Patsy Martin honored at state level for work with Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany

ALBANY — Having already made a significant impact at the local level Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, board member Patsy Martin was recognized at the state level when she was presented with the Beverly Burton New Board Member of the Year Award at last week’s Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Georgia Area Council Meeting.

Martin, who joined the local board just three years ago, said she was truly taken by surprise when her name was called during the statewide meeting recognizing the achievements of clubs all over the state.

“It was such a shock and a thrill to receive the award,” Martin said. “If you know anything about Patsy Martin, she’s never been at a loss for words, but I was. I said, ‘When I get to the podium, if I open my mouth I’m going to ball.’ It really did touch my heart.”

While she said she was deeply honored to be presented the award, which was named after well-known Boys & Girls of America national committee member Beverly Burton who died in a plane crash in 2006, Martin said what really had an impact on her has been serving on the board of what she sees an important area organization.

“The history of (the award) touches my heart really big,” Martin said. “Boys & Girls Clubs of America touches my heart, but the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, there’s nothing to surpass it. I’ve always respected the Boys & Girls Clubs board, they’ve had a wonderful board forever. And as a community leader and bank president and now in real estate I’ve observed the Boys & Girls Clubs and its outcomes.

“Transforming lives is the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs. We take the neediest of the group and we run them through a safe haven and a loving place. It didn’t take a lot of encouragement when one of the board members came to see me three years ago and said, ‘Patsy we really need you on that Boys & Girls Clubs board.’ I said, ‘Let me think about it five minutes.’ It’s been a privilege and I did not know from the outside what the inside really looked like until I went on the board. I’ve loved every day of it.”

Even though Martin deflected attention away from herself and to the organization as a whole, Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany Assistant Chief Professional Officer Marvin Laster shared that Martin’s impact on the board and community has been tremendous and part of the reason for the clubs’ success.

“Patsy’s a real jewel, not only to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, but this community,” Laster said. “Her reputation and diligence not only in the banking world but also in the philanthropic world is known throughout this community. She’s been recognized for a number of different things, her leadership throughout the community and serving on a number of different boards. As a newcomer to our board her peers have already selected her to lead the board next year and I think that speaks not speaks to her commitment to this organization but more important to the youth of this community.”

Indeed Martin is currently the board’s chief volunteer officer-elect and next year will be become the chief volunteer officer, a position akin to a board president.

Although Martin being presented with the Beverly Burton New Board Member Award was one of the highlights at the Georgia Area Council Meeting last week, the Albany clubs were also given two of six important statewide awards as well, the Education and Career Development Award and the Sports, Fitness and Recreation Award.

“This was so neat; there’s six awards given to clubs in the state of Georgia and of the six our club in Albany received two of them,” Martin said. “It was amazing.”

Laster echoed Martin’s sentiment saying that the award were further proof that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany are having an important impact on the community.

“This is a testament to the great work that we do and it shows that we’re making a difference in the lives of kids,” said Laster. “Our clubs are a place where great futures are started each and every day.”