Jaycees & Disaster

[cazort]

I went to a local chapter of the Jaycees after being invited by the vice president. It was one of the most disgusting things I have been to in a long time. The meeting was long, tedious, and filled with artificial structure. (Like, everything was motion to approve this, second, and it was a group of 10 people!). And then the treasurer made the most disgusting comment. They were discussing whether or not to give to this charity, and the treasurer said:

"I don't ever approve of giving to a group unless we get something back from them."

I'm like--WTF??? This is supposed to be a service organization? Your mission is to support the community.

And then...this man came with a plan to create a bipartisan discussion on the national debt and the medicare crisis, and the people in the group (after wasting two hours on meaningless nonsense) barely wanted to discuss it, and they were like: "Oh, this is too political." and "I don't want to participate in this because it might tarnish our name."

I got so incredibly angry that I stood up and was like--"Do you have any idea how you come across to prospective members like me? You sit around wasting time on trivial nonsense, and the one serious issue that will most affect all of us, you refuse to take a stand on it. You are a weak, pathetic organization."

And then they started yelling at me so I just yelled: "You are a bunch of fucking losers, I'm sorry I wasted my time coming to this meeting. I'm not coming back." and I stormed out.

It was so depressing...how can people be so despicable? I could just SEE that these would have been the same people who would have been fighting against desegregation during the civil rights movement, I could see the same discussion taking place. "It's too political.", "We don't want to tarnish our name."

Ugh...I hate losing my temper but sometimes I just can't handle the pressure. When people act like that it just pushes me to the edge and I feel nothing but rage...

[Tayl405]

I don't know anything about the organization, but good for you for standing up! Maybe it'll make some of these people think (although if they're not already, probably nothing will make them). Did you talk to the VP after?

[bd1222]

Tay - Im interested to know what type of organization that Jaycees are?

[Tayl405]

I have no clue. I'm going to google it.

[Tayl405]

Apparently it's an organization dedicated to ppl btw the ages of 21 and 39 to help them to succeed in business management, etc. I tried to copy and paste the paragraph but it wouldn't work.

www.usjaycees.org

It would SOUND like a good organization.

[kimmer23]

i thought the jaycees were a christian group?

[Tayl405]

Maybe I looked up the wrong organization?

[bd1222]

Thanks Tay - Yeah I sounds like a good group....

[paperjam1015]

It's a social organization. They do a lot of donations to children's causes.

They also march in alot of parades....

I'm sure that the organization is run a little differently in different cities.

[paperjam1015]

ummm their corporate sponsors are a beer company, a tobacco company and John Deere???

WTF??

[Tayl405]

lol that's hilarious!

[Tayl405]

Wow, this organization is sounding better every minute!

[AlFa]

I am a member of my local Jaycees chapter, and you guys are right. It definitely varies from chapter to chapter. We have the fastest growing chapter in the state with over 50 active members. We do a lot of charity work for programs for children with disabilities.

The Jaycees were started as the Junior Chamber of Commerce but in our chapter, I would say that business networking and that type of thing is not very important. Mainly it is a good way to meet other people who are in the same situation as you.

For the most part, all our members are 25-35, single professionals but we do have a lot of people who work for Non-Profits and the like. Meetings are usually pretty cool and eveyone is very laid back.

Basically, I think it's sort of like a fraternity for people who are older and out of school. It gives us a benevolent reason to get together and meet people we otherwise wouldn't meet and drink a whole lot. All while raising money for our charity.

Cazort, I'm sorry you had such a shitty experience with your local chapter, but I can assure you that we aren't all like that.

[wordsmith]

Our Jaycees disbanded, probably because there are about four people (I'm one) in this small town who are "professionals" and who are under the age of about 40.

But if, as a "junior" Chamber of Commerce, it were anything like the regular Chamber of Commerce is here, it would be, I have no doubt, EXACTLY like what cazort described. Ugh. Self-important big fish in small ponds, socially effete and politically unaware, crass, self-serving (I'm sure our C of C doesn't do anything for anybody who doesn't do anything for it, either), etc. Although the paper I work for is a charter member of the Chamber, I don't willingly participate in any of their stuff, it just seems too ridiculous. But I probably wouldn't shout "fucking losers" at them and storm out of one of their meetings, either. I will just slay them in print by taking unflattering pictures of them, haha.

[mel524]

I moved to Chicago recently and was thinking of joining just to meet people in my age group and possibly have some career connections. I also enjoy volunteering and I heard that they do that too. But now I am kind of discouraged because of all of the negative feedback. Does anyone know anything about the Chicago chapter or have anymore positive feedback?

[wordsmith]

I don't know about their Jaycees, but I do know from when I was a stipended social services volunteer in Chicago that there are TONS of all different sorts of volunteer agencies all over the city who would be more than glad to have you hook up. So you can go that route, regardless of joining up with the Jaycees or not.

[mel524]

I have been looking into just volunteer organizations too, and there does seem to be a lot here, so maybe I will just take that route. Thanks for the info.

[AlFa]

Well it really blows that you've all had such bad experiences with the Jaycees. I have honestly had the exact opposite experience. Maybe I was looking for something different but regardless my chapter is not a bunch of stuck up importantes. They are just a bunch of diverse people who I enjoy being around for the most part. I honestly felt that within a couple of weeks of being a member, I already had half a dozen people I could call friends. In addition, hardly anyone ever talks about work or "business" which I think is pretty cool.

[wordsmith]

mel, what are of the city do you live in? I might be able to make suggestions...

[mel524]

wordsmith,

I live in the Edgewater/Andersonville area. Are you familiar with that area? I would be thankful for any suggestions.

[wordsmith]

OMG, that's EXACTLY where I used to live! Do you love it??? I miss it.

What kind of volunteer work do you like to do, and do you have a car? I was a youth outreach worker when I lived there, but I know of various agencies...

[mel524]

That is cool that you used to live there!

I enjoy working with kids, outside, helping run events, and doing admn stuff. I am pretty much up for anything.

I dont have a car though.

I was thinking of doing stuff with Chicago Cares, have you heard of them?

[wordsmith]

Yup, Clark and Olive, right by the 7-11. It's gotten a lot more gentrified in the 3 years since I lived there, though.

My agencies are from 3 years ago, but I'm sure that a program called After School Action Program (ASAP) still exists. It's in Uptown. They do all kinds of youthwork throughout the neighborhoods of Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. Rogers Park also has the Howard Area Community Center, which has a daycare, an alternative high school, food programs, low income energy assistance programs, all kinds of stuff.

Many area churches do youth programming and neighborhood outreach, if you're not averse to volunteering with a faith community. I know of several.

There's also an agency near Clark and Granville called Centro Romero, which works with the Latino community, if you have any bilingual skills.

Senn High School and St. Gregory's High School, and the Pierce Elementary (on Bryn Mawr) might need volunteers once the school year starts...I did a LOT of volunteering in the schools, they will seldom turn it away...it's as easy as a cover letter to the principal, often.

There are also battered womens' shelters in the area, though they for obvious reasons don't really advertise where they are...I can get more info for you if that's something you'd be interested in. They often need people for overnights, and such.

Uptown also has the Inspiration Cafe, which feeds the homeless.

Can ya tell I did the social justice circuit when I lived in Chicago?

[mel524]

Wow, you are full of ideas. What did you do at the schools? I have worked with after school programs before and tutoring and I have enjoyed that.

[wordsmith]

I actually ran a tutoring and mentoring program for a Lutheran Church in Rogers Park. Part of the community outreach aspect of my job (very progressive, grassroots church, not simply confined to itself, but into promoting community well-being) was to help out in the neighborhood schools.

I got in touch with a bunch of them to see what they needed, most needed help with literacy-themed stuff. I did a year-long stint with one group of ESL kids, working on reading skills...because I have a teaching certificate (sec. ed. English), I pretty much got my own class, which is actually kind of shady, since I wasn't employed by CPS, and they were getting essentially an unpaid teacher, but that's what they needed, adn it worked for me.

You wouldn't have to be certified to help out with stuff...most Chicago Public Schools need all the help they can get.

Try to get in touch with ASAP. They do homework help programs, where the kids come to them, or at least, they did. I could point you to the church I used to work for, but their program is in some transition right now.

[mel524]

Thanks for all the great info.

Completely off topic - do you have any suggestions for local restaurants/bars in the area?

[wordsmith]

Do you like Mediterranean? Reza's is one of my fave spots in the whole city, if so. Clark & Berwyn. Andie's, next door, also good, and a touch less spendy.

If you haven't been to Ann Sather's for breakfast yet, run, don't walk, and make sure you get a take-home box for the extra cinnamon rolls. The Ann Sather's in Andersonville is far superior to the one in Lakeview, ambience-wise.

Leona's is decent enough Italian, but it's American-Italian...it's on Sheridan Road at Morse (I think Morse...been a couple of years).

There's a Chinese place called Tien Tsin in Rogers Park that's always treated me well, and El Famous Burrito, which has football-sized burritos.

If you're a coffee person, I always liked Kopi, the "traveler's cafe" on Clark (near Balmoral, maybe?). Kinda bohemian.

Bars, it's hard to say, b/c the turnover is so crazy. Some of the restaurants I mentioned might not be around anymore, but most of them I know for a fact are. We used to Go to several on Clark St., Farragut's and Simon's. They used to be kinda divey, but the neighborhood as a whole has gone more upscale in the past three years. I know one went in since I moved that's English pub style...Charlie something or other, maybe? Don't know anything about it, but it looks trendy.

[mel524]

Looks like I have a lot of new places to try. Thanks for the suggestions wordsmith.

[cazort]

Originally posted by wordsmith
But if, as a "junior" Chamber of Commerce, it were anything like the regular Chamber of Commerce is here, it would be, I have no doubt, EXACTLY like what cazort described.

What's ironic is that I'm a member of the regular Chamber of Commerce here in Lakewood, OH, and it's just a wonderful place! I love it. :-) I have not only gotten some wonderful business referrals but I just have a blast, with fun people, and I've made some friends too.

[wordsmith]

Originally posted by cazort
What's ironic is that I'm a member of the regular Chamber of Commerce here in Lakewood, OH, and it's just a wonderful place! I love it. :-) I have not only gotten some wonderful business referrals but I just have a blast, with fun people, and I've made some friends too.

Yes, but the difference is that you're in the suburbs of a sizeable urban area...I'm in a small town. That reality doesn't lend itself well to the Chamber of Commerce being full of truly respectable professionals...it's mainly a group of would-be movers and shakers, people who are all of the big fish in a small pond variety. They're mainly a bunch of hicks that have styled themselves somehow as culturally elite, and like to look down their noses pretending that they have a lot of class.