"Bob Lindholm, the second president of the Virginia JCI Senate, was a vice president in the organizational year, and the second president of the U.S. JCI Senate. Appointed permanent Historian of the U.S. JCI Senate six years ago, Bob also served as Trustee, then as Chairman of the US Jaycees Foundation. During those two years the US Jaycees Exhibition Hall and Archives were designed, funded, and built."

"Satchel Paige was once quoted as saying, 'Don't look back. Somebody may be gaining on you!' Well, 'looking back' is fun once in a while, and that's exactly what we're going to do in Atlanta in June, when we recognize the 'Pioneers' of the U.S. JCI Senate during our regular Senate Convention. For it was in Atlanta, nearly 12 years ago, June 19, 1972, to be exact, that the first planning meeting was held at the Marriott Hotel with nine JCI Senate states attending. Sixteen states with known Senate organizations had been invited. Illinois Senator Leo Briere, acting chairman of the meeting, and the catalyst for the formation of our national organization prior to the meeting, distributed a copy of the Proposed Constitution & Bylaws, setting June 20 as the date the states would vote 'yes' or 'no' to organize."

"The following day, June 20, 48 Senators from 20 states met a 3 p.m., later voting (19 states 'yes' with one state 'passing') to form the U.S. JCI Senate. Illinois Senator James O'Connell was elected the first president."

"Copies of the minutes of the planning meeting and the organizational meeting, a sign-in-sheet with the signatures of the attendees at the organizational meeting, and a list of the names of the first executive committee and the presidents or contact people in the states thought to have organizations, will be included in this issue (or next if necessary)."

"The sign-in-sheet at least is printed with my column, so find the names of Senators from your state that signed in that historic day, and urge them to attend. In fact, have them write me to tell me if they can or cannot be there. Fifty people signed - 48 US Senators, our special friend, Senator Gudrum Goransson of Sweden, and some cluck who signed as 'Guy Lumbardo.' "Pioneers' will sport unique Pioneer ribbons - everyone that is except Lumbardo. And yes, that is how he spelled it. You don't have to know how to spell to be a Senator."

"I encourage everyone who was there in those early days to bring photos and other memorabilia to show the young 'high number' Senators of today how tough it really was in the old days."

"By the way, if you check the list closely, not counting Lumbardo, you'll find that the 'boot' Senator was LeRoy Nitsch."

"Lois and I look forward to this convention within a convention within a convention, in June. After an absence of two years, it will be great to see our friends again.

"More next issue."

Bob Lindholm, No. 7792 
U.S. JCI Senate Historian

Bob Lindholm was a contributing columnist for MENTORS in years past. The above article was written by Bob and was printed in the March '84 issue of MENTORS, along with the sign-in-sheet that he refers to in his article. A copy of that same sign-in-sheet, with Guy Lumbardo's signature, can be seen in the 20th Anniversary booklet of the U.S. JCI Senate, as well as in the March '84 issue of MENTORS. That sign in sheet has a lot of signatures of men who accomplished great things for the Jaycees and the early years of the U.S. JCI Senate.

The next time you see LeRoy Nitsch of Colorado, ask him how long it has been since he has been the "boot" Senator at any meeting? I'll bet it's been a long, long time ago.