Kids and their families all had a great time at the Junior Auxiliary of Taney County's (JATC) activity booths at the Hollister Grape & Fall Festival. Approximately 225 children (and a few adults) played their way through a “fun course” and threw bean bags into a barrel, putted golf balls into pumpkin faces and tossed rings onto pumpkin and gourd stems. JATC extends a huge “Thank you” to Sustaining Member Paul Norman from Binswanger Glass who got the hay stacks, carved the pumpkins, transported everything, and ran the golf putting booth most of the day. JATC is grateful to members and their families who helped with the prep and running the booth.

In previous years JATC members helped the kids decorate pumpkins, but in anticipation of lower attendance and desire to have activities where people could socially distance, JATC created the “fun course”. Whoever thought that in addition to the usual event and PR materials, they would need to bring hand sanitizer, wipes, masks, face shields and sanitize everything!! Many precautions were taken to try to keep everyone healthy - one child at a time at each station, each child received a scratch ‘n sniff grape sticker for getting their hands sanitized prior to entering the course, equipment was sanitized between each unrelated child, and hand sanitizer was offered at the end of the course.

You could tell which kids play corn hole by their bean bag toss accuracy and some future golf pros might have been discovered. The street chalk drawings that kept them busy while they waited in line showed some wonderful artistic talent! Of course, the kids loved getting a goodie bag at the end as an early Halloween treat.

This project is one of many that JATC does for the community each year with a focus on Recreation, Welfare, Health, Culture or Education. Other projects JATC offers for our community are Tender Critters for children in distress; Santa’s Gift House; College Scholarships for seniors at all four Taney County public high schools; Prom Dresses for girls in need; labor support for the Crisis Center of Taney County along with kid care “Empowering the Little Dreamers” once a week so moms can attend counseling; School Supplies “refreshment” in January for elementary schools; Book Swap where children in extended-stay motels are supplied new books to read once a month; Christmas Assistance supporting Branson Schools Welfare Office; and our newest project “Kindness Effect Cards” for seniors and others who live in nursing homes or assisted living homes in Taney County.

Members raise money for these projects through one major event - a fun Trivia Challenge with dinner, live entertainment, a raffle and a Silent Auction held in the spring each year. Our 20th Annual Trivia Challenge and Silent Auction was postponed this year, but we are looking forward to holding it at the Chateau on the Lake on May 8, 2021. Please save the date and come join us.

JATC raises money from other events such as Belk’s Charity Days, Mr. G’s Pizza Annual JATC Days, as well as donations from corporate charitable giving (e.g., Amazon Smile, Microsoft, Walmart, and White River Electric), generous local businesses and churches (e.g., Branson’s Cowboy Church located at God & Country Theatre, Doug Baker State Farm Insurance, Ozark Mountain Ear Nose & Throat, 417 Fundraising, Branson Bank, Central Bank, Edward Jones-Mitch and Jennifer Holmes, First Community Bank, American Family Insurance, Edward Jones-Mac McGregor, and Lowe’s.)

JATC is more than a nonprofit organization, it’s a group of women united by a single cause. We are dedicated to helping and making a difference in the lives of the children of Taney County. That’s the magic of JATC. It was chartered by a group of caring, enthusiastic women in 1998 and continues to grow and thrive throughout Taney County. Approximately 50 members annually contribute more than 4,000 volunteer hours as they strive to improve the mental, physical, social and emotional well-being of children in Taney County.

JATC is part of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA), a non-profit organization founded in 1941 with headquarters in Greenville, Mississippi. NAJA has more than 15,500 active, associate and life members in 98 chapters located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Their slogan is “Caring Hearts, Helping Hands, Changing Lives”.

Published: Tri-Lakes News, October 20, 2020