for a member‐run bake sale, transports her children and others to Club events, and even gave up an entire day to help us with an annual community event called Family Fun Fest. For Boys & Girls Club Week, we collected toiletries for the Alice Paul House, a local safe house, as a service‐learning project. Tammy asked her employers at Walmart to match her $25 donation, and they did. She was able to donate $50 worth of toiletries to our drive. Tammy also supported our Keystone Club by organizing a watershed clean‐up and hoagie fundraiser. She also raises money for the Club by working overtime at Walmart. For every hour of overtime she works, Walmart donates money to the Club or other charity of her choice. So far, she has raised more than $500 for the Club. Tammy is very involved in everything that happens in her children’s lives as well. Both children participate in different sports and activities outside of school, and she makes sure that they, as well as their friends, get to every practice. She helped her daughter, Kaylee, become our 2009‐2010 Youth of the Year and has been present for every step of that process. She is teaching Kaylee to become a caring and responsible young adult and ensures that Kaylee does her best to become involved in any opportunity that comes her way.
Jennifer Flory Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Country, Pryor, Okla. When Jennifer Flory’s daughter, Nora, became a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Country, she loved attending the Club. She often asks to stay until closing. Her daughter’s love for the Club soon became Jennifer’s as well. She is now one of our biggest advocates, praising the Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Country wherever she goes and to whoever will listen. Jennifer’s first order of business was to get inexpensive and “Jennifer Flory has proven to be just the sort of young better coverage of health leader we are trying to cultivate in our community…now benefits for the organization. we just have to keep her from doing too much so she Because she works for an doesn’t burn out!” – Barbara Hawkins, Chair, insurance company, she was able to do this for us. She often is one Chamber of Commerce of our most dependable volunteers. She is planning an etiquette session for the SMART Girls program, with a celebratory mother‐daughter tea party that she will personally sponsor. Not only is this fun for both girls and their moms, but it also provides the girls with skills needed to develop them into professional young ladies. Jennifer was the first parent to join the Parent Involvement Team (PIT Crew) and has played a huge role in recruiting other parents to become volunteers as well. This is crucial to the organization. With recent budget cuts, staffing the Club is becoming more and more difficult, and the Club relies upon the parent volunteers. Jennifer is one of those people who always feels compelled to become involved. Since completing the Mayes County Leadership Academy, Jennifer has become one of the most active leaders in our community. She is now a Chamber of Commerce board member, Rotary member, Mayes County Ambassadors Association member, MCLA Alumni member, and recently pledged to Monday Forum. We are all very proud of our Club mom and believe she is a valuable asset to our Club and community. Melissa Graves Boys & Girls Clubs of the Monroe Area, Madisonville, Tenn. Melissa has to be one of the most genuine people you could ever meet. Even with all the challenges she may face, Melissa heads into each day with a great attitude, passing that along to those she encounters. It would be hard enough to do all Melissa has to do as a full‐time, self‐employed mother of four, but Melissa and her children must do it all in the absence of her husband, Brian. Brian is currently serving in
Putting Families First: Success Stories From BGCA’s Family PLUS Strategy
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