Club News

Nakayla English, the 2024 Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta Youth of the Year has been named the 2024 Boys & Girls Clubs of Georgia Youth of the Year and is the recipient of an additional $7000 college scholarship. Nakayla is now eligible to compete for the Southeast Region Youth of the Year title, the winner of which will move on the National Youth of the Year competition. 

Nakayla is a senior at Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School and has been a member of BGCGA for five years. She’s an Honor Roll student and a recipient of the Presidents Education Award from Paine College. She served as President of the BGCGA Keystone Club and is an afterschool youth tutor. Nakayla has been accepted to more than 40 colleges and plans to make a selection in May. 

A group of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta teens are currently taking part in our Aviation Academy. The program introduces participants not only the the magic of flight, but also career possibilities available in the aviation industry. The Aviation Academy concludes with a small plane flight over the city.

Check out the story Fox 54 shot with our Members at Daniel Field.

https://www.wfxg.com/story/50373117/students-learning-to-take-flight

The Augusta GreenJackets and Sparkle Express Car Wash recently teamed up for an auction of special patriotic GreenJackets Jersey. The auction, which raised over $2000, is another outstanding example of our community getting behind Boys & Girls Clubs of Augusta's efforts to ensure GREAT FUTURES for area kids.

Former Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta Board Chair Steven Kendrick was recently inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of Georgia Hall of Fame.  Steven, who has served on the Board for more than 15 years not only served in an administrative role, but has also volunteered his time and talents mentoring adolescent and teenage Club members. Congratulations Steven, it is an honor well-deserved.

Currently serving his 40th year on the Board of Directors for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, Rick Pinnell has devoted tremendous time & support to the organization’s growth and sustainability. 

Rick spent his professional career in the HVAC industry as owner of Pinnell Heating & Air and later president of Gold Mech Services. In 1982, he joined the board of directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta and has served two terms as board chair throughout his tenure, being named Volunteer of the Year twice by Boys & Girls Clubs of Georgia and twice by the United Way. 

Rick’s investment in Augusta’s youth started in 1980, when he and his wife Pat began a Secret Santa program providing Christmas dinners and presents to 25-30 families in need on Christmas Eve. He soon partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs to continue this program and it is estimated that more than 1,200 families have been served through this program, and it remains an integral part of the holiday season at Boys & Girls Clubs to this day. 

Rick also played a foundational role in the initial tracking and reporting of Club members’ academic performance through his founding of a Club Cookout where Club members would bring their report cards to Club staff in exchange for a hot dog. This was just the beginning of Rick’s involvement in Club events, as he would go on to be instrumental in the logistics and set up of the annual Youth of the Year, Burger Battle, and former Steak & Burger events, always there to lend a helping hand, and often the last person to leave.  

It is without a doubt that Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta would not have nearly as great an impact in the Augusta community without the devotion of Rick Pinnell. 

June 24, 2022, marked the grand opening of our headquarters and support center at the HUB for Community Innovation, located at 624 Chafee Avenue. 

Endless thanks to the Augusta National Golf Club, AT&T, Bank of America, Georgia Power, IBM, and all of our other dedicated supporters for seeing the value of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta's work and choosing to help us bring the vision of the HUB to fruition.

The Boys & Girls Club Headquarters & Support Center at the Hub for Community Innovation will be the catalyst to help us extend our reach, increase our impact, and build long-term sustainability.  Critical program enhancements include:

• Virtual Programming Hub – A Virtual Club, led by our Virtual Program Director, with production space for all virtual programming for kids throughout Greater Augusta.  Virtual programs run parallel with on-site programs, providing kids all of the same great experiences they would get in a Club.  

• Teen Workforce Development Program – Job Readiness program designed to support youth in preparing for their first job, summer employment opportunities, and career pathways exploration.

• Youth Mentoring Program – Provide young people with emotional support, counseling, relationship management (personal and professional), and positive role models in a structured environment.

• College Bound Program – Expose parents and teens to educational and career opportunities in Augusta and beyond.  Support is also provided to parents to help navigate the college entrance process, including financial aid and debt management.  College Fairs and Career Expos are also a critical component of the program.

• Youth Development Training and Outreach Center – Comprehensive training site dedicated to teaching skills and current trends in Youth Development to Boys & Girls Clubs staff and other Youth Development workers in the Augusta area.  We will provide internship and work study opportunities for students majoring in Early Childhood Education, Human Services, and Non-Profit Management from local colleges and universities.  

• Youth Services Meeting Space – Collaborate and share resources to build stronger alliances with current youth serving partners and develop new partnerships for greater impact.

• Program Supply Distribution Center – Management of program supply inventory and distribution for Clubs in 4 counties, including school sites where storage is limited.

• Boys & Girls Club Headquarters and Administrative Support Staff – Upstairs will house support staff for all Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta operations.

"We are humbled and grateful that philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made a $3.5 million donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, one that will bolster our IMPACT 2025 strategic plan which paves the way to transform the lives of Augusta’s youth. This unsolicited gift will allow us to drastically accelerate the expansion of our services and mission by completing much needed renovations to the facilities and grounds at 3 of our 5 Clubhouses, and rapidly growing our transportation services to ensure that tender age youth are able to safely come to the Club after school and return home in the evening...."

Read Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta CEO Kim Evans' full statement here.

Augusta University College of Nursing students volunteered at the Hagler Teen Center on March 15 as part of a new community service project focusing on one of Boys & Girls Clubs' core focus areas, workforce and career readiness. 

The nursing students surveyed the teens to see what career paths they want to pursue or certain special interests they have that the Club does not currently offer. After spending time with the Club members every two weeks, they will create a career fair event that will introduce them to those careers paths and special interests, and provide them with resources and relationships to make those interests a reality. 

Partnerships, as seen through this project, are key to help further Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta's mission of inspiring enabling all young people to reach their full potential as responsible, caring, productive citizens through career exposure and a clear pathway to success for every child served.

Interested in forming a partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs? Contact Chief Development Officer 

Maria Henry at mhenry@bgcgreateraugusta.org.

Bank of America will continue its commitment to positively impact the community through support of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta and their partnership with the Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA) by providing pathways and visibility for women’s progress through the game of golf. 

This female-led golf clinic, held on April 3, 2022,  will feature professional golfers and 2022 ANWA players who will share insights and life skills from their personal journeys along with world class golf instruction. 

Beyond event day, participants and other Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta members will have access to the First Tee for continued programing and exposure to golf.