Boys & Girls Clubs to Serve more Teens in Gwinnett County

A. Worley Brown Club hosts teen center groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 3

December 3, 2009

To meet the growing needs of teens in Gwinnett County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) announced expansion of its A. Worley Brown Club. On Dec. 3, 2009, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., community and organization dignitaries and guests participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. Read article in Gwinnett Daily Post!

 

Across the nation, teen membership and ongoing Club involvement is enhanced by teens having a place of their own within the Club.

 

To meet this need and actively engage more teenagers in the community, BGCMA and community leaders recognized the needs for a new teen center. The center will be a separate facility, but connected to the main clubhouse. Trained adult staff members implement Club programs and mentor nearly 250 teen members and more than 120 daily teen participants. The total Club membership is more than 925. Desmond Brown is executive director and Liz Rufo is the program director.

 

The A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club initially began as a youth development program at Norcross Elementary School.  The number of participating youth grew quickly and, in 2001, the BGCMA and community leadership decided to construct a facility that is now the A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club. The Club implements a variety of programs for youth, ages 6-18, through core program areas focused on improving academic success, good character & citizenship and healthy lifestyles.

 

“Community support and BGCMA commitment are interwoven with the history of the A. Worley Brown Club,” said Rodney Close, senior regional vice president for BGCMA. “We have been well-supported in the Gwinnett community and are grateful to all those who believe in our mission. With the new teen center, we hope to engage more teens in the community. Our place of promise allows teens to be themselves while providing positive youth development and opportunities that help them succeed academically, personally and professionally.”

 

The Club’s existence is due to the generosity of donations by such community benefactors as A. Worley Brown, former executive at Rock-Tenn Company. Brown’s generosity continues through faithful support of this Club through his family and friends at the Rock-Tenn Company.  


For information about the new teen center and to support the Club, contact Sheryl Manley at 770.825.8135 For information about Club membership, call 678.421.0894.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF METRO ATLANTABoys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta operates 26 Clubs in 10 metro counties in addition to Camp Kiwanis and Youth Art Connection, a gallery and workspace for young artists. A trained and professional staff serves more than 17,000 youth annually by offering specialized programming and a safe haven for at-risk and underprivileged children and teens. Memberships cost only $35 per school year but scholarships are available for those who need assistance. For more information or to make a promise to metro Atlanta children, please visit http://www.bgcma.org