Businesses and organizations from around the Region came together at White Hawk Country Club on Thursday to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, taking part in the nonprofit’s annual Golf Outing.
The event is one of the organization’s biggest of the year, with over 100 participants and sponsors such as CAPTRUST, Indiana Beverage, and NW Indiana ER & Hospital taking part to support the Club's mission to help youth reach their full potential. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater NWI President and CEO Mike Jessen, who stepped into his role a few months ago, was excited to see such a wide range of supporters.
“What I like about this event is that it’s a diverse group of people who have a different set of knowledge about Boys & Girls Clubs,” Jessen said. “Some people here are hearing the details about the work we do for the first time, and others are longtime supporters of ours. There are even some people who aren’t at all familiar with what we do. We get a chance to appreciate those who’ve been with us all along while telling the newer people more about what we do and the impact it has on kids.”
The day started with an open lunch buffet, where golfers took the opportunity to network, and concluded with a dinner where they learned more about the Clubs and their mission.
“I always call this a ‘friend-raiser,’” said Michael Simpson, immediate past chair of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana and CEO of M.E. Simpson Company in Valparaiso. “The purpose is to get everyone together, share fellowship, and talk about Boys & Girls Clubs and what it does around Northwest Indiana - which is to benefit thousands of kids on a daily basis.”
Parents are often split in many directions, and kids are only in school for so many hours a day. Tim Rice, principal in CAPTRUST and a 16-year board member for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, stressed just how much of a difference Club membership can have in a kid’s life.
“In this day and age, there’s so much noise out there, and being able to give kids a safe place to be inspired, be great, and fulfill their potential is a huge thing,” he said. “We take that responsibility very seriously, and frankly, I think that job is even more important now than it was 20 years ago. It’s tough being a kid, and every year it gets tougher than the year prior, so we just want to keep providing them opportunities.”
Funds raised at the Golf Outing support the Clubs’ daily operations and help keep membership fees low and affordable for any family that wants to join.
“Anything anyone can do to surround those kids with the support they need and deserve – people are in for that,” Jessen said. “They recognize that times are difficult, and things are divisive. I can’t think of anything better than supporting the youth that’s more important, and I hope that today helps instill some desire to get more people involved and taking part in big or small ways – whatever way they can help our movement.”
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, visit www.bgcgreaternwi.org.
