chapter of Junior Chamber International (JCI), but that is not all.

"JCI is a worldwide leadership organisation which is active in four areas: international relations, community service, management skills and individual development,'' said Miss Carolyn Hall, public relations officer for the 40th anniversary and Two Outstanding Young Persons awards celebrations.

The Bermuda Junior Chamber's voting membership is composed of 18 to 40-year-olds, although non-voting members over 40 are also welcome. Gender and political or religious affiliations are irrelevant.

"Our members are male and female, and come from all walks of life,'' Miss Hall said. "We have university and non-university-educated people, office and construction workers, policemen -- you name it.'' Not only is its make-up democratic, but the local chapter's $40 annual membership fee turns out to be an incredible bargain.

"In Japan the membership fee is $50,000 a year, and you also have to be at least a vice-president or owner of a company in order to belong. In addition, until very recently there were no women members,'' Miss Hall noted.

Though Bermuda's 100 members are but a fraction of the 410,000 scattered in 104 countries and territories and 10,000 local communities worldwide, they have always been extremely active, and have an illustrious track record to prove it.

Although it is known for its community work, few people realise that such projects as the lighting of the Cenotaph, the time capsule buried in the wall of City Hall, aspects of Christmas street lighting, the Santa Claus parade, careers exhibitions, deaf awareness, and sponsorship of the Festival of the Performing Arts all have their roots in the Bermuda Junior Chamber.

Perhaps its most important milestones have been initiating the highly successful Island-wide clean-up campaigns and the Pally the Can Can Dog aluminium recycling project, the latter winning Hamilton Jaycees the JCI trophy for civil involvement at their 1991 World Congress.

Imaginative as well as innovative, Junior Chamber fund-raisers have included the purchase, in 1958, of a surrey-topped Hillman taxi which members drove across America to a World Congress to promote the Island's 350th anniversary, and a bachelor auction in 1990. The former earned the Jaycees everything from keys to cities to appearances on television shows, and an estimated $2 million worth of free advertising and publicity for the Island, while the latter raised more than $8,000 for its scholarship programme.

The Junior Chamber's roots stretch back to 1952, when Mr. Phil Pugsley, founder of the JCI senate and a past president visited his friend, Mr. Ford Baxter, in Bermuda. Whilst here he addressed a gathering of interested persons, as a result of which the Bermuda Junior Chamber of Commerce (as it was then known) was ultimately formed.

Its very first project was involvement with the annual Easter pageant, when it built the float upon which the parade queen rode. Eventually, the Junior Chamber took over the complete running of floral pageant week, with sponsorship from the Trade Development Board and the Chamber of Commerce.

Since those early days, the Bermuda Junior Chamber has gone from strength to strength, and on Saturday will proudly celebrate its fortieth anniversary with a formal banquet at the Elbow Beach Hotel.

Environmental concern began with a campaign in 1963 designed to heighten awareness of the dangers of throwing glass bottles away in public places, including beaches and roadsides. Next came an anti-water pollution project, which sought to gain protection from ships pumping out their bilges close to local waters.

Initial concern with the amount of oil being washed up on local beaches in 1970/71 ultimately led the Junior Chamber to conduct an international oil pollution survey and compile an informative booklet, Save our Seas. The findings spurred many nations to combat oil pollution on their shores, and won the Bermuda chapter an award.

Collectively, Jaycees (as the members are called) are committed to the concept of being part of a global community.

"We don't like the idea of borders, '' Miss Hall said. "Governments should be of laws rather than of men. We are economically inter-dependent around the world and are headed towards a global citizenship.'' Its training has helped shape the careers of many of Bermuda's successful citizens, including Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan, who was the Junior Chamber's first black member.

The organisation's annual Two Outstanding Young Persons awards go back to 1965, when Rev. Vernon Byrd and Mr. Walter Roberts, MP were the first recipients. Others include Mr. David Wingate, Sir John Swan, the Hon. Gerald Simons, Mr. Graeme Outerbridge, former Senator Cindy Trimm and sportsman Clarance (Nicky) Saunders. This year's winners will be announced at Saturday's banquet.

Local Jaycees have also achieved international honour. Miss C.C. Gail Simmons became the first female black member elected to the World Board and, as executive vice-president of JCI, achieved the highest honour ever accorded to a Bermuda Jaycee. Mrs. Sandra Cann won a public speaking competition conducted among JCI's vast membership.

THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS are quickly learned through membership in Junior Chamber International, as members of the Bermuda Junior Chamber quickly discover. They include (left to right) Mrs. Tina Daniels (General Secretary); Miss Lydia Perinchief, Somers Isles chapter; Colendall Phillips (President); Victor York, public relations; Ms LoWaynne Woolridge (recording secretary); and Miss Carolyn Hall, public relations.