YOUR
DADDY WAS A LIZARD
A long time ago,
in district nine, Jaycees were building membership, doing community service
and having a great time. Chapters were spread out and driving hundreds of
miles to visit other chapters was the norm.
It was on two such
trips to a neighboring states (Arizona) board meetings that an idea was
conceived. It seems that the Arizona Jaycees had an inner organization ,the
Gila Monsters, that recognized the work it took to hold certain offices and
would induct these hard working folks into this coveted organization,
Sometimes, as in the case of our two members, an honorary membership and pin
were given.
Later, after a
“New Presidents School” in East Yolo (way up in Northern Calif.) a group of
enthusiastic Jaycees sat in a local tavern waiting to catch their flights
home, the group included the Past State Chaplin/new State President (Dick D.),
and others, including one of the newly pinned honorary G1LA MONSTERS.
To pass the time
the group decided to have some fun at the expense of the new STATE PRESIDENT.
An attractive young woman was enlisted to help, and when the signal was given,
she came over and sat on the Presidents lap and repeated a message from one of
the many Match Book Covers on the table. To the surprise of the, very red
faced State President she purred, what was to become our secret greeting, “HI
TIGER”.
Later the
conversation turned to a more serious subject, how to motivate more Jaycees to
accept an active role in leadership? The honorary Gila Monster shared with the
group his experience in Arizona, and suggested that this kind of approach
might work for us. The idea was well received by all and before we left we had
set up membership criteria, established the initiation, accepted an offer from
Dave (of San Diego) to design and cast the pins, established our start up cost
and fund raising (brought all in attendance plus all district 9 presidents and
state directors into the newly named “CALIFORNIA JAYCEE TIGERS”
It wasn’t long
before our membership was attracting new and excited members who, thanks to
Jaycee leadership training, were willing to take the pride to new levels and
eventually to what it is today, the best of the best.
As we look back on
those times we are reminded how great things come from such simple beginnings.
Who would of thought that a LIZARD, a MATCH BOOK COVER, and a JAYCEE WITH AN
IDEA, could evolve into such a great organization.
With The Pride
In Mind,
Gary Murphy, Tiger #1