MOULTRIE, Ga. — Tuesday was a huge day for the Boys and Girl Club of Moultrie-Colquitt County. They are celebrated their annual founders banquet with special guest speaker, former NASA astronaut Winston Scott.

Prior to the banquet, members of the community got to meet and listen to stories from Scott.

Scott has a resume that seems to pop right off a movie screen or a comic book, but he hasn’t forgotten his humble beginnings as a member of the Southwest Boys Club in Miami, Fla.

“I’m a club kid,”  said Scott. “However the days I went it was just called The Boys Club. A lot of my upbringing and a lot of the things there shaped who I am today. I learned those lessons at the club, and it was a fun environment for me and my brother in the city. My parents didn’t have to worry about us after school because we were at the club. It was a place where we could have good positive activities, and I can truly say the influences and other things I learned from the club greatly benefited me in life.”

Scott spoke about his time with NASA and how he beat out 3,000 candidates to become a part of the program. He said he applied because he just wanted something to do after being in the Navy for so long. During his time there he built long-lasting relationships with members of  NASA, and he brought his message back full circle by crediting the Boys and Girls Club for helping him to be able to make and build those strong relationships.

“All you see on TV is people making noise about how divided we are and someone making comments about someone’s religion or race, but when people get to know each other you find out you have more in common than you would ever imagine,” said Scott. “Space is an incredible place when it comes to international relations, people getting to know each other and working well together, but the club is like that too. I remember going to the club as a boy all the schools were still segregated and I remember me and my brother was reluctant to go to the club because were black, but finally we went up there, signed up and no one ever treated us differently because we were black and that stuck with me.”

Scott now joins the likes of former boxing heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, former football player Andre Reed and Tennessee Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt as former club members that have spoken at the local founders banquet.

The founders’ banquet is considered to be the biggest fundraiser for The Boys and Girls Club, and Scott wanted to remind people that they are investing in children’s future.

“What you’re doing is important and it is producing results,” he said. “I’m an example of a result. I would like to give a personal thanks to those who continue to support the club, and because of  you all the future of our country will be shaped in the best way possible.”