Randall Pugh (center), Jackson EMC president/CEO with Duane Hinshaw and James Newland, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, accepting the 2013 Children Are the Reason for Excellence (CARE) award at the Alliance and Regional Council of Boys & Girls Clubs annual luncheon
When the community began work in the late 1990s to start a Boys & Girls Club in Jackson County, Jackson EMC joined in the effort. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County opened its first facility in Jefferson during August 2003, in two doublewide trailers. After a decade of use, the facility was literally disintegrating, so the club launched a $1.3 million capital campaign this year to build a new, permanent facility. Jackson EMC again helped make a dream a reality.
As part of the effort, President/CEO Randall Pugh agreed to serve as honorary campaign chairman. Vice President – Marketing & Member Relations Roy Stowe, a former member of the club’s board of directors, and Director – Public Relations Bonnie Jones, a current club board member, served on the capital campaign committee. The cooperative committed funds as well as donating staff time and in-kind contributions, even convincing some of its vendors to help out with publicity and printing.
Along with county and city governments, local businesses, churches and individuals, Jackson EMC helped the campaign meet its goal by fall. “There’s nothing more gratifying than watching the walls of that building go up next to the doublewides it’s replacing and think of all the children whose lives will be touched by this facility,” said Pugh.
In October, Pugh accepted the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Children Are the Reason for Excellence (CARE) Award on behalf of the cooperative at the organization’s Alliance and Regional Council Awards Luncheon. The award is presented to recognize outstanding efforts that impact the lives of children. “I’m honored for the award, but more importantly, I’m proud of our community and all those involved in making this dream a reality for our young people,” he said.
“The CARE recipient is the cream of the crop and it’s the highest award given from our organization,” noted Boys & Girls Clubs of America representative James Newland. “From the onset, Jackson EMC has been instrumental in the formation of the BGCJC, but the latest campaign hit the ball out of the park.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County’s Jefferson club serves about 75 students a day, ages 6-18. When the new facility is completed in early 2014, it will expand the club’s capacity to 225 students a day. To learn more about the organization, visit www.bgcjc.org.