Junior Service League Ended the Year with Sparkle

The Junior Service League of Port St Joe held their last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 14; there was no shortage of sparkle.  The League’s December meeting is reserved for the annual Dirty Santa Ornament Exchange, an event that always draws a crowd.  Twenty-three current and past members attended the party, including charter members, Carla May, Mary Gibson, Paula Pickett, Kim McFarland, Jeri Ashcroft and Heather Rish. 

Everyone arrived at the home of Leisa Pickett to celebrate the season, good food and of course, Christmas ornaments.  Relying on a strict $10 limit, each member brought one wrapped Christmas ornament.  The more glitter the better.  Every member draws a number and the choosing, stealing and general mayhem begins.  This year the most prized ornaments involved feathers and fins.  Having stolen the ornament for the third time of the night, Megan Burkett retired the first ornament, a shimmering green peacock.  The other hits included a glass puffer fish, two butterflies, a huge silver ball, and a single peacock feather incased in a glass globe.  As President Kim McFarland said, “it is the year of the Peacock.” 

The night was not just for fun; there was some business discussed.  Sales for the League’s cookbook Thyme in Port: Celebrating the Constitution City continue.  Also, plans for the annual Mardi Gras Gala continue.  The Gala will be held on February 6 at the Centennial Building in Port St. Joe.  Tickets will be $30/person or $50 for a couple. 

The Junior Service League is a non-profit organization of women who strive to improve the lives of local children.  The League’s signature project, JamPacks, provides a backpack stuffed with school supplies to more than fifty Gulf County elementary students.  The League also clothes another fifty children with a new set of winter clothes, mentors middle school girls, hosts the Junior Miss Program, and awards more than $5000 in scholarships each year to graduating high school students.