Denzel Washington. Jennifer Lopez. Mario Lopez. Earvin "Magic" Johnson. These famous names were once all part of the same club, a club with a local branch that currently enrolls more than 500 children each year: the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County.
"We have some kids who, when parents come to pick them up, they're crying, don't want to go home in the afternoon," said Wanda Lewis, president of the Lee County chapters.
The local club, which is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, began in 1989 and is open to children at two locations: Boykin Street in Auburn and Toomer Street in Opelika. The clubs operate 2:30-6:30 p.m. on school days and offer a full day's worth of activities when schools are closed, like during summer and spring break.
Eva Henderson, who's in her second year as Auburn unit director, said coming to the club gives the children a sense of belonging.
"As human beings we always want to belong," Henderson said. "By them becoming members they belong to something, and a lot of them come here for the staff, looking forward to seeing certain staff that are here (and) looking forward to seeing their friends."
Children at Boys & Girls Clubs are involved in activities that highlight the club's core values: Education and Career Development; Sports, Fitness and Recreation; Health and Life Skills; Arts; and Good Character and Leadership. Club meetings feature homework help, guest speakers, crafts and other activities.
"They always have a good time, but at the same time we want to give them some skills while they're having fun," Lewis said.
As a nonprofit organization, the club operates with a small paid staff and always counts on volunteers.
"We can always use more volunteers," Lewis said.
She said many volunteers come from the University, like those service-learning students from the College of Education who help with tutoring.
"During the summer months the College of Math and Science comes in and they do projects with the kids ... A lot of the athletes will come in and read with the kids ... It's a good resource to have right there at Auburn," Lewis said.
Hilary Hermecz, senior in journalism, has spent her senior year volunteering at the club.
"It's just a good place for them to develop," Hermecz said. "Looking back I wish I would have gotten involved in something like this early in college.
"Not only does it help build your resume and things like that, but ... it just feels really good doing something like this, to know I'm helping, and those kids mean so much to me."
For people interested in volunteering, Lewis said they should fill out an application, either going by the Auburn or Opelika unit to pick one up or printing it from the website at bgcleeco.org.
Lewis said they try to tailor volunteers' work to their interests.
"If they come with some arts background or skills or there's a hobby that they would like to incorporate, then certainly we'd like to invite them to do that," Lewis said.
Henderson said they are especially seeking male mentors of color to meet with children weekly--a one-year commitment.
"All the mentoring would be at the club, and they just come and spend time and talk to them," Henderson said.
Lee County's clubs held one of three annual fundraisers April 13, a bowling tournament that has become popular with families and businesses, Lewis said.
"It's not a huge fundraiser, but it's a good awareness building mechanism," Lewis said.
The event raised about $2,000 toward the club's $550,000 operating budget.
"We don't want to turn anybody away who wants to come to the club for financial reasons," Lewis said.
School-year membership costs $50 for the year, and summer membership costs $30 per week, but Lewis said they try to offer scholarships for those who can't afford it.
"If we are full, that's another thing, but we don't want anybody to be turned away because of inability to pay."
Lewis said they abide by the club's mission to assist "those who need it most."
"That could mean a kid who's parents are making $1 million a year, but if the parents are not there in the afternoons to support them or to nurture them or to validate their value, then ... they need us too," Lewis said.
The local club's current fundraiser is "Change for a Chance," where you can take your loose change to the Auburn unit at 400B Boykin St.
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