What We Do
The Ames Jaycees are a progressive group who are committed to improving the Ames Community and ourselves. We offer a wide range of activities from personal development to civic involvement to networking opportunities. If you are ready to change your world, we invite you to take a look at the projects we are involved in and join our organization.
Fundraising
- Ames on the Half Shell- Ames on the Half Shell is a project aimed at raising money to fund our community development projects throughout the year. It is a summer band series at Band Shell park in Ames with a corresponding beer garden.
- Trashbag Fundraising Project-The Ames Jaycees contact local Ames residents to purchase trash bags as a fundraiser to help support the many projects we run including the 4th of July fireworks. We also deliver the bags to their home.
Community Development Projects
- Holiday Food Baskets-For 75 years the Ames Jaycees have partnered with MICA (Mid-Iowa Community Action) and the SHARE program (distributes the food) to provide local needy families with food during the holiday season. We contact local business for financial support to increase the number of food baskets we provide each year.
- Super Shooters- This project provides kids in grades 3rd-8th an opportunity to improve their basketball skills through competitions in running, shooting, and dribbling.
- Bowling Challenge- This project provides a fun bowling competition for special need idividuals from across the state of Iowa.
- Easter Egg Hunt-Usually held in a park, the Easter egg hunt is open to all Ames residents. Hundreds of candy-filled eggs are hidden for kids to find. Keep an eye out for the Easter Bunny who always makes an appearance!
- Sandbox Fill-In May, our members deliver wheel barrows of sand to excited kids with the help of a local cement truck. This community project is enjoyed by local Ames families.
- Holiday Tour of Lights- The Holiday Tour of Lights project is an opportunity for the Jaycees to escort the elderly around the Ames community to view the holiday lights. Spreading Holiday Cheer !
- 4th of July Fireworks- The Ames Jaycees raise the funds and facilitate the fireworks display on the 4th of July for the City of Ames. The Ames Jaycees are responsible for ordering, loading and shooting the fireworks for the display.
- Punt, Pass, and Kick- This project involves us working with kids in grades 3rd-8th to improve their football skills.
- Habitat for Humanity- For years, Habitat for Humanity has enlisted the help of individuals and groups from the community to donate their time, talent and treasure to help build homes for people in need. Each year the Ames Jaycees partner with Habitat for Humanity to help with construction related tasks of a home being built for a family in need with the Ames community.
Membership Socials
- Friday After Work (FAW) Program- The Friday After Work (FAW) program was designed to provide an evening of socializing and networking for our chapter members after a long week of work.
- Ames Jaycee Winter Volleyball Team- A coed volleyball team for the City of Ames league, which allows our members to get out of the cold and have a little fun in the gym.
- Ames Jaycees Superbowl Party- The superbowl party is a fun time to get together with members of the Ames Jaycee chapter to watch football and eat great food! A chili cook-off is usually a part of the party and gives members the chance to show off their skills!
- Float Trip-
- I-Cubs Game-
- Halloween Extravaganza-
- Snow Tubing- Snow Tubing is a fun winter social that involves the chapter going over to Seven Oaks for a fun afternoon.
Spend the weekend with the Jaycees at Rock- n- Row Adventures campground, Spend the weekend having some fun in the sun tubing and camping.
The I-Cubs game is a fun night where the chapter arranges tickets to an I-Cubs game and anyone who is able to attend carpools down and has a lot of fun at the game. A great way to wind up the summer!
Celebrate with our local chapter and share in the scare !
Individual Development Projects
- Memberships Meeting Presentations/Local Business Tours – As part of the individual development experience of the Jaycees, you will learn/see/experience many new and interesting things. These may include having speakers come to membership meetings, taking tours of local busnesses, or having a current member teach us something new. We are always looking for new ideas; what do you want to hear/learn about?
Ames Jaycee/Iowa Jaycee Project
- Iowa Speedway-The Iowa Jaycees have a contract with the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa to work the hospitality village during the races. We provide basic catering services (keeping food and drink available) for high-dollar companies who have purchased the tent for the race.
- Ames Jaycees 5K Relay for Life Team- If you don’t know someone who has died or is fighting cancer, yet; you will. So, we get a team together to run/walk the 5K in the fall to help cancer research.