The Boys & Girls Club Story

Renovation Across the Nation in OKC

Last Tuesday was a magnificent one at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County. The Oklahoma City organization is just one of 50 Boys & Girls Clubs from every state to receive a $50,000 “Renovation Across the Nation” grant from home improvement retailer, Lowe’s. Along with community leaders, partners, stakeholders and contractors, I had the honor to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially re-opening the made over Clubhouse.

Local Lowe’s manager, Collin, spoke of how the project’s transformational work at the Club had moved him and his team in many ways. Collin was instrumental in bringing together contractors and suppliers for the renovation –which far exceeded the grant amount – to ensure the facility provided local kids and teens with the best possible experience.

A highlight was the making over of “The CLUB” Teen Center, with teen members giving input to its design. With BGCA designating 2017 as “Year of the Teen Voice,” the redone Teen Center should definitely help to introduce teens to the benefits of Club membership.

The day’s agenda also included a presentation to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Those in attendance included BGCA national Area Council member Rick Nagel, as well as local board members and civic leaders. It was indeed a special day for the community and the youth and families that attend the Club. Congratulations to CEO Jane Sutter, Club staff and board volunteers, and Lowe’s for coming together to make this remarkable day happen!

Great day in OKC!

Great Things Happening in California

On a recent visit to northern California, it was exciting to see the growth and progress of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula. On the grounds of Hoover Community School in Redwood City, for instance, the Clubhouse is being converted to a dedicated teen center that can serve hundreds. Until then, temporary space is secured at a nearly police athletic league building, allowing teens to continue to enjoy the Club Experience. It was also great to reconnect with 2013 Pacific Youth of the Year Denzel Perry, who is working at the teen center as he completes his post-secondary education.

The Club and the Hoover School are partnering to expand existing campus space for younger kids, too. The expansion is expected to increase average daily attendance from about 100 children a day being served to more than 300. Executive Director Peter Fortenbaugh is leading the charge on the Peninsula to continue deepening impact with a focus on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.

I also had the pleasure to visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tracy, about an hour’s ride from the Peninsula Club, for their annual recognition and awards dinner. Prior to the event, I attended the organization’s board meeting. We talked about the Great Futures 2025 plan and key priorities moving forward. The board was extremely energized about the future. Board Chair John Palmer leads with passion and set a great example as he talked about the future of the organization and alignment to the 2025 Plan.

One board member, Dr. Patel, spoke of the energy and enthusiasm he gained when he attended the Pacific Leadership Conference last year. He went on to tell us how the 2025 vision has motivated him to super-charge the board, secure added resources and recruit new board members. Dr. Patel is focused on engaging the medical community and is off to the races on all fronts.

The annual award ceremony featured Club youth and recognition of board members for their Service to Youth as well as membership in the Jeremiah Milbank Society and Heritage Club. One showpiece of the evening was the Kids Choice Awards recognized staff. Congrats to Executive Director Kelly Wilson on an excellent day and evening. Then it was on to the Area Council Meeting for a great discussion around the 2025 Plan, a robust Q&A and a town hall-style meeting.

MLK Day in Mobile

Several colleagues and I drove from Atlanta to Mobile, Alabama, last Sunday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a day of service to support our friends at the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama.

Continuing a tradition that began in Mississippi in 2014, my senior leadership team and I made MLK Day “a day on” by lending a hand to make some much-needed improvement to the organization’s Kiwanis Branch facility. It was really a team effort all around. In addition to Club staff and board members, volunteers included Keystone Club kids, Youth of the Year participants and students from nearby Spring Hill College.

Projects included sanding and painting the gym bleachers; applying fresh paint to the lobby, art room, and learning center areas; and completing very cool murals in the gym and teen room. The piece ‘resistance: erecting a new Boys & Girls Clubs illuminated exterior sign right out in front.

Since 1961, the Kiwanis Branch has offered impactful programs to support the children and teens of the community. It’s a tradition we were proud to help them carry on.

New Year’s Visit to Hartford Club Inspires Once Again

A warm welcome from cuties at the Hartford Club.

My first day on the job as BGCA’s president came five years ago. I visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford in Connecticut. It’s where Alice Goodwin, Mary Goodwin and Elizabeth Hammersley organized the first Club in 1860 to provide boys – who’d otherwise have been on the streets unsupervised – with a safe, fun place to spend time.

It was both meaningful and humbling to spend my first day in the very place where the Boys & Girls Club Movement was born. So much so, I make it a point begin every year at the Hartford Club. My latest New Year’s visit came last Thursday.

Martha Olang, a Hartford Club alum and the 2013 Northeast Youth of the Year, introduced me. She did the same my first day on the job in 2012, and has every year since. This young woman has accomplished so much since we first met. Through Youth of the Year scholarships and assistance from her Club, she’s been studying forensic science and technology at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She’ll graduate this spring and wants to work for the FBI. Martha’s success is not unlike that of so many other successful Club alumni.

We also visited the site of the original Club, which made me think about the shoulders of the many greats we stand on. People like John Collins. As the first Club professional, he devised an informal system to draw boys to the Club, capture their interest, improve their behavior and increase their personal expectations and goals. Those procedures formed the basis of the Club Experience that are still used today.

Start to finish, it was the perfect way to start the year. Hanging with Club kids, connecting with local leaders, and meeting representatives of The Hartford, our new national partner. As ever, my thanks to Sam Gray, president and CEO of the Hartford Club, for graciously hosting my visit. Happy New Year, everyone.