The Savannah Jaycees have announced plans for their 75th Anniversary Gala set for Saturday, Oct. 21, in the ballroom in the Embassy Suites Hotel, 605 W. Oglethorpe Ave. Guests will enjoy live music, dinner and dancing.

As part of the event, the organization will present its Distinguished Service Award. This award was an annual tradition of the Savannah Jaycees for a number of years as a way to recognize a local resident who went above and beyond to embody the Jaycees creed “Service to Humanity is the Best Work of Life.”

“For the past 75 years, the Savannah Jaycees have played a role in building a stronger community through professional development, community service and educational efforts,” said Jaycees president Cynthia Wright. “We have a rich history and a long list of accomplishments to highlight during this anniversary celebration.”

In the 1950s, the Jaycees were one of the main supporters of the city council-city manager form of government that Savannah has today and played an integral role in the installation of voting booths throughout Chatham County.

In the ‘60s, the group spearheaded efforts to build the Savannah Civic Center and raised funds for the Kicklighter School and Chatham Nursing home among other projects. The group, along with the U.S. Marine Corps and the Savannah Fire Department also launched the local version of the Marines’ Toys for Tots program.

In the ’70s, they held the “Jaycees Forum” on local television, as well as a weekly “High School Quiz Bowl” telecast. In the ’80s, the Jaycees raised almost $50,000 for the renovation of the Forsyth Park fountain.

More recently, the organization initiated the Leadership NOW program, a lecture series featuring prominent members of Savannah sharing insights on leadership, management and professional skills. The Savannah Jaycees also organized the annual Charity Date Night Auction, the Mayoral Forum, the Surging Forward Community Picnic after Hurricane Matthew and “Done in a Day” projects. This year, they also launched the Junior Jaycees Program for area middle school students.

The public is invited to participate in the 75th Anniversary Gala to join the Jaycees in their celebration of past accomplishments.

“This is a way for us to honor our alumni’s efforts, brag on our current members’ projects and look forward to what the future will bring,” said Wright.

The gala will be held in the ballroom of the Embassy Suites at 6 p.m. This event is black tie optional. Tickets for the event are $40 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/savannah-jaycee-75th-diamond-anniversary-gala-tickets-37148480104?aff=es2.

Sponsorship opportunities are available to support the organization’s diamond anniversary and include tickets to the gala. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, email [email protected].