VALDOSTA — Celebrating 65 years of legends and memories, the Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta will mark the anniversary with a special event.
On Monday, former coaches, players, students, and mentors will gather at the Quail Branch Lodge at 601 Zeigler Road in Lake Park for a trip down memory lane. The reunion will be a benefit fund-raiser for the Boys and Girls Club. Proceeds will assist with the programs that have now grown to serve more than 4,000 youth annually in the community, said Executive Director Robert Soper.
The club offers Smart Moves, Stay Smart, Street Smart — an anti-gang initiative — and Triple Play Healthy Habits, all national programs that have been proven effective.
“Our goals with these initiatives are to improve graduation rates, prevent kids from entering the juvenile justice system and preventing childhood obesity,” he said.
The Boys and Girls Club offers Keystone Club, Torch Club, and a Youth of the Year Program, among others, he said.
Soper said the main purpose of the Monday event is to “get together and have a good time,” but also to pay tribute to the alumni, “the road pavers who got the Boys and Girls Club where it is now.” The gathering will include a pre-event annual awards ceremony for board members. Award recipients will be announced sometime during the evening. A perpetual slide presentation covering the 1940’s through the 1990’s will run, he said, to help people reconnect with the past while planning for the future.
Looking through old reports and rosters, Soper estimates the club has served over 120,000 kids over the years, including some well-known athletes and coaches. Some of the club’s alumni have coached or volunteered for between 25 and 40 years, he said. In addition to the two facilities in Lowndes County, the club operates three facilities in Brooks County, Soper said.
The benefit will be from 7-9 p.m. and is $65 per person or $100 per couple. Covingtons is catering the food and the duo of Dude and Dave will provide live entertainment, Soper said.
Anyone interested in attending the event, or who has memorabilia or old photos that can used for a display that evening, should contact Robert Soper at (229) 242-0676.
Local News
Boys and Girls Club marks 65 years
- Local News
-
-
Weekend preview with Brittany McClure
Find out what's going on this weekend with Brittany McClure.
-
Popular vendor taken out of the ballparks
With a wagon-load of fresh cakes, hot boiled peanuts and ice-cold bottled water she has witnessed generations of children, or as she refers to them, her angels, grow into adults with children of their own.
-
Three candidates file for election
Qualifications for Lowndes County general primaries continue with the addition of a couple new candidates interested in running for elected office.
-
City, county tax discussions stalled
Local Option Sales Tax “negotiations” between city and county officials have descended from open meetings to a stalemate, with no clear agreement on how the estimated $210 million in tax revenue should be split.
-
Valdosta High principal to retire
After one year as Valdosta High School principal, Rufus McDuffie has announced his retirement.
-
South Georgia’s Ace
High above war-torn Germany, World War II fighter ace Donald S. “Bush” Bryan led his flight toward an estimated 50 enemy aircraft.
-
Arraignment set for Quitman 11
The “Quitman Eleven” are scheduled to have an arraignment on May 29, Brooks County Courthouse, according to their attorney, Roy Copeland.
-
Qualifying opens
Qualifications for Lowndes County general primaries kicked off Wednesday and plenty of folks tossed their proverbial hats in the ring on opening day.
-
Fire on Ridgeway Drive
No injuries were reported after a fire broke out Tuesday morning at an 800 block Ridgeway Drive house.
-
Lowndes High grad part of ABC’s ‘Duets’
VALDOSTA — A Lowndes High School graduate is expected to be a part of the debut episode of the new ABC talent-search show “Duets” premiering this week. - More Local News Headlines
-
