Champions for Youth Celebration

from August 2023

Get Involved with McLeod Angels

Save the date for the 2023 Champions for Youth celebration on Tuesday, September 12, as Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area honor decades of dedication to improving the lives of our youth.

This year’s honoree, Carlos Washington, has been involved with youth through sports for more than 31 years. Mr. Washington founded Florence International Basketball Association in 2003, and the association has taken youth to Cleveland, Thailand, Greece, Canada, and San Francisco.

The career firefighter continued serving the community after he retired from the City of Florence Fire Department in 2012. Besides helping to found Virtus Academy, Washington has served on the Salvation Army Board and the SC DJJ Advisory Board. For the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area, he supports and partners with our Florence Club and annual Carolina Classic Basketball Tournament (Scheduled for December 27-29, 2023).

“The Pee Dee area has been blessed by many years of support that Mr. Washington has provided to the youth of the Florence area,” says Neal Zimmerman, Florence Club Executive Director. “The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area is proud to honor Carlos as their 2023 Champion for Youth.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area will honor Carlos Washington as the 2023 Champion for Youth on Tuesday, September 12, at the SiMT building on the Florence-Darlington Technical College campus. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. and the award presentation will start at 7 p.m.

The Champions for Youth Tribute supports Boys & Girls Club programs that help thousands of children throughout the Pee Dee grow into productive adults. Attendance and financial contributions will help brighten the lives of some of our community’s most promising children. The Boys & Girls Clubs serve youth every day after school and all day on non-school days and during the summer. Clubs provide a safe place where young people can learn and grow while helping them become productive citizens.

For more information and to learn about sponsorship opportunities, call 843-662-1142 or visit www.bgcpda.org.

Making an Impact Since 1964

Academics:

• Teachers said that 86% of our members who needed to improve their academic performance did so and that 80% of our members who needed to improve their behavior did so.

• Over 99% of members get promoted to the next grade level.

• 96% of parents report their children care more about learning since joining the Club.

Healthy Lifestyles:

• 87% of our teens report abstaining from alcohol use compared to 65 %nationally.

• 93% of our teens say they do not smoke compared to 84% nationally.

• With South Carolina having the 3rd highest obesity rate in the U.S., the Club schedules 1 hour of physical activity every day.

Good Character:

• 65% of teen members reported volunteering in their community within the last year compared to only 25% of U.S. adults who volunteer annually.

• 91% of parents believe their child's behavior has improved since joining the Club.

• 93% of parents reported that the Club encourages their youth to help others.