B‑1 History of the Jenkins Area Jaycees

In March of 1968 the Elkhorn City Area Jaycees invaded Jenkins with the hopes of extending a Jaycee chapter in Jenkins. After three or four meetings with young men in our community the date was set. On April 2, 1968 a charter night banquet was held at the old Lakeside Hotel and the Jenkins Area Jaycees became a reality.

John Combs was elected the first president of the Jenkins Jaycees and the next fourteen months brought new development and hope for the town of Jenkins. A community survey was conducted to determine what could be improved in our town. The people seem to think recreation was the most pressing problem at the present time. In response to this the Jaycees organized little league football, baseball was improved and basketball. The 4th of July found a Horse Show in town. In the winter Women's professional basketball came to town and in the spring people turned out to see a Donkey basketball game.​a For Christmas baskets were given to the needy families and a Christmas lighting contest was held with the winners receiving cash prizes.

Plans for a city park were discussed, but this is a long-range project. The Jenkins Area Jaycees extended a Jaycee chapter in Pound, Virginia and this was the first out-of‑state extension by a Kentucky chapter. During this first year the Jenkins Jaycees member­ship grew from 24 young men to 35 fired up Jenkins Jaycees.

Wilburn Hall was elected to serve as president of the Jenkins Jaycees for the 1969‑70 year. This was the 50th anniversary year of the United States Jaycees and the Jenkins Jaycees were on the move. This year Jenkins maintained last year's projects and began to work with the Heart Fund Program, the Mental Retardation Program, and became more involved with helping the schools. The ballpark was improved and an American Essay contest was conducted in Junior High School with a $25.00 savings bond being the prize. In expanding recreation a contract was signed with the James H. Drew amusement rides to come to Jenkins with all side shows to be operated by the Jenkins Area Jaycees. During this year the member­ship grew from 35 members to 43 members.

Mac Collier was then elected president and the Jaycees continued to grow. All past projects were continued and any crisis that arose in Jenkins, the Jaycees were always there. A new project was started during this year as the Fishpond Lake became a sore spot in the Jenkins area. Vast improvements were made with long-range plans for further development. The Fishpond Lake was the most serious and expensive the Jaycees had taken on so most of the year was spent on this project. During this year the member­ship grew from 43 to 52 outstanding Jaycees.

Harry Combs became the fourth Jenkins Area Jaycees president. This year saw the Jaycees become more involved in many phases of B‑2community development. An old folks rest home was developed in Jenkins with the help of the Jaycees. The Cub and Boy Scouts were reorganized and a solid program was set down at last. The Jenkins Jaycees met with the Kiwanis Club, the Quarterback Club, and the Jenkins Athletic Field Committee to get a nice $2,000 score board installed in the Jenkins gym. During this year the Jaycees got the wives involved by organizing the Jenkins Jayceettes and making the Jaycees stronger than ever. It was also a sad year as the Jaycees had to go to the rescue on three different occasions when homes were burned to the ground. With all the trouble and work the member­ship grew from 52 to 63 young men of action.

Neil Yonts was elected as the fifth president and the Jenkins Jaycees had its greatest growth in member­ship ever. During this year a new and important project was started, the building of a civic center in Jenkins. This project is still being worked on and before you know it the Jenkins Jaycees will have done it again. A new marquee sign will soon be constructed at the new Jenkins High School so all events can be known by everyone who passes by. Also the city park project was finally settled this year and work will soon begin to build this park. Of course the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Jenkins, Kentucky was worked on during this year and here it is happening just as the Jaycees planned. During this year the member­ship grew from 63 Jaycees to 75 regular Jaycee members. These figures did not include the 7 or 8 associate members accumulated over the years.

The present president of the Jenkins Area Jaycees is Charles Dixon who has already started off to a good year. The first two months of this year has already seen the beginning of the renovation of the swimming pool. The member­ship is already growing and more projects are planned.

Jaycees are young men of action dedicated to the belief that young men can change the world. Jaycees promote community development through leader­ship training. If every town in America had a Jaycee chapter the United States could grow beyond the boundary of the earth.

B‑3 Charter Members of the Jenkins Area Jaycees

1. John Combs
2. Wilburn Hall
3. Bill Burke
4. Tommy Charles
5. Tom Chaffins
6. James Webb
7. Terry Clark
8. Percy Elkins
9. Paul Fleming
10. John LeGuire
11. Larry Horner
12. Jimmy Stallard
13. Robert Shubert
14. Eugene Nash
15. James Skiles
16. Richard Yonts
17. Darrell Webb
18. John Demars
19. Tom Brush
20. Paul Baker
21. Bob Branham
22. Louie Figger
23. Bill Bradley
24. Richard Lewis

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Thayer's Note:

a Donkey basketball is a variation on the standard game of basketball, played on a standard basketball court, but in which the players ride donkeys. The game, popular chiefly in the Southern United States, is usually played for its hilarity as a one-shot fundraiser event. Several commercial firms exist that provide donkeys and equipment, splitting the proceeds with the party that hires them: see for example Buckeye Donkey Ball Co., Inc. • Circle (A) Donkey Ball Company • Donkey Sports, Inc.

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