enchanted evening
Story by Audrey Watkins; Photo by Courtney Fitzwater

Guests at Junior Auxiliary’s 2010 Charity Ball will enjoy an enchanted evening Feb. 13 as they step into a fairytale-like setting created by its membership for the organization’s sole fundraising event of the year.

Charity Ball proceeds fund Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro’s 12 service projects for the year, said Jennifer Turney, 2010 Charity Ball chairman. Each service project benefits local children. For Turney, who watched her own mother struggle to raise two children as a single mom, the ability to make a difference in the life of a child is all the motivation she needs to serve others through JA.

“I grew up with a mom that was gone all of the time because she was at work or at school,” said Turney, a native of Stuttgart. “We didn’t have an organization like this that helped kids in Stuttgart. I was just lucky that the town was small. We had extended family there and there were others who were willing to help.”

Aunts and uncles, friends from church and her babysitter’s family often provided care for Turney while her mother worked nights and weekends and went back to school. Without mentors who had a desire to see her make good choices and be successful, Turney knows her life could have turned out much differently.

Today, Turney is a stay-at-home mom and active volunteer. She and her husband, Dr. Nathan Turney, have three children: Cameron, 6; Camille, 3; and Griffin, 1. She is a member of Christian Valley Christian Church.

“There are so many different projects that our members work that really make a difference in the lives of children,” said Turney, a member of JA since 2007.
“Each year, the members of Junior Auxiliary dedicate thousands of hours and their hearts to the projects and people we serve,” said JA president Erika Brodell.

The organization’s current service projects include:

CITY YOUTH
Members feed approximately 60 children every week and provide a program before the meal that covers topics such as honesty, manners and safety.

CONSOLIDATED YOUTH SERVICES
Members meet with preteen and teenage girls staying at the Consolidated Youth Services facility providing programs that are fun, educational and designed to restore some of their lost childhood. Members help the girls set goals, build self-esteem and make positive changes in their lives.

DELORIS GRACE GIRL’S ENRICHMENT
Members offer guidance and friendship by mentoring girls through cultural, vocational and educational programs. Monthly activities are planned for junior high school age girls.

GROWING HEALTHY
Junior Auxiliary helps local elementary schools in their Berkeley Health program. Members lead the pig lung and heart dissections and teach about the risks associated with smoking.

LITERACY AND MORE
Literacy and More members lead weekly book clubs in area schools. This project also provides a venue for JA to support the community through funding and scholarships related to literature and the arts. This includes funding to the Jonesboro Public Library for community programs or author visits, sending students to see a community play, or funding of various touring groups.

L.O.C.K. BOX
The purpose of the project is to make a child’s transition from emergency placement at DHS into foster care as easy as possible by providing clothing, general care products and a comfort item. By providing these necessities on site at DHS, the child’s physical and emotional needs are met immediately. The number of children served by this project may range from five to 25 monthly.

LUNCH BUDDIES
Members are matched one-on-one with students in Craighead County elementary schools who are identified as needing positive recognition and would benefit from individual adult attention. This is a once a week lunch during school with a “lunch buddy.”

PROJECT REWARD
Members tutor third graders from Jonesboro schools in math, assisting them with multiplication using multisensory strategies and silly stories to help them remember the facts.

SCHOLARSHIPS
Junior Auxiliary provides scholarships at Arkansas State University to qualified applicants. Members also assist local students in applying for one of the graduate scholarships awarded by the National Junior Auxiliary Association.

SHARE AND WEAR
Junior Auxiliary members work with school counselors to provide gently used clothing for school-aged children in Craighead County.

THE LEARNING CENTER
Members volunteer as aids in the classroom, assist with field trips and other special events at The Learning Center, a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities located in Northeast Arkansas.

“This is the sole fundraising event for Junior Auxiliary,” Turney said. “Charity Ball is the vehicle that allows us to fund all of our service projects. Without it, we would not be able to buy books for the book clubs, provide meals for the kids at CityYouth” or fund any of the other programs that serve children in the community.

Turney praised the volunteer efforts of JA’s membership. “This is a very diverse group of women who take time from their own families to help these children. There’s a lot of hard work and many hours that go into it, whether it is working directly with children in the community, serving on committees or organizing Charity Ball each year.”

Brodell also thanked the families of JA’s members for their support throughout the year. “Through strong family support, our members are empowered and encouraged to continue our mission of improving the lives of children by developing and implementing programs that instill self-esteem and challenge minds.”

Approximately 500 members and guests are expected to attend this year’s Charity Ball. Those unable to attend, can help fund JA’s service projects through a donation, Turney said. Donations may be mailed to: Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro, P.O. Box 878, Jonesboro, AR 72401-0878.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The 39th annual Charity Ball will be held Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Holiday Inn Holidome. Tickets are $200 per couple and $100 for individuals. For ticket information, email jajonesboro@yahoo.com. Cocktail hour and the silent auction begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and dancing until midnight with entertainment by DMP Band. Black tie is optional.)