Sikeston Jaycees will be honored for contribution to tourism

SIKESTON — Each year, people flock to Sikeston in August for the annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, filling local hotels and local restaurants. On March 3, the Jaycees will be honored with the Sikeston Tourism & Hospitality Award of Excellence.

The award is presented annually by the Sikeston Convention and Visitors Bureau to a business, organization or individual who has made a significant contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry in the Sikeston area. The Lambert’s Family Hospitality Traveling Trophy is also presented at the luncheon to the new award winner from the previous year’s winner.

This year, the Jaycees will join Lambert’s Cafe and Sikeston Parks and Recreation as the third winner of the Annual Tourism & Hospitality Luncheon at Lambert’s Café.

The Sikeston Jaycees have been dedicated to improving Sikeston since 1934, averaging $130,000 a year in donations to local charities. Their donations have benefitted the Sikeston schools, Missouri Delta Medical Center, Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, YMCA and numerous community projects.

“As a volunteer organization, the Jaycees donate countless hours of their time each year to support and grow the area in a variety of ways,” said Kathy Medley, director of the Sikeston Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Thanks to annual events like the Rodeo and Crawfish Boil, local restaurants and hotels benefit economically, and residents and visitors enjoy affordable entertainment for the whole family.”

This year, the Sikeston Jaycees will host the 70th Annual Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo on Aug. 10-13. During rodeo week, attendees from around the country will converge on Sikeston and pack local restaurants, hotels and shops, bringing in an estimated $8 million in revenue.

The first rodeo took place at the VFW Memorial Park, home to the semi-pro baseball team at the time, the Sikeston Stags. Today, the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo is held at the Art Saunders Arena and is the premier Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) event in the region, bringing in almost 40,000 people each year.

The Jaycees will host the 13th Annual Crawfish Boil and Music Festival on May 14 this year.

“Thanks to their hard work, this unique festival has become a ‘can’t miss’ event and brings in visitors from around the region to Sikeston, significantly benefiting the local economy,” Medley said.

The Sikeston Tourism & Hospitality Luncheon will be held at at noon March 3 at Lambert’s Café and is open to anyone who would like to attend and help recognize the Sikeston Jaycees.

For more information contact: Medley at (573) 471-2780 or kathy.medley@sikeston.net .