On October 24, 2001, a meeting of twenty MNEA retirees was held at the MNEA Festus office to discuss forming a local regional affiliate of MNEA-R.  An organizing committee of ten was formed.  Over the next few months, the committee chaired by Carole Patterson developed bylaws and a name.  Jefferson County (JCNEA-R) became an official MNEA-R regional group on January 16, 2002.