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By Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — Board members and community supporters of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany got a first-hand look at the clubs’ operations Friday during the second “Big Blue Bus Tour.”

Around 30 participants hopped aboard one of the city’s Transit buses for tours of the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Jane Willson and Jefferson Street units as well as a stop-over at the new Club at Thornton Park before being treated to a lunch by B&G Clubs sponsor Olive Garden.

“The purpose of this tour is for our board members and community partners to have an opportunity to see our facilities and the transformational work that’s being done there first-hand,” CEO Marvin Laster said before the start of the tour. “Everyone, I think, is aware of the recreational activities that are part of our program, but I don’t know that everyone is aware of the other programs we have to offer.

“Other groups focus of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) programs, but we have a STREAM — science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, mathematics — program. We also offer a cycling program, a gardening program and several of our kids are going on a multi-state, multi-day college campus tour.”

Makeba Wright, an investigator in the Dougherty County District Attorney’s office, said attending the Big Blue Bus Tour fits in with her duties as a community relations officer.

“Being involved in this tour serves multiple purposes,” Wright said. “First, it kind of opens our eyes in the district attorney’s office to what’s going on with young people in our community. We’re so busy doing our jobs, sometimes we lose focus of that.

“I also believe this gives our young people a different view of law enforcement. Typically, when they see an officer, they think of one thing. I intentionally came out of uniform today so that when I interact with the students and tell them what I do, they can see that I’m human, too.”

Boys and Girls Clubs board member Larry Price, a retired businessman, said he’s involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs because of the positive impact it has on the community.

“This tour is a good thing because so many people in our community don’t understand what Boys and Girls Clubs do,” Price said. “I think the most important thing is that the clubs help build confident and viable citizens. Ten years down the road, many of these young people we’ll see today will be productive citizens.”

Laster said the tour is part of Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany’s unveiling of its Vision 2020 strategic plan. He said the plan centers around “redefining the success equation for young people.” He noted, and Willson Unit Director Michael “Skip” Nelson reiterated, the focus on the “whole child” at club facilities.

“We want to help our young people develop into well-rounded citizens; we focus on the whole child,” Nelson said. “While they’re at our facilities, they’re exposed to etiquette, healthy lifestyle choices and elements that help them to be successful. Plus, and this is important, we keep them off the streets.”

Krystal Pickett, who works in human resources with regional Waffle House restaurants, said her participation in the Big Blue Bus Tour is part of the company’s focus on community involvement.

“We donate food to events like the Cops and Bobbers fishing tournament this weekend, but we also get involved with other positive events in the community,” Pickett said. “We help school groups with fundraisers, give them a percentage of our proceeds on certain days, and try to be a positive part of the business community.

“Groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs are certainly doing good things for young people in our community.”