Dear Fellow Jaycees,

As you are aware, this week the southeastern United States sustained a devastating series of severe storms. The tornadoes that impacted Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Florida have hit home hard. This is the time when Jaycees act and work together to ensure that our friends across the many Jaycee states are safe and know that their fellow Jaycees we are willing to get out and help.

The US Jaycees Foundation is setting up a disaster relief account pursuant to the devastation that has battered the Southeastern US. You are requested to send a tax free donation to:

The US Jaycees Foundation
Attention: Disaster Relief Program – Tornadoes
7447 S. Lewis Avenue
Tulsa OK, 74136

As a reminder, 100% of the funds received go directly to the grants which are provided to the Jaycee states or chapters in order to assist their communities in need. No administrative fees are assessed to the Disaster Relief Funds, so you can rest assured that very dollar donated will go to grants and will assist in the disaster relief. We are starting to work with the chapters in Alabama and shortly will begin working with those from the other states too. If you would like to get your hands dirty let us know and we’ll point you in the direction of chapters who could use your assistance. Jaycees it is time we do what we do best – help those who need a hand to get back on their feet or maybe just a hand to dig out of a difficult situation. You have seen the pictures on the news – the time to act is NOW!!!

In the name of Jaycees everywhere – God Bless you all.

WE BELIEVE – That Service to Humanity is the BEST WORK of LIFE!

Raj Nadkarni
Chairman 2011
US Jaycees Foundation

Please make checks payable to the U.S. Jaycees Foundation and mail contributions to:
7447 S. Lewis Ave. Tulsa OK, 74136

John Baine of El Dorado was elected as a National Vice-President of The United States Junior Chamber for 2011. The election was held at the 90th Annual Meeting on June 4, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

John Baine served as President of the El Dorado Jaycees in 2006 when he led the Chapter to #1 in Arkansas and #3 in the United States in the National Parade of Chapters. His work earned him the Charles Kulp, Jr. Memorial Award from The United States Junior Chamber and the Local Chapter President of the Year Award from the Arkansas Junior Chamber. He went on to serve as Business Development Vice-President of the Arkansas Junior Chamber in 2007 where he was recognized with the Dennis Hamilton Memorial Award for Outstanding Programming by The United States Junior Chamber. He served as the 71st President of the Arkansas Junior Chamber in 2008 and Chairman of the Board in 2009.

He is a JCI Certified Local Trainer and was appointed by The United States Junior Chamber President Jeff Lank as the 2010 Chair of The United States Junior Chamber Training Task Force.  The Training Task Force was created to develop training materials for state and local chapters.

He is an accountant with Murphy Oil Corporation and is serving his fifth term as a Justice of the Peace on the Union County Quorum Court.  He is also active on the boards of the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts, Arkansas State University Alumni Association, and was appointed by Governor Mike Beebe to the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources Advisory Committee.

At the Opening Ceremony and Awards Toby Stephens received for Arkansas the plaque for coming in 7th place in the Parade of States.  John Judd and Jeff Taylor of Jonesboro won Presidential Medallions for R.E.D. Alert.  Chad Peterson of Conway was awarded a Presidential Medallion for his work as State President.  Sam Abernathy of Jonesboro was award the Outstanding Local Vice-President Award.

John Baine of El Dorado was nominated for National Vice-President.  John was placed forward by Arkansas; he was nominated by South Dakota and seconded by Iowa.  John’s nomination acceptance speech was great and received resounding applause.  He was elected by acclamation at the Annual Meeting.  He is the first Arkansas Jaycee elected to national office since Chris Reese was elected National President back in 1998.

The following national officers were elected at the Annual Meeting:

President-elect Joanie Cramer, North Carolina

National Vice-Presidents elect:
Heather Austin, Ohio
John Baine, Arkansas
Kathy Crick, Illinois
Misty Miner, Montana
Amy Newton, Pennsylvania
Bob Prater, Georgia
Arwen Pritchett, Florida
Jennifer Ray, Maryland

John Baine was appointed by United States Junior Chamber President Jeff Lank as the 2010 Chair of the United States Junior Chamber Training Task Force.  The Training Task Force was created to develop training materials for state and local chapters along with operating a trainer’s database of the some two-hundred US based JCI Trainers as well as other trainers with special skills available to local chapters through the Junior Chamber University program.

He recently completed all requirements to become a JCI Certified Local Trainer with Junior Chamber International, JCI.  Baine is the only graduate of the JCI Trainer program in the state of Arkansas and is responsible for interactive member training within local Junior Chamber chapters across the state.  JCI is a worldwide leadership development organization with 200,000 members in 5,000 local chapters in over 100 countries. JCI is the worldwide organization that includes the United States Junior Chamber, the Arkansas Junior Chamber, and the El Dorado Jaycees.

Baine served as President of the El Dorado Jaycees in 2006. He went on to serve the Arkansas Junior Chamber as Business Development Vice-President in 2007, as the 71st President in 2008, and as Chairman of the Board in 2009.

He is an accountant with Murphy Oil Corporation and is serving his fifth term as a Justice of the Peace on the Union County Quorum Court.  He is also active on the boards of the Boomtown Toastmasters of El Dorado, Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts, Arkansas State University Alumni Association, and was appointed by Governor Beebe to the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources Advisory Committee.