Taney County, MO – Junior Auxiliary of Taney County (JATC) welcomes 13 women into their incoming Provisional class (first year members) for the 2014-2015 year.

This group of women has demonstrated interest in joining JATC and over the next six months will attend Chapter meetings and events and participate in projects to determine if they wish to make a commitment to become Active Members with the organization to serve the community.

2015 Provisional Class: Teresa Bailey, Jennifer Mobley, Candy Ramirez, Francie Marshall, Sam Law, Paula Eighmy, Bobbie Gilpin, Marcia Vanderlaan, Lajean Wild, Sara Henderson, Renee Benson, and Jennifer Essary. Not pictured: Teresa Russell

New Active Members who joined as part of the 2013-2014 Provisional class have been instrumental in initiating new service projects, fundraisers and organizational practices. As part of that continuous improvement effort, the membership recognized that JATC needed a more active and comprehensive presence on the Internet. In response, JATC is pleased to announce the launch of their new web site JATCMO.ORG. The site is a convenient way for the community to learn more about the history of the organization and its members, and stay updated on their community events, current service projects, and fund raising efforts. Supporters and donors are highlighted on the site and donations may be made through the site. A special feature is the JATC Journal in which members will be posting entries each month about their activities and how the children and families in Taney County are served by the organization. By subscribing to the site, Journal entries will be delivered to the subscriber’s email so interested parties will be continuously informed of events and ways to support the organization.

JATC is more than a nonprofit organization, it’s a group of women united by a single cause and dedicated to helping the children of Taney County. That’s the magic of JATC. It was chartered by a group of caring, enthusiastic women in 1998 and continues to grow and thrive throughout Taney County. Approximately 50 members annually contribute more than 4,000 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars as they strive to improve the mental, physical, social and emotional well-being of children in Taney County. Each summer JATC hosts a number of informational meetings so that women over the age of 21 may hear about JATC’s activities and decide if they would like to consider membership in the organization.

Each year JATC assesses the community’s needs and establishes service projects to address those needs. Many of their projects have been sustained for years, such as College Readiness and Scholarships, ScholarCare, Prom Dress, Tender Critters for children in the local hospitals, mid-year replenishment of school supplies and hygiene products for Taney County elementary schools, and support for the School Backpack Program.

Several newer projects include Santa’s Gift House, which provides affordable holiday gift shopping for children in Branson and Forsyth; Journey, which is a mentoring project for young women; support for the Women’s Crisis Center, in which they provide home improvement and monetary support for one of the cottages; and Book Swap Stop/Homework Helpers, in which they provide snacks, enrichment programs, reading and homework help for children who live in the extended-stay hotels/motels.

Members raise money for these projects through one major event - a fun Trivia Challenge with dinner, live entertainment and a Silent Auction. This year the 15th Annual Trivia Challenge and Silent Auction will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Branson on March 28th, 2015. The women also have social events that contribute to the fun and passion they demonstrate while helping the community.

JATC is part of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA), a non-profit organization founded in 1941 with headquarters in Greenville, Mississippi. NAJA has more than 15,500 active, associate and life members in 98 chapters located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Their slogan is “Care Today—Character Tomorrow” and the NAJA symbol is a five-pointed crown that represents the values of charity, health, youth, service and leadership.

More information on JATC can be found on the Junior Auxiliary website JATCMO.ORG, their Facebook page, Junior Auxiliary of Taney County or via email at jatcmo@gmail.com.

Published Branson Daily Independent, Oct 24, 2014; Springfield News-Leader Oct 27, 2014