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History The Virginia Jaycees

The Beginning Only four years after the founding of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, an organization of dedicated and concerned young men was founded in Norfok in 1924. During the first, year, it reached a membership of nearly 1,200, and while it never achieved as large a membership again, it continued to be an active force in the city. In 1933, Norfolk became the first Virginia member of the United States Junior Chamber. Leroy Ober was elected a national director in 1934, and a national vice president in 1936. The history of the Virginia Sate Junior Chamber of Commerce began in 1938. At that time, Tom Baldridge of Winchester, B. Powell Harrison of Leesburg, and Arthur Clephane of Dranesville joined forces and helped sponsor conferences in Hagerstown, Philadelphia, and Alexandria for the national organization.

From the excitement and response of those attending the conferences, Baldridge, Harrison, and Clephane decided to seek the establishment of a state Junior Chamber in Virginia. They spent much time traveling throughout Virginia, carrying on a voluminous correspondence, and developing and putting into effect the plans which would culminate into the formation of a state organization. All of the eight Junior Chamber organizations in Virginia (Danville, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Winchester, Richmond, Loudoun County, Clarke County, and Courtland) were informed of the plans for a meeting to be held in Washington D.C. in April of Commerce. These three individuals also laid the groundwork for a state constitution and by-laws, but decided to hold the meeting in Alexandria since they thought it would be inappropriate meet outside of Virginia.

The organizational meeting of the Virginia State Junior Chamber of Commerce was held on April 14-16, 1939, at the George Mason Hotel in Alexandria. All eight Junior Chamber organizations were represented and gave unanimous support to the creation of a state organization. The constitution and by-laws were approved and adopted, and Tom Baldridge became the first president of the Virginia State Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Virginia Jaycees Timeline

1939 - Virginia Jaycees organization was formed on April 14-16, 1939 in Alexandria, Va

1943 - State War Conference held in Roanoke

1943 - Tom Baldridge (first Virginia Jaycees president) formulates War Memorial Fund for construction of a permanent headquarters for the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. National Headquarters is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1946 - First state headquarters was established in Richmond

1946-47 - New Dominion - Statewide newsletter was developed

1948 - First paid state employee was hired

1951 - National TOYM banquet was held in Roanoke - Dr. John R. Everett, President of Hollins College, became the first Virginian to win a TOYM award.

1951 - National Headquarters building dedicated in Tulsa, OK.

1953 - Virginia Jaycees reach 50 chapters

1953 - Tom Baldridge was named an honorary member of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, only one of three ever awarded.

1954 - State outfit for the national convention in Colorado Springs was a complete cavalier costume costing $13.75.

1956-57 - State organization sponsored the sale of automobile tags to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Virginia.

1956 - State Headquarters moved to Lynchburg

1959 - Liberty Tree Project chaired by John Marsh of Strasburg was selected as the national project of the year. In this project, trees were planted and packaged in soil from Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, Jamestown, Williamsburg, the Shenandoah Valley, and the Alamo.

1961 - Virginia Jaycees reach 100 chapters

1964 - Virginia Jaycees 25th Anniversary

1965 - At the national convention in Buffalo where the vote was passed to change the name of the national organization to United States Jaycees.

1966 - Operation Friendship was conducted with the collection of over 40 tons of goods and materials for Vietnamese refugees.

1969 - First Apple Jelly Sunday was held to raise money to establish a camp for the mentally retarded.

1969 - Land for Camp Virginia Jaycee was acquired.

1970-71 - Model General Assembly was started.

1971 - Camp Virginia Jaycee receives its first campers.

1979 - Virginia Jaycees 40th Anniversary

1984 - Past president Tom Baldridge and Herb Bateman were elected to the United States Jaycees Hall of Fame

1984 - Following the July Supreme Court ruling and the action of the United States Jaycees, the Virginia Jaycees voted at the summer board meeting to admit women into its membership.

1985 - Virginia finished #1 in the parade of states at the national convention held in Indianapolis.

1986 - Werness Conference Center dedicated at Camp Va Jaycee

1987 - Bill Robertson, the co-founder of Camp Virginia Jaycee was elected to the United States Jaycees Hall of Fame.

1988 - Lisa Pettipas, first female president, elected as the 54th president of the Virginia Jaycees.

1989 - Virginia Jaycees celebrate its 50th Anniversary

1990 - During the 70th Annual Meeting, delegates vote to change the official name of the organization back to The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce.