The La Porte Jaycees will once again be hosting their Kid Care Identification Safety Booklet program at the La Porte County Fair on the front porch in front of the Sheriff's Building on July 23rd and July 24th.

From 4:00pm to 7:00pm (or until supplies run out), parents may bring their children and their booklets to be updated or may enroll their children for the first time.

The La Porte Jaycees continue to run this project for the safety of La Porte’s children, as one in seven missing children is found because of a photograph distribution by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and they want to do their part in keeping La Porte’s children safe.

Authorities recommend that parents obtain standardized safety documents and photos and have them updated on a six-month to yearly basis.

The La Porte Jaycees are sponsoring this event as part of a national effort to provide parents with personal safety identification of their children in the event of an emergency. The Kid Care Photo ID event was developed as a national campaign to increase awareness about missing children and educate parents about the steps they can take to help protect their children.

The La Porte Jaycees are pleased they can play such a vital role in helping to keep children safe in their own community and certainly hope no one will ever need to use these documents, but parents can at least have peace of mind to know they have the information in a safe place at home should the need arise.

La Porte Jaycee volunteer members will be on hand to help weigh, measure, and photograph children, as well as guide families through the Kid Care Photo ID Process.

A new addition this year will be students from Eldridge’s ATA Black Belt Academy in La Porte demonstrating some safety techniques. They will demonstrate basic techniques for defending and protecting yourself against an attacker should you ever have the need.

Kid Care Id Booklet

The La Porte Jaycees will once again be sponsoring their “Back To School Back Pack and School Supplies Drive” which will end around August 15th.

Project Chairpeople Heather Menne and Bethani Morris have set this year's goal at 100+ back packs and supplies to fill them and are asking the community for their help in meeting this goal.

Items needed include: new or “slightly used” back packs, 4 oz white glue, 16-count regular size crayons, glue sticks, Fiskar blunt scissors, #2 pencils, dry erase markers, 2-pocket plain folders, yellow or pink highlighters, small pencil boxes, 3 x 5 lined index cards, rulers with centimeters and inches, colored pencils, and black ink pens.

Drop off boxes are currently located at GIS Insurance, Bortz Realty, all three of the 1st Source Bank locations, and Meridian Title Company. Any business interested in being a drop off location may contact the project chairpeople at 219-324-5828 to make arrangements.

Upon completion of the “Drive”, supplies will be delivered to local schools and the schools will distribute the school supplies to children needing assistance.

Thanks to CDR Sean “RAX” Rackley, Naval Reservist, for a fabulous flyover!

The La Porte Jaycees are sure that the community loved the flyover as much as they did.

The La Porte Jaycees are proud to announce the 2008 4th of July Parade winners.

Marching Units:
1st Place - Niles Haunted House
2nd Place - South Central Rockettes
3rd Place - Mid American Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team

Floats:
1st Place - LaPorte Service League
2nd Place - LaPorte City Street Department “The American Frontier”
3rd Place - St. Joe Club of Michigan City

High School Bands:
1st Place - John Glen High School “Falcon Pride”
2nd Place - New Prairie High School Cougars
3rd Place - LaPorte High School Marching Band

Congratulations to our 2008 Give A Way Raffle winners:

Mark Manering - grill and accessories donated by Schmitt and Kaylor CPAs

Jim Macher - $500 gift certificate from A.J. Schmitt Jewelers

Josh and Laura Cummings - 50/50 CASH

The La Porte Jaycees would like to thank their families, friends, and past Jaycee members in addition to the community for their support during the planning of the 2008 4th of July.

After taking a month or two to relax and recoup, chapter members volunteer, once again, to chair one or more areas of the 4th of July and the planning starts all over again!

Every year it takes the La Porte Jaycee members a lot of hours, physical labor, phone calls, letters, e-mails, meetings, etc. to pull together all of the 4th of July events put on by the chapter each year.

The La Porte Jaycees would like to encourage anyone ages 18-39 to join their chapter and help make a difference in our community by working to plan the 2009 4th of July or one of the many other projects ran by the chapter.

For an informational brochure and application, click on the Resources and Forms section of our website.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!