26 November 2021
Jeremiah Harrison
Sports Reporter
The Junior Chamber International golf clinic will be held at Bulawayo Golf Club Range on the 27th November.
This event seeks to teach young people how to become golf players as well as to socialise, networking and interact.
In an interview with Zim GBC News on Wednesday, Thessly JCI Bualwayo President enlightened more about this golf clinic.
“The main purpose of this event is to teach young people to play golf. This event is for both members and non-members of the Junior Chamber International” said Thessly.
Junior Chamber International, commonly referred to as JCI, is a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between 18 and 40 years old.
Members who are 40 years and above are given membership name called Senatorship.
It has members in about 124 countries, and regional or national organizations in most of them.
The first local Junior Chamber chapter was founded in 1915, but the international umbrella organization Junior Chamber International (JCI) was founded in Mexico in 1944.
It has consultative status with the Council of Europe, with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and with UNESCO.
It encourages young people to become active citizens and to participate in efforts towards social and economic development, and international cooperation, good-will and understanding.
At the age of 18, Henry Giessenbier Jr. had formed the Herculaneum Dance Club, a social outlet for the community’s youth.
On October 13, 1915, the first JCI Movement was founded when 32 men joined to form the Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association (YMPCA) at the Mission Inn located in their hometown of St. Louis, USA.
The Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association members received acknowledgement from the broader community, however on November 30, 1915 official recognition of the organization was granted after enrolling as a member of the Mayor’s Conference of Civic Organizations.
One year later, the YMPCA became known as the Junior Citizens and soon the Junior Chamber of Commerce, after affiliating with the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce.
On December 11, 1944, an Inter-American Congress was held in Mexico City.
Representatives from the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama gathered to officially establish Henry Giessenbier’s 24-year-old civic association as an international organization, Junior Chamber International.
In 2015 the organization celebrated its 100th anniversary.
“This is a lifetime opportunity to share ideas through socialising as well as taught how to play golf” said Thessly.
“All this is going for US$10 which includes braai, drinks and lessons on how to play golf”
“I encourage everyone to attend this once in a lifetime opportunity, golf lessons they normally go for US$30 per hour but here we have reduced to US$10, that amount also covering food and drinks, come and lets enjoy as we learn to play golf” added Thessly