What is a Jaycee?

We know what you’re thinking. What on earth is a Jaycee, and why does it have so many extra letters (it should just be JC, right?) Well, we are here to shed some light on the subject. We want to tell you a bit about the history of the Jaycees, about the Cary Jaycees chapter specifically, and how you can get involved!

A Brief History of the Jaycees

The Jaycees (aka the Junior Chamber, JCs, JCI USA, or the Artist Formerly Known as Prince [okay, maybe not that one]) is a nonprofit service organization that began all the way back in 1920, and was designed to be a civic engagement and professional development group for individuals between the ages 18 and 40. It was started by, you guessed it, a group of old white men. It wasn’t until 1984 that women were allowed to join, and even then, they had to start their own chapters of “the Jayceettes”. Listen, we all have our uncomfortable pieces of history. Luckily, nowadays, anyone and everyone between the ages of 18 and 40 is welcomed with open arms. Actually, we’ll take you over 40’s as well! The only thing a more senior Jaycee can’t do is hold a leadership position, but we’d love to have you, your ideas, and your heart of gold.

The Jaycees focus primarily on leadership and business development through acts of social service. One of our most basic beliefs is that, in order to create positive social change, you must not only take collective action to benefit the community, but also continuously develop your skills as an individual leader. This can be done through “chairing” projects that you are passionate about. You get to take the lead on local community events, and you have a whole team of fellow Jaycees there to support you! Who wouldn’t want that?

Some notable Jaycee alums include Elvis Presley, Bill Gates, and several US presidents. Fan of true crime? Our two most infamous former Jaycee members are serial killers John Wayne Gacy and Edmund Kemper (the “coed killer”). It really plays into the “don’t trust people described as ‘pillars of the community’”  trope, doesn’t it?

The Cary Jaycees

I am about 95% sure that none of our current members are serial killers, so I’d say your odds are pretty good. 

You may know us from the super popular Cary Christmas Parade - now going on 43 years - or as the smiling faces serving you Chick-fil-a sandwiches at NC State home football games. But that’s not all we do! We are dedicated to serving our community and having fun while doing it. Whether it’s playing music bingo and donating the proceeds to a local cause, or “getting our hands dirty” by serving directly beside local nonprofits, you can count on us. Some of our recent partners include Read and Feed, The Duke Cancer Center, The Interfaith Food Shuttle, and more. 

We are not only in the business of helping others, but also helping ourselves grow. The Cary Jaycees have hosted a variety of professional development workshops such as resume development, time management, and personal branding. There are also yearly conventions hosted by the state chapter of the Jaycees where members from all over North Carolina come together to attend social events and classes. Each convention also features competitions on writing and debate. If your favorite club in high school was debate, this is the event for you. If you are terrified of public speaking, believe it or not, this is the event for you too. The Jaycees yearly convention is the ideal place to pick up new skills, and new friends - how wonderfully cheesy is that?

How can I join?

Becoming a Cary Jaycee is easier than finding parking downtown. You can find our membership form on our website here, and that’s pretty much it! Once we have your info, you will start receiving emails about upcoming meetings and events. Not sure if the Jaycees are right for you? Feel free to join us at a General Membership Meeting. Our meetings are every other month, the third Tuesday of the month, at 6:30PM. Meetings are typically held at The Mayton or the Page-Walker House, but location is subject to change as we branch out to find new fun places to meet (like local breweries, hint hint)! In each meeting we discuss upcoming events, new ideas, and what fun snacks we will have at our next meeting (this month we had amazing cookies from Crumbl). There is no pressure to join, you don’t have to drink the Kool-Aid, we just want to get to know members of our community!

As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions, or if you’d like to get involved! Contact Us

Yours in service,

The Cary Jaycees