Another year of the Pasadena Jaycees’ Operation Gobbler service project! Thank you to all who donated through our wine auction or sponsoring families. With your help, the Jaycees were able to provide Thanksgiving meals to over Pasadena area 300 families in need. We had to make some modifications due to COVID, but we are happy we were still able to safely carry out the project and serve local families! Thank you to Altadena Grocery Outlet and Albertson’s #nourishingneighbors program for their generous support, and to our friends at Friends in Deed for partnering with us for another year of this awesome project! Click here to learn more about Operation Gobbler.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Check out these newspaper clippings from 1984!

Did you know that women were NOT allowed to join civic organizations like the Junior Chamber International until  a Supreme Court ruling in 1984?

In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day we’d like to take you back to 1984 with these vintage photos and newspaper clippings.

“The Supreme Court ruling came after Jaycees in Minnesota challenged the legality of the exclusion of women, contending that the bylaws violated Minnesota’s laws prohibiting discrimination in places of public accommodation. The Court ruled that the law could be applied to the Jaycees. ‘We’re Sued Into Oblivion’”  Source: http://www.nwhp.org/resources/womens-rights-movement/detailed-timeline/

“1984 In Roberts v. U.S. Jaycees, 468 U.S. 609 (1984), sex discrimination in membership policies of organizations, such as the Jaycees, is forbidden by the Supreme Court – opening many previously all-male organizations (Jaycees, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions) to women.” 

We’re proud to say we’ve come a long way since then. Our past two Presidents were women, half of our current Board of Directors is made up of women, and women made up at least 50% of our project chairs and membership over the past few years. Women have helped make the Pasadena Jaycees what it is, and we look forward to a future of continued equality!

The Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce (nicknamed the “Jaycees”) is celebrating 90 years of community service, leadership training, and social events. On Saturday, February 9, the organization hosted a 90th Anniversary Gala at Shakespeare Club, which included recognition of long-standing projects like Operation Santa and Operation Gobbler, speeches and anecdotes from community members, and even a Jaycees parody song. The 2019 President, Erin Scott, and the 2019 Board of Directors were also sworn in at the event.

The celebration was a fun-filled night, and the program included speeches from Ed Morales who spoke about the ongoing relationship between the Tournament or Roses and the Pasadena Jaycees, Desiree Sanchez who raved about the positive impact Operation Santa had on her children, Ana Whilchez who explained the yearly difference the Operation Gobbler project makes on her family and friends, and Mitsuko Roberts who thanked the Jaycees for the positive impact the Japanese exchange program has had on her son.

The Pasadena Jaycees are a volunteer and leadership training organization for people aged 20 to 41. For more information about joining or about any of the Jaycees’ charitable projects, please visit www.pasadenajaycees.org or email [email protected].

Check out our calendar for upcoming events!

Check out our calendar for upcoming events!