For alumnus Gary Monahan, Boys & Girls Clubs was a special place where leadership training, mentors and sports combined into abundant opportunities that he would not have experienced otherwise. His baseball dreams also came true when his leadership skills were rewarded with a trip to the home field of the Baltimore Orioles.

Gary’s Club Experience began when his parents were looking for after-school care that offered their son a safe environment to learn, grow and have fun. From fifth to eighth grade, Boys & Girls Clubs of Collier County in Naples, Florida, became so much more than an after-school program. Gary credits his Club experience with helping shape his life.

It had been decades since Jerron Wheeler attended the Baxter E. Luther Boys & Girls Club as a kid. However, during his recent tour of the Club, Jerron was excited to see that his favorite Club staff member, Ms. Hattie, was still there to greet him with a smile. She couldn’t wait to hear about the successful life he had built for himself.

Click to hear more about Jerron’s Club experience and how you can connect with other Boys & Girls Clubs alumni!

As a kid, Herb Turner considered the Boys Club of Jacksonville, known today as Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, as his “home away from home.” For Herb, the Laurence F. Lee Boys Club in Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood was a major part of his childhood, going to the Club every day after school and during the summers.

The Lee Club, now known as the Citi Teen Center, provided so many opportunities for Herb. He fondly remembers the chance to travel to Washington D.C. with the Boys Club Chorus and, at the age of 11, presenting an award to entertainer Bob Hope at Jacksonville University for his service to the Boys Club over many years.