our provisional projects
Each year, provisional members create, fund, and complete an original project. These projects must focus on an original way to serve the children of Grenada. Projects such as Operation Special Needs, Happy Heart’s, and Lovin' Lunch Boxes have evolved into ongoing projects.
JA of Grenada has won the MAG Award, a national award through NAJA for the best provisional project, in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2021.
2023 Provisional project
“Touch-A-Truck” at the Grenada’s Downtown Jubilee!
Junior Auxiliary of Grenada’s provisional class completed their project on Saturday, September 9, 2023. The project was conducted in collaboration with Grenada’s Downtown Jubilee, which is hosted by the Grenada Area Chamber of Commerce. Thousands of people were in attendance on the historic square in downtown Grenada. All members of the provisional class participated in the project titled Touch-A-Truck, with assistance from other chapter members. The provisional membership began in May of 2023, with training lasting until October 2023. The provisional class, made up of 9 wonderful women/mothers, quickly decided on the Touch-A-Truck project. The provisional members, under the guidance of the provisional trainer, worked diligently to secure volunteers from various organizations in our community.
Touch-A-Truck was a family-friendly, hands-on event that offered opportunities for nearly 400 children and many adults to explore, climb, and touch trucks, emergency response vehicles, heavy machinery, and other equipment. Children were also able to meet the personnel who protect, serve, and build our community. Learning came to life when children were able to connect these gigantic vehicles to our local economy and to potential careers in industries like farming, manufacturing, and construction.
Grenada’s Touch-A-Truck partners included Entergy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Holmes Community College, Grenada Fire Department, Grenada County Sheriff’s Office, Jim Thomas Construction, LLC, Bennett Trucking, Grenada Livestock, Mississippi Army National Guard, MedStat Emergency Medical Services, MS Freight Co., and MADD Transportation, LLC.
The provisional class worked numerous hours and spent less than their budgeted amount of $1,000. The expenses included providing each child a “hard hat” to wear while visiting each vehicle, bottled water for each volunteer/participant, local newspaper advertising, signage, safety vests for staff, and decorations.
Community engagement at the event was phenomenal. Many of JA’s projects target school-age children and this event opened an avenue to reach younger children, while including the school-age children as well. The event gave children and adults alike a chance to fulfill childhood curiosities while learning and interacting with local businesses. They were also able to interact with the “heroes” that drive and operate the intriguing vehicles. Hearing the sirens, watching a tractor bucket move, and learning about the safety of the vehicles were just a few highlights of the day. It was humbling to see the sparks in the eyes of the children. The provisional class aspires to continue the project in the years to come.