Jaycees Reviving Defunct Chapter

Hoping to revive its civic presence of past years, the Santa Paula Jaycees chapter is re-forming and will hold an organizational meeting tonight.

The leadership training organization for men and women ages 21 to 39 was chartered last month with 20 members.

Officers will be elected tonight and prospective members are welcome, said Mary Barnes, chairwoman of the Ventura Jaycees, which has traditionally been affiliated with its Santa Paula counterpart.

The organization dates back to 1967 in the Santa Clara Valley community. But the chapter folded as members aged, the recession hit and volunteerism declined in the late 1980s, Barnes said.

“Volunteerism is up because the economic atmosphere is better than it was in the past,” she said. “It’s a good time for Santa Paula because it’s a town that’s ready for new ideas and the younger generation to become involved.”

Jaycees elsewhere run environmental awareness and anti-smoking programs. In Santa Paula, the group plans to sponsor a scholarship in the Miss Santa Paula Pageant, while determining how the community can be served in other ways, Barnes said.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Santa Paula Depot, 963 E. Santa Barbara St.

For information, call Barnes at 647-8876, or Theresa Palacios at 525-7064.