From The President
Michael Lee, 82nd President
I’ve been a member since April 2013, but have been to few Jaycee events well before that. I made many good friends that year and have had great and educational experiences with this group. In that first year, I had a lot of fun serving on the Fourth of July Parade Committee and was responsible for putting an Imperial Marching Band together to add another musical group to the lineup, I also had a really good time co-chairing a Road Rally, and on top of that I attended numerous social events as well as projects that taught me a thing or two. Right away I saw the value of being a member.
There are many benefits to being an Ann Arbor Jaycee: the friends you make are lifelong friends, you learn all about event planning and project management, you get to meet great people around Ann Arbor, and you get to go to some fun places and learn new things. In 2016, we had many opportunities to experience all of this and we still have many more. Our goal is to make you grow as a person while making your dues worth while.
Dues for a new member is $85, while a returning member is $75. Of that, $70 goes to the Michigan Jaycees, JCI USA, and Junior Chamber International. The return you get on your dues gets repaid to you many times over if you take full advantage of what the Jaycees have to offer.
For example, when I was the treasurer in 2014 we spent over $4,000 on membership activities (i.e. social, individual development, and membership appreciation). Dues in 2014 was $65. Taking the average attendance for events that year we spent about $250 per person, that was almost 400%!
At the beginning of the year, we sent a survey asking what you all would like to do this year. The board took all of your recommendations and set up the calendar for the year with a budget. We knew full well that this calendar is not set in stone. I’m sure you noticed we cancelled a few events, rescheduled some of them, we even changed events. If there is something you think is lacking in our calendar, please talk to any of our board members of your ideas.
At our September Monthly Meeting we will be talking about our upcoming events, one of which is our final signature event of the year: Boo Bash. We will also be listening to Mayor Taylor talk about Ann Arbor (bonus points if you get him to sing - he is a great singer). We will also be asking you for input for more events for the end of the year, as well as the beginning of next year. I hope to see you all there.
The key phrase for this issue is the month and year I joined the Ann Arbor Jaycees. The first person to give me the correct answer will get a fun prize.
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