An organizational meeting for a new Boys & Girls Club in Lavonia has been set for Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at J. Peters Bar and Grill.
By Samantha Sinclair
Staff Writer
LAVONIA – Gervonte Brown has big goals, and one is to provide something for youth in the form of a Boys & Girls Club in Lavonia.
He is calling on everyone to come out – especially all church leaders, business leaders, and organizational leaders – to learn about and start planning tonight at 6:15 p.m. at J. Peters Bar and Grill.
Representatives from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America will be at the meeting.
Lavonia Community Awareness, of which Brown is co-founder, is organizing the meeting.
“This is one of the important things we want to do to help the next generation of leaders,” Brown said. “Lavonia has got to be able to offer them something.”
He said a Boys & Girls Club will help make the community stronger and elevate kids to the next level.
“Lavonia needs something for the youth, not just to help them today, but to prepare them for tomorrow.”
According to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, local clubs provide fun, safe environments for kids and teens.
The clubs offer programs and services to help kids improve at school, develop leadership skills and keep healthy lifestyles.
Brown envisions the Lavonia club including people from different backgrounds and skin colors working together.
“I envision it like a beautiful rainbow,” Brown said. “I think it would be a beautiful thing.”
The closest Boys & Girls Club is in Toccoa, but there are no clubs in other surrounding counties.
He hopes a club in Lavonia will help surrounding communities and perhaps push clubs to be formed in other communities.
Brown said there would likely be several planning meetings before a formal plan is presented to the city council.
“We have to plant those seeds,” Brown said. “We cannot plant the seeds today and eat the fruit today. It takes time.”
The meeting will also include a presentation from District 2 Public Health with education about COVID-19 vaccines and upcoming vaccine availability.
For details about Boys & Girls Clubs of America, visit www.bgca.org.