JCI North Jersey kids send love to the troops

Sweet mess at St. Mary’s School

How well do mothers and daughters work together?

In the case of Rahway, N.J. mother of five Joyce Andes-David and her oldest daughter, Jazmine, they work best when community teamwork is at stake.

Joyce and Jazmine put their heads together when conceptualizing a monthly activity for JCI North Jersey, a newly formed group where Joyce is vice president for international affairs. Sending cards to the troops came the lightbulb in 18-year-old Jazmine’s head. A graduating class president of Rahway High School, Jazmine is no stranger to successful class projects.

And so during the group’s February meeting, about a dozen children – ages 3 to 12 – and their families gathered at St. Mary’s School in Rahway to design cards using pre-cut stickers, colored paper and their own imaginations. The cards were mailed to the California Army National Guard.

Joyce, who works as a project manager for a pharmaceutical company, reached out to “Operation Gratitude,” a nonprofit organization that sends care packages to military servicemen. Jazmine’s duty was to inspire and engage the kids’ creative minds.

“Our February project dubbed as Valentine Cards for the Troops was an instant idea that came into Joyce’s mind when we were thinking of what could the Jaycees children do while the adults are immersed in the monthly meeting for the chapter,” said JCI North Jersey President Ria Serrano, the overall coordinator who invited Jaycees members to support the effort. “Instead of leaving the kids at home, she suggested that we bring the kids to the meeting and have them participate in an arts and crafts project.”

Joyce Andes David and daughter Jazmine

“Thank you, troops,” “We appreciate you” were some of the messages in the 39 cards that were produced. The children had the blackboard in front of them to help with spelling.

Ria conceded it was a “timely” idea.

“Jazmine took the initiative of putting what resources she needs, time that would be appropriate for the project to take place,” she said.

JCI North Jersey is a non-profit organization that wants to “empower” young professionals into active citizenship through training and leadership. It was a spring-off from the mother chapter, JCI Philippine-New York.

“The New York chapter had several members from New Jersey who wanted to be actively engaged in community service, but the distance and time to get to New York City was becoming a challenge,” said Ria, who herself is from Jersey City. “They wanted to continue to be part of the Jaycees but there was no chapter near enough except the one in New York.”

In July, JCI New Jersey was formed by 10 members. The chapter now has at least 40 members.

West Windsor Council Member Peter Mendonez Jr. (holding certificate) with JCI North Jersey members at their monthly meeting. With him at center is President Ria Serrano