School teachers have been on the front lines this year as they provide our children, our country’s most precious asset, with a healthy learning environment. Junior Auxiliary was pleased to provide $50 gift cards to 27 teachers in Bradleyville Elementary, Kirbyville Elementary, Mark Twain, and Taneyville schools to purchase items they need for their classrooms.

JATC gave these schools a variety of school supplies in September and in January provided another refresher donation of supplies which included: composition notebooks, wide-ruled paper, wide ruled 1-subject notebooks, 2 pocket folders, crayons, pencils, mechanical pencils, pencil sharpeners, colored markers, ink pens, colored pencils, glue sticks, scotch tape, scissors, index cards, highlighters, rulers, erasers, Expo markers, etc. Other items designed to help keep the kids healthy such as hand sanitizer, Kleenex, Lysol spray, paper towels, and Clorox wipes were also donated. Gloves, stocking hats, socks, and underwear rounded out the donation to these schools.

Junior Auxiliary members collect high demand items all year. They shop the sales and save them up for this time of year when the schools run low. The budget allotted for this project allows JA to purchase extra things schools need at this time of year, along with purchasing the teacher Gift Cards, and JA Members supplement the supplies with their donations. This year the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors Good Neighbor Fund also provided support for this project through a grant to JATC.

Lara Ernsting, Principal at Kirbyville Elementary said "Kirbyville Elementary is very pleased to partner with the Junior Auxiliary of Taney County to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for our children to learn. The teachers and students will put the school supplies to great use. Thank you Junior Auxiliary."

School Supplies is one of many service projects that JATC members provide for the community. Other JATC projects include Tender Critters for children in trauma; Prom Dresses for girls in need; financial and labor support for the Women’s Crisis Center including birthday parties and child care for the children so moms can attend counseling sessions; Santa’s Gift House; Book Swap for children who live in extended-stay motels; and Scholarships for each of the four high schools in Taney County.

Donations for this project and others that JATC provides to the community can be sent to JATC, PO Box 862, Hollister, MO 65673. More information 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.

Members raise money for this and other projects through one major event - a fun Trivia Challenge with dinner, and a Silent Auction. This year the 20th Annual Trivia Challenge and Silent Auction will be held at the Chateau on the Lake in Branson on May 8, 2021.

Come join us at “JATC Trivia Goes Platinum, Celebrating 20 Years of Trivia”. We hope you will save the date and come help us support the children of Taney County.

We also invite you to support us at Mr. G’s Pizza & Pub Annual JATC Days on February 24 and 25 from 11 am – 8 pm. You may dine-in or carry out, and 50% of your purchase will be donated to JATC. All you have to do is mention that you support JATC.

JATC raises money from other events such as Belk’s Charity Days, as well as donations from corporate charitable giving (e.g., Amazon Smile, Microsoft, Walmart, and White River Electric), generous local businesses and churches (e.g., Branson’s Cowboy Church located at God & Country Theatre, Doug Baker State Farm Insurance, Ozark Mountain Ear Nose & Throat, 417 Fundraising, Branson Bank, Central Bank, Ollis, Akers & Arney Insurance, Edward Jones-Mitch and Jennifer Holmes, Edward Jones-Mac McGregor, and Lowe’s.)

JATC is more than a nonprofit organization, it’s a group of women united by a single cause. We are dedicated to helping and making a difference in the lives of 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 as they strive to improve the mental, physical, social and emotional well-being of children in Taney County.

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, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Their slogan is “Caring Hearts—Helping Hands—Changing Lives”.

Published by: The Globe, Friday, January 29, 2021