West Virginia Boys and Girls Clubs gather for first time since before the pandemic | News, Sports, Jobs

Boys and Girls Clubs CEOs and executive directors from across West Virginia attended a meeting Sept. 16 in Parkersburg. From left, Justin Clark, Stacie Rohn, Lynn Reins and Morgan Najar. Not pictured, Julia Trent. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Boys and Girls Clubs of West Virginia’s Area Council gathered in Parkersburg on Sept. 16, the first time since before the pandemic.

The clubs met for board education, staff training and the inaugural Boys and Girls Clubs of West Virginia Area Council Hall of Fame Dinner.

All five club systems from across the state were represented: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eastern Panhandle; John W. Hereford Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington; Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg; Boys and Girls Club of Pleasants County; and the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs of Charleston.

With about 40 staffers participating in the National Trainer Institute Certified training and more than 20 board members participating in the Area Council education sessions, this was the best attended Area Council the state has seen, a release from Lynn Reins, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg, said.

Staff from BGC Huntington, Parkersburg and Charleston participated in professional development at the Parkersburg club house. Two community supporters and employees of Westbrook Health Services also participated to learn more about club life and training.

Lorraine Orr, Boys and Girls Clubs of America Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President, presents the keynote address. (Photo Provided)

Sessions included: what it means to be a mandated reporter in the state of West Virginia, presented by the local Department of Health and Human Resources; adverse childhood experiences training; building blocks of programming; and Boys and Girls Club basics.

While staff was in training, board volunteers and club leadership gathered at West Virginia University at Parkersburg and heard presentations from Boys and Girls Clubs of America national staff on topics including membership requirements, safety updates, a vision for clubs across the state and how to best increase the footprint of services offered.

The first was a panel discussion with Lorraine Orr, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Wally Graffen, regional vice president of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, for board members to ask questions on how the national organization could be of better service to local clubs.

The night culminated in the West Virginia Area Council Celebration and Hall of Fame Dinner held at WVU-P with Orr as the keynote speaker.

The Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg received awards including Best Marketing and Communication of the Year for its “Year in Review” publication and Best Resource Development Campaign of the Year for the United Bank Kids Golf Classic.

Dave Fleming, secretary of the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg, was named Outstanding Board Member of the Year. (Photo Provided)

Reins was joined by Richard Adams of United Bankshares in accepting the award.

Boys and Girls Club of Pleasants County received Best Program of the Year for its Community Garden. The award was accepted by Morgan Najar, CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Pleasants County.

Two board members were named Outstanding Board Member of the Year: Kelsey Miller from Boys and Girls Club of Eastern Panhandle and Dave Fleming from Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg.

“Kelsey was instrumental in guiding our organization though the USDA loan process. Her legal counsel is invaluable to our Club,” said Stacie Rohn, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eastern Panhandle.

Bob Newell, board chair from Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg, said the club has an active Board of Directors.

“Dave has stood out in recent years with his ability to reach out into the community and tell our story garnering additional support for the club,” Newell said.

The first inaugural West Virginia Area Council Hall of Fame class was inducted as well. This year’s inductees were Adams and Dr. Gail Shade, the past board chair from Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eastern Panhandle.

Adams credited the late Chuck Roberts with the effort to help fund the Boys and Girls Club. Roberts went to Adams and told him the club was in financial trouble over 25 years ago.

Roberts was a club kid and told Adams what the club had done for him. And with that the United Bank Kids Golf Classic benefiting Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg was born, Adams said. The annual event has raised $3.5 million for the organization.

“Gail’s steadfast leadership in the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eastern Panhandle is the key to the success of our organization,” Rohn said. “Her ability to bring a mutual effort to merge three counties in the Eastern part of the state has created successful outcomes for thousands of children over the past 26 years.”

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