Berry
NEWBERRY COUNTY — Joseph Berry, member of the Newberry Jaycees, was elected to serve as the 86th state president of the South Carolina Jaycees.
Berry, a member of the Newberry chapter since 2017, has held a number of roles both on the local and state level.
“I joke that I came to my first meeting in 2017 and walked out of it with a nomination for chapter president,” said Berry. “However, I was prepared for the job, I felt, growing up around the organization.”
Berry is a third generation Jaycee member and has served as chapter president for the Newberry Jaycees both in 2018 and 2020.
“My parents being Jaycees was a huge developmental opportunity for me growing up. I learned firsthand not only what made a good and bad meeting, but how to give back to your community, and impact it in positive manner,” said Berry. “I carried a lot of that into high school and college where I found myself taking on leadership roles in teams and organizations to make things better.”
During his time with the organization Berry has overseen and assisted with major projects like the Charitable Biergarten at the Newberry Oktoberfest, the annual Christmas Parade, and the Kids Shopping Spree.
Beyond his local roles he has also served as the current membership vice-president for the state organization, a role he held in 2019 as well.
“Being from Newberry and having grown up around this organization I feel an immense responsibility to the organization that has given me a lot of guidance and support I have needed to develop into who I am today,” said Berry. “But I also feel like I stand on the shoulders of giants, the Newberry chapter has had six state presidents before me, and I count many of them as mentors.”
In his role as state president, Berry will represent the organization on the national stage, as well as work to support chapters on the local level. The South Carolina Jaycees work with chapters through the state to empower young people to create positive change in their local community.
“I think having these opportunities to move up in the organization is something that set the Junior Chamber organization apart, a lot of organizations that are doing good in their communities but being a part of a network that has reach not only around the state and the country, but also the world, and can provide that support to the local level to make our community that much better is really interesting. To be a part of that is support system is really exciting, but also to represent Newberry on a larger stage is really humbling,” said Berry.
Berry was elected at the 2021 mid-year board meeting of the state organization, held at the South Carolina Jaycee Camp Hope at the Clemson Outdoor Lab in Pendleton. Camp Hope is the South Carolina Jaycees’ state philanthropy project that provides children and adults with cognitive disabilities a summer camp experience.
Berry will take over at the beginning of 2022, and will be officially sworn in late January or early February during the fourth quarter convention.