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The Boys & Girls Clubs of Claiborne County came into being during the summer of 2022 as the Soldiers Memorial Middle School campus opened its doors as the first site. The Club is now the place to be for kids who would otherwise be hanging lose with not much else to do after school and during the summer break.

That first site now serves 45 members who are learning and playing alongside one another, enjoying the various programs geared towards having fun while being taught all manner of fascinating stuff.

The organization has become so popular that a second site was opened at TNT Primary School in January 2023 with a third one destined for Ellen Myers Primary this summer.

In total, some 140 Claiborne County youngsters will have somewhere safe and cool to go to enrich their lives and build lasting friendships.

The Claiborne Chapter of the Boys & Girls Clubs recently hosted a very successful fundraiser during its Gift of Hope Luncheon. More than 70 individuals gathered at the Woodlake Country Club to learn more about the local organization.

Several spoke during the luncheon including Rob Barger, who is the Advisory Board Chairman, and Executive Director Todd Peoples. Lead Staffer Ashlyn Roney and Jody Goins, who is the Executive Vice-President of Lincoln Memorial University, talked about how the Clubs are impacting the lives of local children and how it provides a much-needed safe and affordable childcare service for families.

The luncheon reportedly exceeded the local fundraising goal.

“We are incredibly grateful to the people who came to the Gift of Hope and gave to support our Clubs and our kids,” said Peoples. “Our community is so generous and the funds raised will go a long way to support our mission here in Claiborne County.”