A Legacy to Be Proud Of!
Our organization has been serving the Rocky Mount community for more than 80 years, and has grown into one of the most outstanding civic clubs in the city.
The Junior Guild was formed with the objective to foster interest among its members in the social, economic, and civic conditions of the community and to make efficient the volunteer service of its members. To these original objectives has been added the improvement of the educational and cultural conditions of the community.
The Junior Guild has moved successfully through the decades since its founding by striving to keep up with the changing needs of the community while holding firm to its goals. This is evidenced by the Guild's involvement with and support of such organizations and projects as Christ Child Day Care Center, My Sister's House, the Soup Kitchen, Crisis Ministries, Meals-on-Wheels and the Bloodmobile, to name a few.
Since its founding, the Junior Guild's total financial contributions to the community have well exceeded $1 million.
The Junior Guild was formed with the objective to foster interest among its members in the social, economic, and civic conditions of the community and to make efficient the volunteer service of its members. To these original objectives has been added the improvement of the educational and cultural conditions of the community.
The Junior Guild has moved successfully through the decades since its founding by striving to keep up with the changing needs of the community while holding firm to its goals. This is evidenced by the Guild's involvement with and support of such organizations and projects as Christ Child Day Care Center, My Sister's House, the Soup Kitchen, Crisis Ministries, Meals-on-Wheels and the Bloodmobile, to name a few.
Since its founding, the Junior Guild's total financial contributions to the community have well exceeded $1 million.
Accomplishments & Contributions
1938-1943 |
The Guild opened the Junior Guild Exchange, a distribution center for milk, fruit and cod liver oil needed by the Well Baby Clinic, and also serving as an emergency loan closet for the Red Cross
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1946 |
The Guild donated $5,000 to the local Chapter of King's Daughters to help with the purchase of a home for elderly women. The Guild also raised money for the N.C. Symphony to provide a free concert to children in Rocky Mount.
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1947 |
The Guild published its first cookbook, "Dixie Dishes".
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1948 |
The Guild opened the Junior Guild Thrift Shop, which offered used clothing and household items at affordable prices to the public.
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1949 |
The Guild began their notorious Puppet Shows, a fun, entertaining and educational experience for children in the area, which continue to be a placement for Junior Guild volunteers. Also in 1949, the Junior Guild acquired and underwrote the $3,500 cost for a speech therapist for Rocky Mount City Schools, the first of its kind in North Carolina.
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1951 |
The Guild donated $5,000 to the Rocky Mount Children's Museum Building Fund, and over the next few years, invested more than $15,000 in the Children's Museum project.
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1955 |
The Guild financed an exceptional children's class and assisted in the funding for five years until the City of Rocky Mount assumed the responsibility. The Guild continues to aide in tutoring children with the Communities in Schools Program.
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1972 |
The Guild hosted a Charity Ball, with the $10,000 proceeds used to help furnish the nursery at Nash General Hospital.
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1974 |
The Guild published its second cookbook, "Rainbow of Recipes".
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1975 |
The Guild purchased a $4,500 kidney machine for the Burn Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Also in 1975, the Guild donated $10,000 to North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, NC.
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1982-1985 |
The Guild raised more than $150,000 for the restoration of Stonewall Manor.
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1986 |
The Guild donated $10,000 to the Soup Kitchen to aid in its relocation and $10,000 to Crisis Ministries for needy families in crisis situations. Also in 1986, the Guild published its third cookbook, "A Dash of Down East".
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1987 |
The Guild donated $45,000 to the Drug Abuse Prevention Program, implemented by the Nash-Edgecombe Mental Health Association and offered to all Nash and Edgecombe County Schools. Also in 1987, the Guild celebrated 50 years of service to the community.
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1991 |
The Guild purchased $20,000 worth of equipment for the Stoney Creek Rescue Squad.
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2003 |
The Guild held its first annual Junior Guild Bargain Sale. Also in 2003, the Guild published its fourth cookbook, "A Dash of Down East- A Second Helping". Though the Junior Guild Thrift Shop closed in 2003 due to a decline in sales, the Guild is very proud of the Thrift Shop and the 55 years that it served the community. The Guild donated $20,000 to the Boys and Girls Club for the purchase of computers
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2004 |
The Guild held a Casserole Sale in the Fall and the 2nd Annual Bargain Sale in the Spring. Contributions were made to The Association for Learning Disabled and Handicapped, the Child Justice Center, the Christian Fellowship Homes of Nash/Edgecombe, and Communities in Schools. In addition, items were donated to My Sister's House, a college scholarship was awarded to a local young woman, and the Puppets Committee performed at the Nash General Pediatrics Holiday Party. The cookbook loan was paid in full allowing all of future sales to go back to the community.
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2006 |
The Junior Guild adds a Mum Sale as a fall fundraiser.
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2007 |
The Guild celebrated 70 years of service, and completed a $25,000 pledge to the Rocky Mount Children's Museum for the Junior Guild Puppet Theatre at The Imperial Centre. The Junior Guild had a productive, successful year. Both the bargain and mum sales were profitable and helped us contribute to our scholarship and community recipient funds. We enjoyed decorating a Christmas tree for the festival of trees at the Imperial Center. Our decorations included puppets and treasure chests to represent all of what the Guild has encompassed over the last 70 years. We also dedicated a bench outside the puppet theater at the children's museum in memory of our members before us, especially those who worked tirelessly at the thrift shop as well as the puppeteers.
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2009 |
Our fundraising efforts allowed us to again support three annual scholarships; General Scholarship Fund, Nash Community College Scholarship Fund and Edgecombe Community College Scholarship Fund. These scholarships provide much needed financial assistance to young ladies continuing their education. The Junior Guild also supports many local organizations through our Community Trust Budget. This year’s four Community Trust recipients are; Association for Learning, Disabled and Handicapped, Communities In Schools of Rocky Mount, Christian Fellowship Homes of Nash and Edgecombe and Down East Partnership for Children. In an effort to learn more about our community recipients, each one was invited to speak to our members during a monthly meeting. We learned first hand how our fundraising efforts impacted these organizations and we became more aware of the assistance and support they provide to our community. As a result of the continued sale of cookbooks, our discretionary fund grew and we were able to support additional requests for funding throughout the year.
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2010 |
The Guild began the Adopt-a-Highway program, and were assigned a half mile stretch on Wellington Drive.
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2011 |
The Guild’s provisional class renovated the Men’s Christian Fellowship Home, which the Guild had helped purchase and refurbish in 1976.
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20132014 |
The 10th annual bargain sale was held.
The Junior Guild provisional class hosted a field day for the families at the Basset Center. The families played games, made arts and crafts, and had professional family photographs taken courtesy of the provisional class.
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2015 |
The Guild sets up Little Libraries throughout the community to provide free books to any in need.The Guild also begins working at Downtown Live Events to raise funds.
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2016 |
The Guild began a corporate sponsor program where local businesses can support the Guild, and thus the community trust recipients at various giving levels on a yearly basis.
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2017 |
The Guild celebrates 80 years of service to our community.
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2018 |
The Guild introduces a new fundraiser, Bottles & Bibs, to be held at the Rocky Mount Mills.
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2020 |
The Guild adapted to COVID-19 and hosted all meetings and socials via Zoom.
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