Normally, Junior Auxiliary draws winners for Raffle prizes the night of Trivia, but this year JATC Goes Platinum 20th Annual Trivia Night scheduled for April 4 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been rescheduled for November 14 at the Chateau on the Lake.

Since some of the raffle prizes would be expiring close to the new date for Trivia, it was arranged to draw the prizes on Facebook Live on May 5. Prizes were donated by Doug Baker State Farm Insurance, Chateau on the Lake, Price Chopper, and Hotel Vandivort in Springfield. Caren Brandenburg won the Price Chopper package, Mike Mitchell won the Hotel Vadivort package, Jessica Luthardt won the Chateau on the Lake package, and Roz Slavic won the $500 cash prize. Roz said “I plan on splitting my good fortune between Branson’s Art Council and a charity to benefit children that my daughter works with in Florida.”

We raised almost $4,000 from the sale of raffle tickets. If you bought a ticket, but your name wasn’t called on May 5, we still think you’re a winner for supporting JATC and the projects we do to support children in our community.

We also have approximately 25 Silent Auction items such as Gas Buster Tours, Chick-fil-A catering package, Mama’s Auto Detailing, and lots of show tickets that will be sold on Facebook due to conflicts with their expiration dates and the new date for Trivia. Watch our page, facebook.com/jatcmo for more information.

The Pandemic hasn’t stopped JA ladies from continuing to prepare for this and other projects. Ladies are crafting away to provide gifts for Santa’s Gift House on December 5, Scholarship and ScholarCare awards are being presented to 7 Seniors County wide, Tender Critters are being tagged for when we are allowed to deliver them to the hospital again, and plans for a new project called SteamPunk Academy involving information from the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (along with a free Halloween costume) for children in Grades K-4 are in full swing.

JATC’s 20th Annual Trivia Challenge is being Chaired this year by Shanna Tilley, along with co-chairs Paula Eighmy and Anna Morrissey. This is JA’s major fund-raiser of the year and supports JATC’s numerous community projects. A list of donors and more information about the event and JA’s projects, can be found on the Junior Auxiliary website JATCMO.ORG, their Facebook page (Junior Auxiliary of Taney County), via email at jatcmo@gmail.com, or by contacting Paula Eighmy at 417-294-1045.

The funds raised through this event are 100% reinvested in our community, supporting a variety of projects aimed at addressing the needs of children and families. A few of the projects include Tender Critters; 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 Halloween Grape Stomp in Hollister, MO.

JATC raises money from other events such as Belk’s Charity Days, Mr. G’s Pizza Annual JATC Days, and JATC Market 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 “Care Today-Character Tomorrow”.

Published by: Branson Tri-Lakes News, Wednesday, June 3, 2020