Do-Dads

The Jennings Do-Dads Club was officially chartered on March 27, 1954. Leo Sievers was elected the first president. The club originally was organized for the exclusive purpose of aiding the Campfire Girls, both financially and with physical assistance in organizing their camping programs. Prior to 1967, summer camps were held at Cuiver River State Park near Troy, Missouri and on several occasions on campgrounds around Pacific, Missouri. The Do-Dads would haul equipment to the camp ground and set up camp. Usually one or more of the men would spend a week at the camp to handle any problems that might arise. Acquiring a campsite for the personal use of the Campfire Girls was the first objective of the club. By 1957, they had acquired $5,000 and several trips had been made to look at various sites, but nothing was decided. Mallon Wallace of the Wallace Pencil Company. After several meetings about the possibility of a camp site, Mr. Wallace donated to the club a 280 acre site about 11 miles northwest of Rolla. After acquiring the original ground, work started. First, a building and a well. The club later acquired some army surplus equipment - jeeps, trucks, generator, etc. Also acquired were surplus navy barracks. A mess hall and cabins were constructed during the first years. A building called the "Do-Dad Schack" was built and later turned into a camp office. In 1965, after the original site was turned over to the Greater St. Louis Council of Campfire Girls, we entered into the purchase of 260 additional acres of ground adjoining the original property for approximately $34 per acre. By 1967, many more buildings had been built; some pre-fab buildings hauled from Jennings to Rolla. A unit was built to serve as a hospital and living quarters for a nurse. Wing crates from McDonnell Aircraft were used as siding for one of the buildings. A swimming pool, sewage lagoon, shower house and toilet were built. The buildings and their completion spanned a period of years from 1958 to 1967. After that a small barn and horse corral were added. The Do-Dads would set aside the third weekend of every month, except December, as a work weekend at Rolla. Around 1978, camping started to decline, not only for Campfire Girls, but Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, so the Greater St. Louis Council of Campfire Girls sold the camp around 1980 or 1981 for an amount in excess of $225,000. The Do-Dads amended their charter in 1972, because the needs of the Campfire Girls were getting smaller, and they began to include other organizations that needed help. Currently, our donations support youth sports teams and leagues in north St. Louis County, two Jennings High School Senior scholarships, Boy & Girl Scout activities, USO of Missouri, Missouri Veterans Home, our University of Missouri-St. Louis Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice scholarship fund, and other organizations. All requests for donations must be made in writing, stating the specific need of the organization making the request. The request is read at the monthly business meeting and voted upon by the membership. Our tax status is “501(C)(3)”. Our charter does not allow us to directly give to individuals.