by David Chapman
Staff Writer
The Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida isn’t going to change names anytime soon, but the launch of Wednesday’s “Leaders Now” initiative marked the start of additional programs and efforts toward another, slightly older group of people the organization helps: teens.
A multi-year initiative, “Leaders Now” extends the organization’s efforts to keep teens off the streets in two steps: through the recruitment of more teens to the organization and offering new and productive programs.
“This is a program that will complement what we’re trying to do (with the Jacksonville Journey),” said Mayor John Peyton, who spoke during the ceremony at the organization’s NFL Youth Education Town in Brentwood.
George Grune, longtime supporter of Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida and former Reader’s Digest CEO, and his family were at the ceremony to donate $150,000 to the organization for the new initiative.
Without the donation, the launch of the initiative wouldn’t yet be realized, said Club board of governors Chair Roger Mullins.
“It gives the Boys & Girls Club (of Northeast Florida) the opportunity to launch a program that we feel is going to be a very important project to the community,” said Mullins.
The $150,000 donation will build on the current teen programs by going toward the hiring of a full-time teen coordinator to work hands on with teens.
The coordinator, former Club member Ernest Wade, will work with teens on community projects such as HabiJax, and the new Date SMART program. The dating program helps teach teenage boys and girls positive and supportive relationships.
“They are great programs that will really make a difference,” said Wade, “and I’m extremely excited to be working with teens and helping make a difference.”
According to Ron Osborne, interim president of the Club, 1,074 teens are members of the organization – but he wants to see more.
“We want to expand that,” said Osborne. “It’s going to take a lot of effort and personalization, but that’s what we’re willing to do.”
There’s a reason why Osborne and other officials are adamant about recruitment for the new initiative – according to organization figures, teens who attend the Club have higher graduation rates, stay out of the juvenile justice system more, are less likely to become teen parents and are more likely to not abuse drugs or alcohol.
Melissa Rainey, Ed White High School junior and Victory Pointe Boys & Girls Club attendee, dispelled the notion that area Clubs aren’t beneficial to young adults like herself and thanked contributors like the Grune family.
“Programs like Date SMART really do help,” said Rainey, who proclaimed she wanted to become a police officer later in life. “I can’t wait to give back to the community both personally and professionally.”
Grune’s gift helped launch the “Leaders Now” initiative, but he said he hoped to see more members of the civic and corporate community become involved – something echoed by both Mullins, Osborne and Peyton during their addresses to the crowd.
“I hope it gets the ball rolling,” said Grune, “I’m happy to be a part of something so important like creating more teen programs that will have a positive effect on our teens.”
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