The Original Charter of the Union Lake Junior Chamber of Commerce was accepted by it's charter president, Gerald Proudfoot, on April 30, 1964 at Morey's Golf and Country Club in Union Lake, Michigan. It was presented by state President Merritt Martin who simultaneously issued a challenge to the charter members to "Make the chapter a success". Other dignitaries present that night were Mr. Thomas Tiley (Commerce Township Supervisor), Jack Skriden (District Vice-President), Bill Hitchcock (National director), and Wendall Smith (President of the Plymouth Junior Chamber of Commerce), whose chapter extended the Union Lake chapter.

Installed as the first officers of the Union Lake chapter were Gerald Proudfoot (President), William Ridenour (Internal (1st) Vice-President), Don Skarritt (External (2nd) Vice-President), Richard Bohn (Secretary-Treasurer). Other charter members installed at the charter night ceremonies were Darrell Batoff, Fred Baumgartner, Jack Guisnick; James Lowery, Charles Powers, Mike Mahaney, Gordon Welter, Milton Probert and Ed Wiegand.

These young men had already completed their first project before they were chartered. On April 19, 1964 they provided Polio Immunization pick-up Service for the residents of the Union Lake area. During the remaining months of 1964 they assisted in Election news reporting service for the national elections, hosted a regional rowing regatta on Union Lake and conducted a local Junior Golf Tournament. The real accomplishment for the year was their conducting a "Meet your Candidate Night at Clifford Smart Junior High School just prior to the election. The membership had dropped drastically, if not tragically, during the summer months of 1964; yet a handful of young men pulled off this award-winning project that amazed the district and state Jaycees officials and resulted in an unexpected profit.

In June 1965 the chapter re-organized and incorporated as the Union Lake Jaycees, a Michigan non-profit corporation. The first members of the Board of Directors of the re-organized chapter were Gerald Proudfoot (President), William Ridenour (Internal (1st) Vice-President), Eugene K. Pool (External (2nd) Vice-President), Richard Bohn (Secretary-Treasurer), Richard Speese (State Director) Gordon Welter (Director), and William Goryl (Director). The purpose clause of the corporation is as follows.

"To promote the welfare of the community and its citizens through active, constructive, civic service projects through the organized efforts of its young men; to provide the young men, constituting its membership training in leadership and to instill civic consciousness to better their usefulness as citizens; to buy, own, sell, lease or mortgage any and all real or personal property necessary to effectuate the foregoing purposes, provided that none of the profit from any of it's activities shall inure to the benefit of any member; to do all acts and things necessary to accomplish the foregoing, provided they are not in conflict with the Constitution and By-Laws of the affiliated state, national or international Jaycee organizations or the tenets set forth in the Jaycee Creed".

The membership grew slowly but surely and other projects were conducted, such as, Easter Egg Hunts, Paul Bunyan Days, Dunk-Em Tank concession, attempted organization of a local Chamber of Commerce, "M" nights, Halloween Candy Sales, Christmas Tou Sales, Community Survey, Winter Carnival (Ice Skating and Ice Yachting) Christmas Tree Sales, Raffles, Tri-County Public Golf Tournament, as well as continuation of the Junior Golf programs and News Election service assistance. Our chapter has grown is stature as well as experience.

The 1965-66 Board of Directors included Gerald Proudfoot (Past President), William Ridenour (President), Eugene K. Pool (Internal (1st) Vice-President), Terry Sandage (External (2nd) Vice-President), Frank Spadafore (Secretary-Treasurer), Richard Speese (State Director), Mike Ginster (Director), Robert Murtha (Director). The Prime accomplishments during the 1965-66 year was the crystallization of the chapter in the critical sophomore year and the institution of the Winter Carnival. We would also be remiss in our responsibility and recognition if we failed to include our brother chapter, the Waterford Jaycees, as a most instrumental part of our successful history. It was their guidance and assistance that gave us a real boost during those critical months for which we shall long remember and appreciate.


Written by an unknown member of the Union Lake Jaycees

Look for further updates to our history coming soon. Future updates to include the history of how we adopted Paul Bunyan Days.