Welcome to the website of the Junior Service League of Panama City! Organized on Oct. 12, 1951, our League has worked for almost 60 years to positively impact our community.
In the coming year, our 120+ active members will spend over 4,000 hours working with public programs and in-League placements that affect the lives of thousands of students and the elderly here in Panama City. These programs include:
The After School Assistance Program (ASAP) – tutoring and mentoring economically-disadvantaged children; The Chautauqua House – working with developmentally-disabled young adults in a “learn and serve” environment; Girls on the Run –mentoring elementary-aged girls during an after-school program that focuses on life skills and running games; Kids on the Block –teaching valuable life skills to elementary-aged children through traveling puppet shows; Child Service Center – clothing needy Bay District School children through school referrals; Leadership Development – training our members for leadership inside and outside of the League; Elderly Outreach – visiting retirement home residents for uplifting fellowship; and researching the VOICES program for future implementation to foster a spirit of service in high school aged young ladies.
How do we fund these programs? There are two major ways: The Junior Service League is proud to host Holly Fair - our annual holiday shopping event made up of over 80 vendors and merchants from around the nation. Now in its 21st year, this past year’s event raised $197,000 for our local service projects & signature activities. We are proud and blessed to have a community that supports our organization so generously, even in trying economic times!
Our other major fundraiser is the sale of our award-winning cookbooks: Bay Leaves (1974), Beyond the Bay (1985), and Bay Fetes (2001).
Please make sure that you visit our Holly Fair link as well as our Bay Publications link to see how you can support the work that we do by becoming involved in Holly Fair 2009 or just by ordering one of our great cookbooks!
As a native of Bay County, I treasure the rich history of our League and am excited about the bright future that awaits us! I am honored to serve as the 2009-2010 president. With over 70% of our active membership working outside of the home, all of our leaders continue to choose to spend their free time involved in faith, family, and furthering the League’s mission of improving our community and training leaders for educational and charitable advancements. I warmly invite you to explore our site and learn more about the Jr. Service League of Panama City.
Sincerely,
Kara Lindholm Davis