Chapter History
The Rochester, NY Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. However, the idea of the organization was generated a year before by mothers in the area who had come in from communities where there were active Jack and Jill clubs. Claire Hurst, Margarette Whitaker and Mrs. Ermine Byas met at the home of the latter and decided to ascertain the procedures and requirements for setting up
a chapter of Jack and Jill in Rochester. They agreed that (1) a list of mothers should be made and then contacted to determine the number interested and (2) Mrs. Hurst was to make an attempt to contact the National President of Jack and Jill. Mrs. Byas agreed on her upcoming visit to St. Louis that she would make inquiries as well. Letters were sent out to mothers and the response was encouraging. Seventeen women agreed to meet and a meeting was called. In November 1961 a club was formed and interim officers were elected. In June of 1962, the group was notified that their application to establish a chapter would be considered at the National Convention in July. On December 8th 1962, National Vice President Jacqueline Robinson came to Rochester and installed the chapter. 27 mothers comprised the Charter Group. They are: Ravinia Banks, Janelle Beale, Julia Brandon, Ermine Byas, Gwendolyn Coleman, Anna Banks Crawford, Dorothy Dobson, Doris Gerst, Marilyn Griffin, Claire Hurst, Doris Ingram, Marguerite Jacobs, Katherine Logan, Ruth Madison, Cora McDonald, Janet McElrath, Norma Morrison, Dorsey Nunley, Lydia Peyton, Pauline Price, Rae Richardson, Rouvella Richardson, Thelma Robinson, Katherine Simmons, Esther Stott, Carolyn Taylor and Margarette Whitaker. An official Charter letter was sent from National President Margaret E. Simms dated December 15, 1962. The first officers elected were:
President - Katherine Logan Corresponding Secretary - Katherine Simmons
Vice President - Norma Morrison Treasurer - Janet McElrath
Secretary - Thelma Robinson
Living up to the aims of Jack and Jill of America, Inc, the Rochester Chapter made contributions to the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama; participated in weekly volunteer programs in cooperation with the Association of Education at Cornhill Methodist Church, supplied books for a library in Mississippi, donated gifts to the Community Child Care Centers, purchased Life Membership in the NAACP; and provided clothes for migrant children. Since 1962, some of our other community service projects have included contributions to the following organizations: The Oregon-Leopold Day Care Center; Alternatives for Battered Women, The Black Seeds Performing Arts Youth Group, United Church Ministries to set up a Sickle Cell Anemia chapter; the Martin Luther King Day Care Center, the Adopt-a Family Program, establishment of mentoring program for teen mothers; donations to Strong Children’s Hospital, and the YWCA, the donation of African American literature and the implementation of a Black History Month Read-A-Thon at the Phyllis Wheatley Library and the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. We have supported the Sojourner House (Shelter for Women and Children) and CAP-Children Awaiting Parents. In 2001, the Rochester Chapter applied for and received a grant from the Jack and Jill Foundation. This grant was used to set up a technology initiative at the Boys and Girls Club. Members pledged to give at least 100 community service hours for the project. In 2004, the Eastern Regional Cluster was held in Rochester , NY at the Hyatt hotel. Our leader Lyn Omphroy presided over the event. The mothers of the chapter worked very hard to extend the ultimate in hospitality. The cluster was well organized and was run efficiently. During the Mother's Cluster business meeting, there was a surprise visit from celebrity Lou Rawls which put Rochester on the map for having a memorable event. In 2010, the chapter was once again called upon to host a Regional cluster. Our chapter added workshops focused upon health. Mothers from across the region enjoyed the workshops on How to Grow a Healthy Child , Going Green: Sustainable Living and Superfoods for Women.
2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of the chartering of the Rochester chapter. We celebrated an evening of remembrance , Living The Legacy: Honoring our Past, Celebrating our Present, Securing our Future . The event was attended by many mothers that no longer have children in the chapter but have fond memories. Years of scrapbooks were on display that reminded mothers of the wonderful times they and their families enjoyed in Jack and Jill. This was combined with a slide show of pictures scanned from personal archived showcasing events from the early years of the chapter. The event was also blessed to have 9 Past Presidents in attendance. The Rochester Chapter is small but mighty with 18 mothers who work tirelessly to provide interesting and challenging activities for our 32 children. The chapter profile is as follows: (7) Ages 2-5; (6) grades 1-3, (6) grades 4-6, (4) grades 7 and 8, (9) grades 9-12. The commitment to our chapter is also evidenced by the tenure of several teen moms over the years that have approached 20 years. In January of 2014, the families of the Rochester chapter were honored to be present at the inauguration of the first African American Female Mayor of Rochester , NY . The new Mayor’s message aligned with Jack and Jill of America, Inc. , it focused on the advancement of the African American community, especially children. We were joined by mothers and children from the Syracuse and Buffalo chapters. It was an historic event. In February of 2015, the chapter mothers held a new a new fundraiser, Casino Night. This successful fundraiser enabled the chapter to give scholarships to five African American high school seniors who planned to attend college. All of the students were from non-Jack and Jill families. Over the years, we have exerted and continue to exert significant efforts to live up to the aim of our illustrious organization: “To seek for all children the same advantages which we desire for our own.”
