July Officers Training School Closing Ceremony
8 PM July 18, 1992
Remarks by W.E. “Bill” Russell, 73rd President
United States Junior Chamber of Commerce
It’s been an exciting JOTS. Thank each of you for being a part of it. Now, take the lessons home and share them with your fellow state and local chapter officers. Let’s turn the dreams into reality. Thirty-nine years ago, President Dwight David Eisenhower addressed the Junior Chamber Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota – a historic first for our organization. He realized the unique nature of Jaycees when he said, “Yours is one of our nation’s most distinguished and enterprising organizations. You are young and responsible people, with impressive careers and achievements already recorded to your credit. Because you are both young and responsible, you know what is your greatest responsibility of all – Tomorrow.”
Jaycees – I believe in you and I believe in tomorrow – and more importantly, I believe in what we can put into action today. Three weeks ago in Portland at the 72nd Annual Meeting, the 40th President of the United States Ronald Reagan spoke to our delegates. I remember the pride I felt sitting out in the audience with you as he spoke these words: “Jaycees are special because we are committed to one specific task – training young leaders. Long before it became fashionable, Jaycees were in the business of developing leaders. The world is changing. Never before has the need for developing new leadership been so great. Our nation needs men and women of vision and determination. We need leaders of honesty and a strong sense of personal values. As I look at your Jaycee Creed, I see the place from which those leaders will come. You have the zest for what you do. You are just what we need more of in this country. Use your Jaycee beliefs to seek out volunteers and train them. Build the foundation of America’s Leaders for the next century.”
Reagan went on to tell us to “renew our commitment city by city, person by 
person, and day by day to make our country and the world a better place to live.” President Reagan, you have our commitment to restore this nation. To seek out those volunteers and to build that leadership – and we shall not fail in that task. It’s time Jaycees. It’s time to Wake Up the communities of Amarillo, Texas – Grand Rapids, Michigan, – and Des Moines, Iowa. It’s time to wake up chapters in Kansas City, Missouri – Berry, Vermont – and Prescott, Arizona. It’s time we wake up our communities … our chapters … and our members. It’s time we Wake Up America. It’s Time.
Music up: Springsteen – Born in the USA
Russell's Ramblings 