Boys and Girls Club ready for the challenge here

Published 10:31 pm Saturday, May 9, 2009

MOULTRIE — The Boys and Girls Club is set to call Moultrie and Colquitt County its home next month. It will be the first time a Boys and Girls Club will be here in the club’s more than100-year history.

Executive Director Deral Pitts said the club is scheduled to open its doors on June 1 and will be located at 420 W. Central Ave., site of the former Kelly Reeves Furniture store. Once opened, it will provide summer and after-school programs for youth ages 6 to 18 years old in a wide variety of areas.

“Our mission is to enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens,” Pitts said. “I enjoy working with kids because I’m passionate, and I care about them. I want them to be successful and have hope and an opportunity, and that’s what the Boys and Girls Club will provide them.”

Pitts comes to Moultrie from Sarasota, Fla., where he grew up. He is married with four children, and he enjoys sports, fishing and spending time with his family.

Being a part of a Boys and Girls Club is very important to him, as Pitts said he attended the Sarasota, Fla., Boys and Girls Club from ages 7 to 14. He said being a part of it and the staff there made a tremendous impact on his life in a very positive way, and he hopes to get the same response here.

“I remember the staff was very friendly and encouraging,” Pitts said, “and they truly cared about me and the other members there. It showed in the way they interacted with us on a daily basis.”

The Boys and Girls Club will provide youth who enroll with educational programs, life and health skills, developmental programs, arts and crafts, sports and recreation, technology and leadership programs, Pitts said. Those programs will help to build a youth’s self-esteem, and they will be encouraged to give back to the community.

“We encourage teens to participate in the Boys and Girls Club,” Pitts said. “We offer them many opportunities.”

Pitts said the club will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays during the Summer. Once the school year begins, the hours will be adjusted, but those have not been set yet.

For anyone who would like to join the Boys and Girls Club, Pitts said ongoing registration is going on now. There is a $25 fee to join, and those interested in joining or who want more information can call Pitts at 921-6426.

“I want the community to know that we are here to assist youth and the youth’s parents and the community in making Moultrie a better place by having a positive impact on youth,” Pitts said.