House Concurrent Resolution 13

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF JACKSON ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY.

WHEREAS, the Junior League of Jackson, a charitable women's organization with a rich heritage of improving communities, developing volunteerism and empowering women, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in the year 2016; and

WHEREAS, the Junior League of Jackson (JLJ) is able to support its 30-plus community projects, as well as its signature projects, through the successful and fiscally responsible operation of fund development businesses including, cookbooks, Touch A Truck, Mistletoe Marketplace and the Junior League Jumble; and

WHEREAS, the Junior League's first attempt at fundraising was the 1978 publication of the popular cookbook, Southern Sideboards, followed by the 1991 companion cookbook, Come on In, which became household favorites throughout the south and received national recognition, additionally, these books continue on today in a digital format still available through Amazon; and

WHEREAS, the Touch A Truck program has been a family favorite for the past two years, bringing a variety of vehicles to a safe location where children can learn and explore while understanding the importance of serving our community; and

WHEREAS, perhaps the event JLJ is most known for is the Mistletoe Marketplace, a week of premier shopping with a 35 year legacy, which has been named the Best Special Event and the Best Charity Event by the Clarion Ledger's Mississippi's Official People's Choice Awards; and

WHEREAS, the newest fund development business is the Junior League Jumble, which offers truly impressive bargains in the ultimate garage sale; and

WHEREAS, the dedication of the JLJ to our community is unfathomable with eight projects dedicated to early literacy, four projects aligned for support of health management for individuals in the community, three projects geared toward promoting the social and emotional wellness of our youth and 13 mini projects to round out the call to humanitarian and philanthropic aid; and

WHEREAS, the JLJ was organized in 1927, formally started in 1941, and this year celebrates and reflects on 75 years of community collaborations and partnership; and

WHEREAS, the 1940s brought in an era of rapid change with the onset of World War II and JLJ boldly responded by organizing the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office, assisted the local ration board, sold War bonds and stamps, and still made time to develop a community hospital, local library and create a radio series for children; and

WHEREAS, the 1950s was a post-war decade where many women returned home to focus exclusively on domesticity, but the JLJ never lost sight of their vision, lobbying the Legislature for massive change in their community, including the University of Mississippi Medical School, the passage of a Standard Adoption Law and more opportunities within the Mississippi School for the Blind; and

WHEREAS, while the 1960s was a time dedicated to the excitement of the moment and rock-n-roll, the JLJ had an eye to the past by volunteering with the Old Capitol Museum, an eye to the future by sponsoring a Mental Health Clinic and a passion for the here and now as well, by donating massive amounts of merchandise to Mississippi Gulf Coast residents during Hurricane Camille; and

WHEREAS, the JLJ devoted the 1970s to many forms of educational enhancement, by tutoring through Operation Shoe String, providing vision screening for pre-schoolers through the 12th grade, teaching the public about blindness prevention and working with the Department of Archives and History to preserve history, develop walking tours, a guidebook, and educational programs for schools; and

WHEREAS, the 1980s brought forward JLJ's first signature project, a $2,000,000.00 fundraising campaign to build the Children's Cancer Clinic and, in addition, JLJ created the Rockin' Mamas program to help mothers with neonatal infants and also established the Chimneyville Center for Crafts and Design; and

WHEREAS, technology improved exponentially, the Internet became readily available, and the JLJ carried on through the digital decade of the 1990s, raising Breast Cancer Awareness, volunteering with the Mississippi Writers Association to coordinate the Eudora Welty Film and Fiction Festival, and devoted a significant amount of time to the West Park Network; and

WHEREAS, the 2000s was a difficult age for the United States, as well as Mississippi, as we suffered through Hurricane Katrina, but JLJ responded gallantly with a great deal of hurricane relief to the Gulf Coast, and they also managed to devote their services to the children and youth in our State, starting with the League's second signature project, a $1,000,000.00 financial commitment to the Mississippi Children's Museum; and

WHEREAS, the past 15 years have ushered a time of increasing activity within the League, including the Mississippi Children's Museum Grand Opening; the adoption of an Issue Based Community Impact Model for the selection and evaluation of its community projects, the needs identified were: early literacy, teenage pregnancy prevention and support, nutrition, physical activity and social and emotional wellness; the opening of the Literacy Garden in the museum; the establishment of the Forget Me Not Fund to ensure the museum's financial stability; Touch A Truck Jackson and the Junior League Jumble; and

WHEREAS, the JLJ makes an incredible impact on our community with more than 2,400 members volunteering over 50,000 hours annually while raising millions of dollars, making it the premier nonprofit of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Junior League of Jackson has come so far over the past 75 years, from serving hamburgers at the State Fair in the 1950s to packing food for hungry children in the 2000s, these women have never been afraid to go where they were needed; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to acknowledge the noble works and the humility of the Junior League of Jackson and all of its members, who have taken on the selfless role of epitomizing Good Samaritanship and establishing the benchmark of excellence in being their brothers' and sisters' keepers:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Junior League of Jackson on the celebration of its 75th anniversary in 2016, express to the members of the Junior League sincerest gratitude for its many years of volunteer service to the City of Jackson and the entire State of Mississippi and extend heartfelt wishes for many more years of success in all of its future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Junior League of Jackson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.