Julie Metzger – known to young people around the country as just Dr. Julie- was out for a home run.

Metzger, the national president of the U.S. Jaycees, made local history Thursday, becoming the organization’s first national leader to visit the Suffolk chapter, said Bert Young, past president of the Suffolk Jaycees.

&uot;I think it was wonderful that the national president would visit a city as small as Suffolk while visiting the larger Hampton Roads clubs,&uot;

said Young. &uot;We appreciate her taking the time to stop by Suffolk.

&uot;She was pretty inspirational.&uot;

Metzger, an optometrist in Kentucky, urged the local Jaycees to step up to the plate for the organization and the community.

&uot;Being a Jaycee is about being in the ninth inning with the bases loaded when you step up to the plate,&uot; Metzger said. &uot;Are you going to strike out or are you going to hit it out of the ballpark?

&uot;I urge you to embrace Jaycee concepts and hit one out of the park,&uot; she said. &uot;When you have a chance to impact the community, you have to hit it out of the park.&uot;

Metzger was visiting Hampton Roads to attend this weekend’s East Coast Surfing Championship, an event sponsored by the Virginia Beach Jaycees.

She was making whirlwind stops at several other local clubs while in the area.

Jaycees from Norfolk, Virginia Beach and the Peninsula attended the Suffolk meeting.

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com