CLUB CHAMPIONS Quarterly Report Vol. 4, 2023
2023
Annual Corporate Meeting & Dinner
Ralph Wilson Youth Club convened the club’s Annual Corporate Meeting and Dinner on October 12, 2023. The annual meeting was attended by over 100 loyal supporters and members of Ralph Wilson Youth Club. For the second consecutive year, the event showcased what makes Ralph Wilson Youth Club so special: OUR YOUTH. Youth club members greeted adults, did the official welcome for the meeting, led the prayer, and provided perspective on what it means to be a member at Ralph Wilson Youth Club. The annual meeting allows staff to report back to our Corporate Members about the accomplishments of the calendar year. In addition, the financial condition of the youth club is reported to the membership. The meeting is highlighted by what we do best – EXALT our youth. The 2023 Boy and Girl of the Year were announced, recognized, and showered with tokens of appreciation. For the first time, Male and Female Athlete of the Year were recognized at Ralph Wilson Youth Club. With the continued rapid growth of the athletic program, coupled with the positive impact it has on our youth, we thought it was only fitting to recognize the male and female that exemplify what we look for in the model athlete. A key component in the success of our youth is the service of our adults. To show our appreciation for the role that our adult staff and volunteers play in the success of our program, we also recognized Male and Female Coach of the Year and Staff of the Year. Outgoing Board President Charlie Kimmey was recognized for his outstanding service over the past two years. In addition, Mr. Kimmey presented the President’s Award to outgoing Board Member Neil Haney.
The 22nd Annual Dr. Ralph Wilson, Jr. Charity Golf Classic was held on October 16, 2023 at Wildflower Country Club. The annual event serves as one of two major fundraisers for the youth club. Twenty-nine golf teams and 116 players showed their support for our youth by competing on one of the area’s premier courses to support our youth. Thanks to the dynamic duo of Sharon and Janice Wilson, 100% of proceeds collected for the Dr. Ralph Wilson, Jr. Charity Golf Classic benefit the youth club. Fifty-two sponsors contributed funds and in kind services to make the annual event a tremendous success. The 23rd Annual Dr. Ralph Wilson, Jr. Charity Golf Classic raised in excess of $50,000 to benefit the youth of Ralph Wilson Youth Club.
l a u n n 22nd A
Dr. Ralph Wilson, Jr. Charity Classic
Meet our New Board Members!
Name: Lynnsay Macey Hometown: Temple, Texas Education: Central Texas Christian School - 2007; Texas A&M University - 2010 - Interdisciplinary studies Profession: My husband H.B. and I own Perry Office Plus. Hobbies: I love watching sports. Right now, that is mostly made up of watching my three boys play sports, but I also love to watch football and basketball at all levels. I also love traveling, sharing a good meal with good people, and listening to live music. Reason for service: RWYC means a lot to me and my family. I have had the unique opportunity to be a RWYC member, employee, parent, coach, and donor over the years. I know firsthand the positive impact that the club makes on the community, and I jumped at the opportunity to be a tiny part of that impact again.
Name: Joshua Shokraeifard Hometown: Round Rock, Texas Education: University of Texas at Austin – Architectural Engineering Profession: General Contractor Hobbies: Traveling with my wife, trying new restaurants/food, fishing and hunting. Reason for service: My wife and I are starting our family here and are excited about the opportunity to have our kids participate in RWYC. Our company has been long time supporters of RWYC and believe the mission and direction of the club. I look forward to making an impact on RWYC and the impact RWYC will have on the community.
2024 Board of Directors Brad Bennett - President
Kevin Arguelles
Lynnsay Macey
Steve Brischke - Vice President
Robin Battershell
Raju Patel
Jason Collier - Treasurer
Bill DiGaetano
Josh Shokraeifard
Christine Parks - Secretary
Kevin Koch
Doug Streater
Charlie Kimmey - Past President
Sandy Korompai
Tom Stringfellow
Sharon Wilson - Honorary Chairperson
Mary Lynch
Dean Winkler Lacy Wagoner
United Way of Central Texas Day of Caring Kickoff Ralph Wilson Youth Club is a proud partner with the United Way of Central Texas. As a way of showing support for volunteer programs, the youth club is the proud host of the kickoff event for Day of Caring. Over 400 volunteers convened at the youth club prior to them completing 29 service projects in the Temple/Belton area. The pep rally included music, breakfast, motivational speeches, and a warmup exercise to get everyone’s blood flowing. The United Way of Central Texas Day of Caring has a tremendous economic impact on our community. The estimated value of the service projects completed by area volunteers approached nearly $60,000. The value of community service can never be underestimated as it truly MAKES A DIFFERENCE in the lives of those who need it the most.
Winter Wonderland & Open House Fundraiser Ralph Wilson Youth Club launched a new holiday initiative for the 2023 Holiday Season. In an effort to bring greater awareness to what is offered at the youth club and to join in on the holiday spirit, the youth club hosted a Winter Wonderland & Open House Fundraiser. Over 100 people attended the event that provided area families with an opportunity to partake in an event featuring the Frozen theme. The Winter Wonderland provided everyone in attendance with a homemade breakfast and a slew of holiday themed activities for those in attendance. Families were able to experience Ralph Wilson Youth Club and the many activities that are offered to our youth daily, along with several special activities designed specifically for the Winter Wonderland. Over 100 people were in attendance. All in attendance were able to leave with portraits with Frozen characters, holiday themed ornaments, and a goodie bag of winter themed sweets.
City of Temple Christmas Parade
The 77th Annual Temple Christmas parade took place on December 4. The youth club was proud to be amongst the many people in our community that participated in making the event one that separates our community from all other communities. The RWYC staff chose the theme of Polar Express for the youth club’s entry into the parade. Staff decorated a youth club bus to mirror the train from the popular children’s movie. Over 30 youth club kids and staff participated in the parade. The youth club’s efforts were placed 5th in the parade.
2023 Fall Girls Volleyball League Ralph Wilson Youth Club began the 23-24 Athletic Season with the Fall Girls Volleyball League. The Ralph Wilson Youth Club continues to experience growth in each season of girls volleyball. The 2023 Fall season saw participation from 493 players on 54 teams. As usual, the players competed in 8U, 10U, and 12U divisions of play. Each age division competed in post season tournament events. Pictured below are the first place and runner up teams from each age division. Congratulations to all players and coaches on another great season!
12U Champions Bird Creek Roofing
12U Runner Up Tem-Cat Spikers
10U Champions Charley’s Angels
10U Runner Up Hornets
8U Champions 6 B Excavation
8U Runner Up CenTex Printing
TSA Functional Skills Class Partnership Ralph Wilson Youth Club is proud to partner with Travis Science Academy to ensure that all of our kids get access to opportunities that will enrich their experience as a student in the district. The latest RWYC and TISD partnership involves the Travis Science Academy Functional Skills Class and their access to the youth club to work with students. Students in the Functional Skills Class utilize the kitchen and at times other areas of the RWYC facility to participate in activities which they may not have access to in a traditional classroom setting. Ralph Wilson Youth Club is proud of this partnership as it represents the club’s commitment to the students of Temple ISD and how working together makes us all more effective in the education of our youth.
Staff Spotlight
Katie Chandonnet
Katie at a Glance
Katie’s tenure at Ralph Wilson Youth Club can best be described as one that entails going above and beyond the call of duty. Katie was very instrumental in progress that was made in the concession stands system to improve our service to the youth. In addition, the past two years she has served as the youth club liaison with the entering and decorating of the youth club’s float entre into the City of Temple Christmas Parade. This year, her tireless efforts encompassed numerous hours of work to coordinate the decoration of a youth club bus in the Polar Express theme for the event. Her efforts also involved coordinating youth and staff participation to include costumes and performances along the route. Katie was also very instrumental in the work associated with the youth club hosting the Winter Wonderland event. Katie’s commitment to providing exciting and new experiences for youth is evident in her approach to work on a daily basis.
High School - Huntsville High School - Class of 2019 College - Temple College, Texas A&M Central Texas, Graduating December 2024 - Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Did you Know? Katie is a first generation college student hoping to be a strength and conditioning coach at the high school or collegiate level. What Katie enjoys most about working at RWYC I enjoy getting to be a part of a place that is so involved in the community, impacting children's lives! I have always had a heart for kiddos and love getting to hear about their fun weekends, crazy days at school or the sport they are currently playing. It’s awesome to be a part of something that has been such a huge deal in Temple for so long. I hope to have as much of an impact on these kids' lives as they do on mine!
Sunday, December 31, 2023, beginning at 7:30 PM at the McLane Group Aviation Hangar Make plans to attend what has been tagged “the party of the year”, the incredible New Year’s Eve Last Night Gala celebration at the Draughon-Miller Airport benefiting our Ralph Wilson Youth Club. Looking for an exciting, new way to ring in the New Year? Everyone attending this black tie optional celebration will enjoy complimentary childcare at RWYC, valet parking, an elegant dinner, premium beverage service, live music, dancing and fireworks at midnight. Enjoy optional tableside personal beverage service and roundtrip transportation in Johnson Brothers’ SUVs and luxury sedans, all while supporting the kids of Central Texas with a premium sponsorship. Upon your arrival you will be greeted by our team of polite parking attendants and guest receptionists. Begin the evening with your favorite craft cocktail or glass of champagne prior to partaking in an amazing feast prepared by Waco’s BestYett Catering. All this while listening to the incredible, versatile repertoire of Austin’s Blind Date, a premier band featuring many of the City’s most accomplished musicians. Dance the night away until the stroke of midnight when the hangar’s doors part and the crisp night air gives way to pyrotechnics in the southern sky over Debbie and Hugh Shine’s Eagle 6 Ranch.
Benefactor Levels Platinum – $10,000 Premium Table Placement – table of 12 Personal beverage server for the table with premium wines Round trip Transportation for 12 guests Recognition in program
Gold – $7,500 Premium Table Placement – table of 10 Personal beverage server for the table with premium wines Round trip Transportation for 10 guests Recognition in program
Silver – $5,000 Premium Table Placement – table of 8 Round trip Transportation for 8 guests Premium wines Recognition in program
Bronze – $3,500 Reserved Seating - table of 8 Recognition in program
Reserved Table – $2,400 Reserved Seating – Table of 8
Purchase Individual Tickets at rwyckids.org/fundraisers
Individual tickets - $300 each
Checks may be mailed to Ralph Wilson Youth Club PO Box 1346, Temple, TX 76503
2023 Athlete of the Year The Athletic program at Ralph Wilson Youth Club continues to impact our youth. In a move to show our appreciation for the efforts and commitment to excellence of our kids and staff, Ralph Wilson Youth Club added Male and Female Athlete of the Year and Male and Female Coach of the Year to the awards that are announced at the Annual Corporate Meeting and Dinner. Our Female Athlete of the Year is Ayvah Smith. Ayvah is a 6th grade student at Academy Middle School. Ayvah has been participating in RWYC sports for three years. During this time, she has played in every volleyball and basketball league offered by the youth club. Ayvah is viewed by teammates as the ultimate team player that is willing to do whatever necessary to help the team be successful. Her favorite athlete is Misty May Treanor. Although Ayvah is extremely competitive, she demonstrates sportsmanship and leadership with her teammates and those she competes against. Our Male Athlete of the Year is Cannon Miller. Cannon is a 4th grade student at Academy Elementary. Cannon has proven that basketball is something he takes extreme pride in playing and plays on a high level. Although he is 9 years old, he has spent the past two years playing in the 10U age division against older players. Cannon hasn’t simply played against older youth, he has excelled in competing against the older age group. His teams have captured championships with him at the helm of the team. Cannon’s favorite basketball player is Devin Booker.
2023 Coach of the Year The Female Coach of the Year is Ashley Bullard. Ms. Bullard has coached in Ralph Wilson Youth Club athletic leagues for three years. She has coached volleyball and basketball. Ms. Bullard’s commitment to youth is evident in the fact that she is a career educator. Ms. Bullard’s teams have experienced success in both sports that she coaches. The Male Coach of the Year is David Lockett. After having a career as a football coach in various districts, Mr. Lockett decided to invest some of his leadership skills into the youth of Ralph Wilson Youth Club. Mr. Lockett embraced the challenge of coaching girls volleyball. In his first year as a volleyball coach, he successfully developed the skills and increased the knowledge of the sport with his eight players. His techniques were so successful, he led his group of girls to the championship game of the 10 & Under Division.
Member Spotlight Ralph Wilson Youth Club is proud to recognize Hayes Pethtel for his accomplishments as a junior golfer. Hayes has been a member of Ralph Wilson Youth Club for 4 years. In addition to attending the youth club during the summer months, Hayes is the two-time defending champion of the Craig Bukosky Junior Golf Open. Hayes recently reached new heights with his qualification to participate in the 10th Annual Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals scheduled to be held at Augusta National Golf Club. Hayes is amongst 80 male and female junior golfers that earned the right to compete at the event in April of 2024.
2023 Staff Member of the Year A key component of the success of Ralph Wilson Youth Club is the quality of the part time employees that are recruited and trained. To motivate employees to seek greatness in their service to our youth, we recognize employees in a variety of ways. The ultimate recognition comes in the form of being named the Staff Member of the Year. The 2023 Staff Member of the Year is Jeremiah Mungia. Jeremiah has worked at the youth club for two years. A 2023 graduate of Temple High School, Jeremiah has deep family ties to the youth club and the Temple community. His sense of service to the youth is something that comes naturally to him. Jeremiah embodies the ‘do whatever it takes to help the team be successful,’ approach that is emphasized by the organization. Over the course of his tenure, he has always been willing to do many assignments that require sacrificing personal time to provide more time to help the youth club be successful. In some instances, Jeremiah may be required to work over thirty consecutive days to ensure the mission is accomplished. Twelve-hour Saturdays and eight hour Sundays are all assignments he accepted without complaining. Jeremiah not only accepted all the assignments given to him, he excelled in all of the assignments.
UMHB Occupational Therapy Backpack Event Ralph Wilson Youth Club has established an ongoing partnership with the University of Mary Hardin Baylor’s Occupational Therapy department. Over the course of the previous two years, several graduate students from the program have worked at the youth club. In addition, the program utilizes Ralph Wilson Youth Club as a summer site for graduate students to obtain observation hours and conduct a project based on the evaluation of youth at the club. The program benefited the youth club in the Fall of 2023 by conducting a Backpack Safety class for youth. The class was done as a part of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s National School Backpack Awareness Day. The purpose of the program is to assist in the education of youth to prevent injuries to a child’s back, neck, and shoulders that can occur from the improper carrying of excessively heavy backpacks. The class focused on teaching youth proper use of backpack straps, carrying heavy items, and the proper wearing of the backpack. Over 200 youth at Ralph Wilson Youth Club went through the course.
Kiwanis Club Contribution Ralph Wilson Youth Club was the fortunate recipient of a $13,266.05 contribution from the Kiwanis Club of Temple. The Kiwanis Club of Temple was founded in 1925. The contribution to the youth club represented the club’s final transaction as a local entity. The local Kiwanis Club has been a longtime supporter of the youth club and wanted the children of our community to be the recipient of the club’s closing funds.