General Manager's Column

In last month’s magazine, I started a series of columns on civic engagement and how the MAC community is working to be a part of positive change in Downtown St. Louis. This month, we’re focusing on the future of our region: the youth! The Club’s civic engagement task force is committed to supporting programs, practices and partnerships that positively impact Downtown St. Louis, where the traditions of our Club are rooted, so that together we can thrive for future generations. We are prioritizing education and talent development, economic growth, social services and improved quality of life, and crime prevention and public safety. We recently had a meeting with leaders from the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis and The Youth and Family Center. We’re trying to form some alliances and see how we can be of help there. The Youth and Family Center is all about community, which is something that’s near and dear to the MAC family’s heart. With these aligned visions, we see real potential for some kind of partnership. It’s important to us to invest in the growth and future of Downtown, which means investing in our youth to support and prepare them while they’re in school. This includes providing them with opportunities to create a better life – something we are doing through programs like STL Youth Jobs, which bridges the divide between our region’s youth and the growing skills gap in our workforce. The program has been in place since 2012 to help serve unengaged youth especially during the summer months when they are not in school, and the MAC began participating in it earlier this year. According to the program’s reports, 83 percent of STL Youth employees said that being in the program made them want to get more schooling, and 99 percent of participating youth recommend this program as an important way to stay out of trouble when not in school. We had three young adults with us this summer from the program and one of these awesome young people, Richard Butler, was hired on a full-time basis in our housekeeping department! We’re also looking into another program – launched in 2019 by the Regional Business Council and St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation called STL.works – that seeks RICHARD BUTLER to address the shortage in skilled labor for technical jobs that don’t require a four-year degree by providing mentorship and technical training to enter the job market more quickly after high school graduation. If your Downtown St. Louis business is interested in helping these kids get up and running, please look into programs like these! Our future is our youth, and we want to be part of the positive change in the Downtown area. We want to give kids an opportunity to explore what is possible, see what the MAC is all about and maybe even find a career path. We’ll be involved in these internship programs in the springtime and look forward to seeing how we can embrace the community even more. This is really a grassroots vision and effort to work with the kids around our neighborhood and give them positive influence. With our membership’s business owners and community leaders, this is an awesome opportunity to get involved in the program and provide strength in numbers. We can help give kids a sense of selfworth and hope, which is the biggest thing. We have to start in our neighborhood and work our way out. Change can start right here at the MAC! F See you at the Club!

Wally Smith, General Manager Missouri Athletic Club

MAC FOUNDATIONS CORNER | Leaving a Legacy

Thank You!

The MAC Board and our three Foundation Boards wish to thank all of our valued members who contributed to our Foundations during 2021. Your financial support goes a long way in helping us achieve our missions.