The Bemidji Jaycees Chapter enjoyed a very fun and rewarding weekend at the JCI (Junior Chamber International aka Jaycees) Minnesota Annual Convention this month. There are 3 state-wide conventions that we attend during the year. This convention celebrated the 3rd Trimester and the Year-End accomplishments of all Jaycee Chapters in the State of Minnesota and individual Jaycee members.

Conventions have a very full agenda but gives our members the opportunity to network and socialize with other members from all over Minnesota. We also take the opportunity to attend trainings on various individual development and other topics. Other agenda items consist of the JCI MN Board of Directors meeting, an awards luncheon and formal banquet, and a dance. This convention had a theme of Mardi Gras this year. It was fun to see all of the masks that were worn!

On Friday night, we celebrated the accomplishments from the 3rd Trimester and took home the following awards:
- Gold Chapter
- Gold Chapter President Josh Peterson
- Silver State Delegate Becky Kummet
- Silver New Jaycee Larissa Donovan
- Gold Alumni John Kopet
- Silver Alumni Char Blashill
- Outstanding Chapter Vice President Carrie Johnson
- Gold JCI MN State Vice President Twila Bolte
- Silver JCI MN Regional Staff Region 1 Director Eva Fisher
- Chapter Road Runs - 3rd Place
- Chapter Miles - 2nd Place
- Individual Road Runs - 2nd Place Jessica Davis
- Individual Road Run Miles - 1st Place Jessica Davis
- 4th Quarter Chapter with Most New Member Adds - Bemidji (26 new members)
- 4th Quarter Region with Most New Member Adds - Region 1 (33 new members)
- Parade of Chapters - 1st Place Bemidji
- Parade of Regions - 1st Place Region 1

Project Awards:
- Long-Term Community Development Program: Silver for "Homeless Care Kits"
- Local Economic Development Program: Gold for "CarnEvil" & Silver for "40th Annual Home, Sport & Travel Show"
-Local Personal Skills Development: Gold for "Jaycees Non-Jaycee Social"
-Local Growth and Development: Gold for "WINter ID College"

Passport to Civic Leadership: This program is designed to immerse new members into their Jaycee careers and help them, and veteran members alike, grow and develop their individual, managerial and business skills. Members are recognized as they work through each level. Upon completing the entire program, members receive a 10th Degree pin from the US Jaycees.
- 2nd Degree: Jessica Davis & Larissa Donovan
- 6th Degree: Missy Malone, Sarah Schmidt & Carrie Johnson

JCI MN State Presidential Medallions
- Josh Peterson
- Twila Bolte
- John Kopet
- Larissa Donovan

On Saturday, we celebrated the overall accomplishments for the year and took home the following awards:
- Henry Giessenbier Memorial Award (Overall Outstanding Chapter Programming): Bemidji
- Les Farrington Memorial Award (Overall Outstanding Chapter President of the Year): Josh Peterson
- Charles Kulp Jr Memorial Award (Outstanding Chapter President of the Year; can be awarded up to 6 Presidents): Josh Peterson
- Sheridan Adams Memorial Award (Outstanding State Vice President of the Year): Twila Bolte, Management Development VP
- Danny Schroeder Memorial Award (Outstanding Alumni of the Year): Char Blashill
- Civic Leadership Certification (CLC): 100%; CLC serves as a guide for running a healthy, thriving chapter. To achieve 100% efficiency, the chapter must turn in a LOT of paperwork!
- Outstanding Annual Report
- Parade of Chapters - 1st Place Bemidji
- Parade of Regions - 1st Place Region 1
- Overall New Members Adds: Bemidji (66 new members)
- Overall New Member Adds: Region 1 (114 new members)
- Highest Overall Growth: Bemidji (+57)
- Highest Overall Growth: Region 1 (+61)

Individual Development Competitions
- Debate - 1st Place Bemidji; Josh Peterson, Carrie Johnson & Becky Kummet
- Write-up - 1st Place Bemidji; Eva Fisher
- Speak-up - 1st Place Bemidji; Carrie Johnson
- C. William Brownfield Memorial Award Portfolio Competition: Larissa Donovan; resume and interview competition based upon a member's first year of being a Jaycee.
- John H. Armbruster Memorial Award Portfolio Competition: Becky Kummet; resume and interview competition based upon a member's involvement in the current year after they have been a Jaycee for more than 2 years.

Key Awards: An honor given to a member for their time and efforts and has shown tremendous leadership skills. They have been the "key" to Jaycee success over the course of the year.
- JCI MN Program Manager Key: Silver - Stacey Bahr, First Timers Program Manager
- JCI MN Regional Director Key: Bronze - Eva Fisher, Region 1 Director
- State Delegate Key: Silver - Becky Kummet
- Chapter President Key: Gold - Josh Peterson
- JCI MN State Vice President Key: Silver - Twila Bolte, Management Development VP
- JCI MN Outstanding Contribution to the Organization Key: Silver - Char Blashill

JCI Lifetime Achievement Awards
JCI Senator: The highest individual honor that a Jaycee can achieve on the International level. As few as 1 in 1,000 Jaycees ever achieve this honor.
- Senator #76856 Twila Bolte
- Senator #76857 Crystal Hegg

Whew, what a weekend!! If you read this post all the way to the end...Thank You!! We are pretty proud of the fantastic 2017 year that we had! Thank you to our Chapter President Josh Peterson, the Board of Directors and most especially, to all of the members who worked their tails off! We could not have achieved these accomplishments without all of them but also not without the amazing support that we receive from our community! We love our town and we are proud to say that we represent Bemidji!

Now to carry this momentum into 2018...look out world, here we come!