By Jessica Dillon
The Boys & Girls Club of the Blue Ridge held its annual dinner on Nov. 20, raising funds for the organization, including an anonymous $10,000 donation that night. The club provides a safe place for children after school and helps them grow into leaders.
(Photo by rbs news now)
The guest speaker at the event, Eric W. Payne, executive director of the Martinsville Economic Development Authority, highlighted both the club’s successes and ongoing needs.
“Those of you who have been close to this organization already know, just a short while ago, we weren’t sure this club organization would be where it is today. The future wasn’t clear. In fact, it was murky and uncertain. Resources were strained. The chances for failure, even collapse, were real and ever-present,” he said.
“But leadership stepped up. The community came together. The board was revitalized and reinvigorated. And this organization not only survived and stabilized, it has also thrived,” Payne said.
The club now serves more than 500 young people each year across seven sites in the area. Ninety-seven percent of members are on track to graduate high school, higher than the statewide average. Ninety percent passed their core subjects this year, including students who had struggled before joining the club. About 75.5 percent come from single-parent households, where the club is more than a service — it is a lifeline. Members completed over 3,300 hours of community service and have served more than 65,000 meals and snacks.
Payne stressed the club’s role in the community. “I want to be very clear: The Boys & Girls Club isn’t just part of the local nonprofit landscape. It is an integral part of the economic development strategy of this region. We cannot talk about workforce pipelines, talent development, new employers, business expansion, business retention or economic revitalization without talking about the development of young people who will fill those jobs, build those companies, and lead this community.”
“This is an incubator for the future, a place where children learn not only who they are but who they can become. These clubs are instilling hope and confidence in our kids,” he said. “This is not a daycare, and this is not a holding space. This is a launching pad that prepares our kids not just to participate in the future, but lead it.”
Payne encouraged attendees to donate, reminding them of the difference they can make in a child’s life. “A kid whose world might be loud or unstable or unfair. A kid who might feel invisible or underestimated. A kid who might not believe they can be anything more than what they see around them. A kid, like me, who has had to resort to syrup sandwiches, ketchup sandwiches, sugar sandwiches, or even water on dry cereal to satiate your growling stomach. Those meals taught me hunger, yes, but they also taught me resilience, discipline, and determination.
“Someone in this room tonight can help rewrite that child’s story,” Payne said. “I know that because it happened to me. Individuals at the Pedersen-McCormick Club in Chicago, Illinois, and at the Thrasher Club in Little Rock, Arkansas, did it for me. They helped to rewrite my life’s story and alter my trajectory. I am standing here as a recipient of love, guidance, and mentorship that someone else paid into my life,” he said.
“So tonight, I want to ask you one final question: What would it look like if we stopped fearing the future and started funding it? What would it look like if our actions matched our hopes and the dreams of our kids? What if we believed?
“I mean, I truly believe that the kids sitting in our clubs, eating our meals, finishing their homework, discovering their talents, recovering from trauma, and practicing their leadership are not a charity case but a strategic priority and a moral imperative,” Payne said.
