Contributions to Ames and other communities were celebrated by decree of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack last week.

Donations made by the Iowa Jaycees gained Vilsack’s attention, who designated Jan. 18-24 Iowa Jaycees Week.

The Jaycees gave $1.4 million to communities statewide, and the local chapter of the Iowa Jaycees gave more than $25,000 to the Ames community in 2003.

Dan Benson, president of the Ames Jaycees, said the funds were donated to many areas of the community.

“We’ve done fireworks [in Ames] for [more than] 50 years, and other events and opportunities we pick up through the year,” Benson said. “It’s a combination of the long-standing projects we do and new opportunities that come our way. One thing we look at is the importance [of the events] to the community and our members.”

In 2003, Benson said the Ames Jaycees donated $10,000 to the Ames fireworks display, $9,000 to Habitat for Humanity, $1,000 to the Ames High Scholarship, approximately $4,000 to the Boys and Girls Club, $500 to Bandshell Park, and $500 to the Beloit Lutheran Children’s Home.

Benson said efforts put in to collect funds locally were numerous. The Ames Jaycees took in donations from the community as a result of fund-raising efforts, like the Summer Breeze festival put on by the Boys and Girls Club, the Ames on the Half Shell benefit for Bandshell Park and a bike ride for Habitat for Humanity.

Benson said these fund-raising efforts create more benefits than the help that is given to the many recipients.

“To teach leadership skills to our members, our members often help in either the management or the operation of the various projects, speaking engagements, and fund-raisers,” Benson said. “We [also] try to use our events to get people into the Jaycees.”

The Ames Jaycees is one chapter of a national Jaycees organization with a long history of helping communities across the nation.

Dawn Davis, the 76th president of the Iowa Jaycees, said the state organization has done much for the state throughout its existence. “Together the Iowa Jaycees have built airports, golf courses, playgrounds and community centers,” Davis said.