean for supplying us with the 6-day all-inclusive stay in the Dominican Republic!

My favorite part so far has been meeting tons of great folks outside of Wal-Mart last weekend, including a lady who you should watch out for next time you're playing Bingo - she's a pro! There was also a cute couple who recently found out they're expecting (hello, Laurie & Hugh!) and Stacy who works with developmentally disabled adults. Hopefully we'll see everyone Feb. 9.

It's a little daunting to think of the things left to accomplish, but I'm excited to see everything come together. This is the first project I've chaired and I'm really hopeful that it goes well. I mean, put food, music and people dressed to the 9s in a room and it has to be good - right? Right?!

We'll be out at Wal-Mart again this weekend and hopefully we'll meet more interesting Sanfordians. My goal for this project is to introduce as many people as possible to the CCJCs and show them how easy it is to help out a wonderful cause.

~Kelly, 2008 CCJC Secretary

Year End Convention (Oh, and Something About Awards)

2008-01-29T13:12:00.000-05:00

Nestled between the old I-40 and some other major roadway, NC Jaycees got together to celebrate a year's worth of worthy projects at the Year End Convention.

If you haven't been to a convention (this year was my first), you should plan to attend the upcoming convention to be held in Pinehurst. It'll be my job for the next 650-some words (plus pictures, which are worth a thousand words), to convince you that convention is fun, rewarding, and includes quite a bit more than drinking.

Before I get to awards, I should introduce some famous cats. We're the maroon bandits (uncoordinated, I promise). From left to right: Bill Shuey, Matt Kaufman, Hampton Rutledge, and me, P.Mess, P.Diggty, P-dawg.

OK - on to awards. Our chapter brought home tons of awesome awards, including VP and LD of the year, CPGs of the year, top five in chapter points and more. The best news is we also brought home awards for the most outstanding chapter (the LARGE trophy, reverently referred to as the Kiger), the Libby Wallace Memorial Award for the highest growth rate (It's clear: YOU CAN'T SEE ME!), and (not pictured) the Hawkins for Top 5 Presidents of the year.

After the awards banquet, resident Beer Pong players Bill and I introduced some of the older Jaycees to the game. Here's Flounder from the ECU area lining up a shot.

His opposition was daunting: a seasoned veteran and a skilled frosh. This duo lasted til 6 in the a.m., when we were unfortunately beaten by a team whose spokesman complained about the rules in slurred drunk-speak -- a language us sober winners couldn't understand.

My partner, addicted to that winning feeling, couldn't take the loss. I'm sure there's a rematch in our future.

So now that you've seen the good, the bad and the crazy, you have no excuse not to head to Pinehurst for the next convention. Hopefully our awards bag will be just as full!

And, don't forget you can see more pictures from convention and all our events on our Flickr page!

~ Paul, 2008 State Director

Happy 2008!

2008-01-15T14:39:00.001-05:00

It's a new year and the Central Carolina Jaycees are ready to make it a great one.

We met at the Sanford Enrichment Center on Tuesday night and started making plans for our chapter. Our goals include increasing membership and chapter funds, as well as creating a project to take the place of fireworks.

Got any ideas? Some of us like the thought of having the Care Fair on July 4th so that families can celebrate in Sanford rather than driving to Lillington or Cary to see fireworks. Others are concerned that not enough people will want to do the Care Fair rather than see fireworks.

We've got many ideas for ways to get more involved in the community this year and we all plan to make 2008 a record year for the chapter!

End of Second-Trimester Awards

2007-10-01T13:47:00.000-04:00

If you hadn't heard, the Central Carolina Jaycees did very well at Convention for this trimester. Here's a run-down of our awards (with pictures, where available).

Ranked fifth in the state for Parade of Excellence (POE)

Shannon's Management Fund-Raising Project, the Book Bag Raffle, took 2nd place for Management CPGs. Look at her, she's so happy -- soon to be very happy. More on that, later.

As I've said before, the Care Fair was a great success. We now have awards to back that up.CPG 1st place for State, National, International Involvement;
CPG 2nd Place in Sweepstakes overall State, National, International Involvement; overall Community Project.

Hampton stepped up to do write up, winning the local and state match-ups. I'm sure he'll get top ten at year-end. Hamp also won Top 5 Armbruster (JC for more than 18 months). While we wait to see how these awards play out, let's critique the pose he'll be working on in the mirror late into the night.

For her work with the newsletter, Sarah Lyons won JC of the Trimester. And Rebecca Johnson was awarded top five Brownfield, which is awarded to outstanding Jaycees who've been members for less than 18 months. Sarah wasn't there, so "No picture for you!"

As usual, Matt has the best photo honoring his award for Membership VP of the trimester. Dark magic clearly won him this award. Look into his eyes. Ten points if you can figure out whose cleavage is featured in the picture.

Shannon and her family (i.e. her, her husband, and that crazy dog) won Top 5 Family of the Year, and our President, whose cleavage was featured in the above picture, was nominated to the Memorial Foundation Committee for 2008.

Here's a view of the CCJC winners that were in attendance.

Poppin' Chambers, Pluggin Foos

2007-09-14T15:32:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, Sept. 29 we have the opportunity to take a gun education and concealed weapons permit course conducted by Detective Larry Foster at Dr. Knecht's office, located at 1911 Bragg Street in Sanford.

We haven't decided on a time, but it will most likely be in the morning. The course includes some basic educational tips for guns as well as some shooting. The cost is $60 a person. I NEED THIS MONEY IN ADVANCE if you're interested.

This is a great opportunity to learn how to protect yourself.

If you have a gun or guns, please bring them along with shells.

For those of us who are gun virgins (like me), I would love for some of you veterans to bring some guns along for us to use. I'm anxious to have my chamber popped (inside joke).

Special thanks to Dr. Knecht and Rebecca Johnson for getting this together.

Reply to me ASAP (pmessino@johnlocke.org) so that we can get a list going and figure out a way to get payments together in one place.

Also, feel free to extend this invitation to other Jaycees who may not be on this list, which was created from replies to an interest email months ago.

Snubbin' The Drought

2007-08-21T11:36:00.000-04:00

With measurements shaping up to place this August as one of the driest in the history of North Carolina, the CCJC's escaped to Tennessee to enjoy the wet comforts of the dam-operated Pigeon River. This year, as in years past, we extended our invitation to other Jaycee chapters. We snagged two unwitting rafters, Gene Shanks and Miss Grace from the Asheboro area. Using the trip as bait, we also snagged a few potential new members, who may or may not have been attracted to us because of our wit and intelligence. It was probably the beer. Here's the group in all its splendor.

Oh, and if you're wondering, here's the group with beer. And yes, there is one little man who's about to fall asleep -- it's past your bedtime, grandma. If you're coming out with the Jaycees, you better bring your big-boy pants.

Here's a cute picture that makes me want to puke down the railing. Humpty-dumpty heads.

If you like what you see from the background features of the cabin, then you'll be happy to know that we got in on loan from the Three Bears. Don't believe me? Here's a shot of us running out Baby Bear for sleeping in a little too much on check-out. That's right, you run.

The moment you've all been waiting for: action shots. Today's action shots were brought to you by the letter "G" as in Gene Shanks. He's advertising the wonderful waterproof camera, whose slightly graining photographs may just be water droplets. Alright, alright, don't give me that look! They're definitely water droplets, geez.

Action shot.
Note: real water was used in the capturing of this moment.

Ze Homeless, Ze Are Fed!

2007-08-21T11:19:00.000-04:00

Hot dogs are a wonderful food. They're easy to cook, cheap, and generally filling. You can dress a dog up, or you can keep it simple. And the only real necessity it needs is a bun. I'm not being tongue-in-cheek, here. I'm quite serious when I say that we should venerate the hot dog.

Working with a local church, the CCJC's brought the hot dog to the homeless. Notice how carefully we tended to the beef.

We even placed it in the middle of the food line, ensuring its status as the center cut. Surrounding the hot dog were a myriad of condiments, many untraditional. Such as chicken, green beans, and the mysterious macaroni. We also had cake. Hmm, cake.

There was much celebration.

After Much Ado

2007-08-21T11:01:00.000-04:00

So, apparently some people are aging out, leaving us behind, or in other words finding more mature members of the community to hang out with. Here's the latest and greatest to leave the fold. As her clientèle call her, Mz Adamz. With a heavy heart, we bid adieu to Alecia, singing, I ain't saying she a' golddigger, but she don't mess 'round with no broke ..."

Just like the circle of life, as one member leaves, so another fills the void. Bienvenido, Anna!

Care Fair

2007-07-09T17:44:00.000-04:00

For a first-time Jaycee event, the Care Fair did very well. Hampton and Amber are to be commended for the amount of time and energy invested in this community program. What once was a deserted airport, with the help of many Jaycee volunteers, turned into a small-scale fair.

We had tents with games.

Flags on ladders.

Hoodlums with buckets of water ...

oops, here's one who got away.

The Pres herself.

McGruff and Freddie. It was fun-filled.

Short by 272

2007-06-13T13:49:00.000-04:00

Check out how close the CCJC's were to being first in the state in Parade of Excellence.

That's only one extra project per POE division. Or, to look at it another way, if eight members each chaired one project for each points division. It only takes a little bit from everyone to make a huge difference.

Proud to be a CCJC.

Squall Lines Over Sanford

2007-06-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

Despite the ominous storm clouds hanging over Sanford, the CCJC's stepped up to do a car wash and nonperishable food drive for the Beaver Creek Drug Rehabilitation Program. Thanks to everyone that helped out.

We collected about 5 grocery bags of food and a little over $200. Special, special thanks to Sanford's sheriff, Tracy Carter, who personally donated $50 to the cause.

There is nothing better than doing a good deed for the community. It's especially fulfilling to know that your time will make a direct, positive impact on the community. Here's the gang we helped.

It's entirely possible that what brought the community out was our Hooters girls.

Or maybe it was Bill.

Umm, probably not.

Memorial Day

2007-05-30T15:13:00.000-04:00

If you missed it -- which, I'm sad to say, I did -- apparently you missed THE event of the summer. More lavish than the $148 million Spiderman 3 took in in three days. More inebriated then the handful of NC representatives on a Tall Ships booze cruise. And populated by more celebrities than the Cannes Film Festival.

Don't believe me? Proof, you scream. Tearing your hair out for justification!? Fine.

Lavish. Just look at these accommodations:

We've got plush seating -- Think: Wizard of Oz, Cowardly Line getting hooked up at the Emerald City. Meeee--yowww.

And just look at the balcony seating. To. Die. For. Simply, to die for. It's almost as if you're a part of the woods. If you were any closer you'd BE in the woods. You can't buy that at Wal-Mart. No sir.

And inebriated; oh, don't get me started. Just look at this picture. Honestly, does that not scream drunk. Who'd buy a Buick, sober.

And of course the party was littered with clerisy of socialites. Such as Bubbles, the dog. She speaks a foreign language. No one could understand her.

And this man, who you'll remember from his coronation from an earlier post. As you may not be able to tell, he's engaging in the ritual tongue-bottle-tap -- it's more or less a way to give signatures to fans. His DNA will make you FAMOUS!

Relay for Life

2007-05-24T13:09:00.000-04:00

I know the last post wasn't that funny. I apologize. But, you must remember that comedy comes in at least three forms: visual, verbal, written.

Seeing as how I can't very well say anything funny on a blog, and seeing has how I stuck to the facts last post, you must take my word for it when I say that the posted picture is absolutely hilarious. I mean, seriously, how tall IS Hampton? He looks about 8 foot huge. Either that or the Jaycees are sleeping with more midgets than I'm aware of. I digress -- on to Relay.

Community VP, Julie Dutchess, did a fantastic job this year with the CCJC Relay for life. We raised $1596.00 this year. That includes the money from Bunco night, Julie's son Colton’s penny drive, donations, luminarias, Elvis pictures, Rock wall, Moonbounce, raffle, and coke truck items (drinks, candy bars, pizza, and LANCE crackers). Special thanks to Amber who raised $250.00. We were so happy with the result, that many of us shrunk into Jaycee midgets and started bouncing off the wall.

And then we decided to climb it.

Dana, Matt, and Rebecca manned the Coke Truck.

While I hung out with Elvis. Hung out? No, I PIMPED Elvis ... "You wanna Elvis? One dolla'. It make you FAAAAMOUS!

EXTRA!, EXTRA! : CCJC's Storm Spring Convention

2007-05-22T11:42:00.000-04:00

Former Central Carolina Jaycee President and aging member, Chad Adams, summarized the absolute slaying of NC Jaycee competition by the CCJCs at Spring Convention the weekend of May 18-22 as, "unbelievable."

Standing with NC Jaycees State President Sharon Worthington (from left to right): Hampton Rutledge - State Dirctor, Shannon Shuey - Management VP, State Pres., Dana Kaufman - CCJC President, Matt Kaufman - Local Director, and Rebecca Johnson - Secretary.

Can't see what we won? Here, let me grab the list.

Our tiny chapter finished eighth in the state in Parade of Excellence -- a points system designed to quantify chapter activity for the trimester.

Rebecca Johnson got 1st place for speak-up in the novice category, but lost out in points total to the professional speak-up winner.

Rebecca's Elizabeth Hash BBQ Benefit won first place for community fund raising project.

The ID Project "Right Way to Write" won first place in the state for ID project.

Chairman's Planning Guide (CPG), or how to run a project: Yardsale, 2nd in the category of management; Soup-Your-Bowl, first place in membership retention, 2nd place overall for membership; Elizabeth Hash BBQ Benefit, 1st place in community fund raising.

Hampton was nominated to Sharon Worthington's "Team Go Beyond"

Matt received "All Star Local Director of the Trimester," and Dana received "All Star President of the trimester."

Area Meeting

2007-04-28T21:57:00.000-04:00

Rebecca Johnson and I (Dana Kaufman) went to Garner today for the area meeting. While we were there Rebecca competed in the novice category for the Speak Up Competition and won. She will be competing on the state level Sat. May 5th in Asheboro. We (The CCJC's) were recognized as 2nd in the area for Membership Recruitement, and I received an award for Outstanding Area Leader for the Trimester. It was a wonderful feeling to go into a room with Jaycees from all over the area and to be recognized for our efforts. I hope that all of you can attend the Spring Convention in Durham Sat. May 19th, if for no other reason than to see the awards that we as a chapter walk away with.

Tuesday at the Enrichment Center

2007-04-11T14:17:00.000-04:00

Fellow Jaycees:

There are a few updates that you should be aware of. On Tuesday, May 1, at 6:30PM at the Enrichment Center, there will be a BUNCO Night. I'm not sure what this entails -- though I do have visions of many Japanese women screaming at Bob Barker for a chance to drop the Plinko Chip -- but, I know for a fact that Julie Dutchess does. All proceeds for this event will go towards Relay For Life.

The rampant drug abuse in Sanford has lead to the creation of the Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry, a faith-based initiative headed by a handful of local churches. House Manager, Edi Willis spoke to us about helping to run an event to provide funding for the project. We're eager to help. At our next meeting, we will be brainstorming some ideas.

One of our newest members, Amber Dunigan, has some fantastic money-making ideas, including a Supporting Firefighters Activity Day. We're still working on details, but it was suggested at the meeting that we donate the proceeds to the Burn Center.

Since last month, the Board has been working on updating the Bylaws. We've made a few changes, some of which will be very important to the future of the CCJC. Check your mailboxes soon -- every member will be receiving a copy of the final draft. We will be voting on the changes at the meeting immediately following the mailing. The Board encourages you to submit any changes you might have to the Bylaws, either by mail or email.

M-Night!

2007-03-23T10:54:00.000-04:00

For those of you who may be new, an M-Night has nothing to do with this guy's ability to see dead people, lock freaky subsistence farmers in a National Park, or keep water princesses in swimming pools. No, we at the Central Carolina Jaycees don't do anything as weird as that.

During our M-Nights (read: Membership Nights), we like to circle around vicious animals in a do-or-die match for survival.

Don't worry if the Tough Dog contest isn't for you. You can join the laddies in a rousing game of stare. Ohh, stare.

After the killer beasts finished devouring each other (OK, I'm lying here. It's not possible for both of them to eat each other. Or is it?), the group decided to invoke an age-old Irish tradition of trying to create octopus pox marks on their body with Nerf darts.

Covered in dog slobber and cratered with Nerf arrows, the festivities continued with beer pong (also an ancient Irish tradition) on the world's smallest beer-pong table.

The winner of the beer-pong tournament was crowned King. The coronation was delayed because of disputes over the seating accommodations.

Stay tuned to find out when the Central Carolina Jaycees will hold their next M-Night. I think we're bringing a pig.

Busy Weekend!

2007-02-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to remind everyone that we have a busy weekend this weekend 2/17, & 2/18. We are going on a brewery tour tomorrow Sat @ 12. We will be meeting at the Kaufman's house, if you need directions just call Dana (919) 777-3543. On Sunday from 2-4 we will meet @ the Adam's farm on 87 to price items for the yardsale, that we are having next weekend. Also the Bike Race that was scheduled for this Sunday has been rescheduled for sometime in April. We will give you more details at a future date. I hope to see all of you at some point this weekend.

Soup Your Bowl Party

2007-02-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, the Jaycees got together to watch the Colts take it to the Bears. In typical Jaycee fashion, we added a little flair to the party by making it a "Soup Your Bowl" Party.
Three bowls were entered.
I personally liked the creativity used by the individual who entered the "Bowler" Hat. But alas, I, I mean that individual, lost. Congrats goes to Shannon and her Budlight Colt.

The Super Bowl was definitely exciting this year.

There was Prince.

And a Mini-Barkley.

A little lovin'.

And a wild child.

Board Retreat

2007-01-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

The board had a great, conctructive weekend at Cherry Grove. We had dinner at Dick's Last Resort, and received some really good hats. Courtesy of Shannon Shuey we became very accomplished at a game called spoons. We have completed the chapter plan for the year and we came up with some great ideas for new projects as well as some ways to improve on some old ones. I hope to see all of you at the meeting this Thurs @ Joe's Pizza @ 6:30 if you would like to have dinner @ 7 if you just want to come to the meeting. We will have photos, of the hats from Dick's as well as the faces of the people that wore them. You guys will get to guess who wore which hat and the person with the most correct matches will win a prize. I hope to see you all there.

Individual Development

2007-01-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

Hey Jaycees, I'm interested in knowing what you want to do in 2007. Do you want to learn how to play beer pong? Do you want to learn about why Mentos and Diet Coke create a brilliant chemical reaction? Do you want to learn about the history of your state? If these or any ideas interest you, just let me know. I want to get a few ideas before your board goes on retreat to make plans for the year. You can contact me at pmessino@johnlocke.org.

Yard Sale

2007-01-06T23:38:00.000-05:00

Hampton Rutledge will be chairing our yardsale on Sat. Feb. 24th @ the Adams Farm on HWY 87. He will need help with pricing and getting everything out of the building. Chad and Alecia have been kind enough to allow us to use the building for storage, they need the space so let's be kind enough to work together and get the stuff out of there and put some cash in our bank account in the meantime. If you would like to participate in this project please contact Hampton @ (919) 478-1699. We would love to see you all there.

New Board

2007-01-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

We had a great first meeting this past Tues. I (Dana Kaufman) was sworn in as President, Hampton Rutledge as State Director, Paul Messino as IDVP, Shannon Shuey as Management VP, Roger Lyons as Membership VP, Trent Freeman as Treasurer, Jeff Howell as Chairman of the Board, Matt Kaufman and Tracy Norris as Local Directors. We will meet again on Thurs. Jan. 25th @ Joe's Pizza, come at 6:30 if you would like to eat with us, or at 7 for the meeting. Julie Dutchess will be sworn in as Community VP, and Rebeccca Johnson will be sworn in as a new member as well as Secretary. Hope to see you all there.

Fireworks 2006

2006-07-05T00:35:00.000-04:00

It was a terrific night. We had an amazing crowd. Our members performed at the highest level. Superlatives do not do justice to this event. "Wow" is the best way for me to sum it up.

This was Kevin Yow's masterpiece. As his sounding board, I can tell you that he planned this event meticulously. Everything that occurred tonight played out in his mind beforehand. It was a triumph for him.

Trent, Bill, Shannon, Lisa and Lydia worked tirelessly through the long, hot afternoon and evening. You are not unsung heroes. Thank you for all your efforts.

On returning from New York after attending a difficult loss in their family, Matt and Dana Kaufman brought their children and worked the event before ever going home. You are extraordinary Jaycees.

North Carolina State President Joanie Cramer attended and worked this event. She is performing well in a very tough job. Thank you for sweating out the afternoon with the rest of us.

The Cumnock Community trusted the Central Carolina Jaycees to provide a outstanding show and we delivered!

With great pride,
Jeff Howell
President, Central Carolina Jaycees

Relay For Life by Julie Dutchess

2006-05-16T09:07:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much for all of your hard work! I truly appreciate the support you gave to the Poker Run and Relay. I had a lot of fun and I hope you did too. You guys were awesome and really made it successful and enjoyable! Kevin is still the greatest because of the buns! Meg and Ken, thank you for making so many pizza runs, filling in wherever you were needed, and grilling! It was a huge help! Paul, thanks for the decorations and working the front (also Congrats for winning the Hollywood basket). Dana and Matt, thanks for running the coke trailer and selling the candy bars!

Lisa, thanks for helping out with the front and just pitching in wherever you were needed. Jill and Dylan (Kevin you can tell them for me), thank you for bringing the things I forgot (oops) and helping out at the site. Truly appreciated the help! Jeff and Kevin, thank you for grilling, selling food, helping me with my tent and coming back out on Saturday to sell coffee and donuts! I really appreciated your coming out so early and helping me! By the way, my parents came back out and my dad ran the coke trailer until 11:30. Let me tell you…smart move leaving it open. We were the only ones left selling drinks and we made a lot more money. People really appreciated it!

Overall, I think our first year as a team was a success because of you so thank you for making my job an easy one! We cleared $1560.00 so I was pleased! Next year, we will do even better! I already have ideas, so hopefully you will help out again!!!! Thanks again!!!!!

The Combined Regional

2006-04-10T18:31:00.000-04:00

The Central and East Central Regions held a combined regional meeting on April 1st at the State Headquarters in Asheboro. Here are some thoughts from the meeting:
* Our State President and Vice Presidents are a dedicated bunch.
* The Boys Home will be reopening soon.
* The US Jaycees have worked out a deal with a candy manufacturer to sell Jaycees branded chocolate bars. This looks like a great way to bring in some revenue.
* Congratulations to the Sanford Jaycees for representing our region in Jaycee Jeopardy and Speak Up. They did a great job.
* The food was good.

A Post from Chad Adams

2006-03-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

The Central Carolina Jaycees recently received numerous honors at the N.C. State Jaycee Year-End Convention in Greensboro. The chapter was recognized as one of the top five chapters in the state for 2006. Alecia Adams received the Hawkins Memorial Award as one of the top six local presidents in the state. Dana and Matt Kaufman were recognized as one of the top five Families of the Year for North Carolina. Dana Kaufman was recognized as one of the top five Jaycees in the state.

First-year Jaycee Paul Messino won the statewide speech competition in the novice category and also won the statewide writing competition. With that win, Messino was asked to represent the state in national competition in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

During national competition this past week, Messino finished as one of the top 10 finalists in the nation with an essay on "Action vs. Inaction in Society." This is the highest level of recognition ever received by a Central Carolina Jaycee.

- Printed in the Sanford Herald, March 16, 2006.

International Food Night

2006-02-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

On Saturday night, we held the initial Monthly Night Out. It was an International Food Night at the Bravarian Brathaus in Carthage. We had a terrific turn out with 9 members and 6 guests. My thanks to Kevin Yow for putting this together. I'm looking forward to Games Night on March 11th. Check the calendar for details.

The Firewood Project

2006-02-21T13:58:00.000-05:00

The Firewood for the Needy project was a great success. It was conducted this past Saturday morning. Despite the cold, eight members participated. I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Big thanks go out to Dana for organizing this project. I would also like to thank Matt, Cain, Marisa, Shannon, Lana, Chris, Karen and Alecia. Job well done.

Foundation Finished

2006-01-31T22:03:00.000-05:00

Well, there went January. What has happened in the last six weeks? This weblog, new board members sworn in, Timberlake print drawing, chapter planning meeting, the online calendar, first fireworks committee meeting, all fireworks fundraising letters mailed, and the State Convention.

On the subject of the State Convention, we were presented an award as a Top Five Chapter in North Carolina. Let me take a moment to explain the selection process for this award - I don't know. I don't think it had to do with points or money donated. Maybe the presenters saw that we increased our membership, conducted many events throughout the year, and worked well together. It's a handsome plaque and is meant as a compliment. We are glad to have it. If you know the selection process, post a comment to educate me.

Our first monthly meetings will be Tuesday, February 7th at the Enrichment Center. The board meeting is 6:30 - 7:00pm with the general membership meeting following from 7:00 - 8:00pm. I look forward to seeing you there. Really.

I think the foundation for this year has been laid. Now we can get to business of being Jaycees.

Jeff Howell
President

The Fireworks Committee

2006-01-18T22:31:00.000-05:00

The fireworks committee is Kevin Yow, Dana and Matt Kaufman, Shannon and Bill Shuey, and Trent Freeman. The first committee meeting is January 27th at the home of Kevin and Jill Yow. There will be about 150 fundraising letters ready to placed in envelopes, addressed and stamped at the meeting. All members are invited to help in this effort. This project is moving quickly and I hope you will join us.

Jeff Howell
President

A New Year

2006-01-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Board of Directors was sworn in last night.
The Board is:
President - Jeff Howell
Management VP - Lisa Faulkner
Membership VP - Roger Lyons
Community VP - Lana McCarty
Individual Development VP - Shannon Shuey
State Director - Kevin Yow
Treasurer - Jimmy Solomon
Chairman of the Board - Alecia Adams.

This is a terrific group and I am excited to be working with them.

I want to express my gratitude to our new Chairman of the Board, Alecia Adams. She saved this chapter. Trust me when I tell you that as a leader she was strong, skillful and wise. She didn't know if she would be a good president. Alecia wasn't good, she was the best.

Sincerely,
Jeff Howell
President