The Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County is calling on Waynesboro community leaders to participate in a Youth Summit to help focus attention on issues and opportunities for young people.
The summit will be held at the Waynesboro Club (302 E. Main Street) on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m. in conjunction with National Boys & Girls Club Week.
All candidates running for the open seats on the Waynesboro City Council and Waynesboro School Board are invited to participate in a facilitated forum, led by Jonathan Hunley, editor of the News Virginian. Candidates will have the opportunity to answer questions focused specifically on youth issues and opportunities.
Following the forum, the public will have an opportunity to meet and speak with the candidates directly.
“It seems as if so many agencies, businesses and individuals are caught up in trying to make ends meet, and as a community we have lost focus on our youth” said Tyrell McElroy, BGC director. “Our young people are future workers, voters and community members. They are our neighbors. When we fail kids, we fail our community and ourselves,” McElroy continued.
“Here in our community, we need to work together to ensure these young people have access to the same opportunities for success that we had.” said Tom Hardiman, BGC Board Chair. “This forum will provide our parents, teachers and community leaders an opportunity to ask candidates where they stand on key issues prior to the May elections. The Boys & Girls Club is a non-partisan, non-profit youth organization – we advocate for kids, not candidates.”
While all current Council and School Board members are invited to attend, the facilitated forum will feature questions to those running for election in May. To date, Mayor Frank Lucente, Vice Mayor Bruce Allen and Ward B Council candidate Bob Donaldson have confirmed along with Doug Norcross and Linda Jones, candidates for School Board.
The Boys and Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County provides service to about 160 youth each day from our Waynesboro and Staunton Club locations. The Club develops youth in five core areas: Character& Leadership; Education & Career; Health and Life Skills; Sports & Fitness; and the Arts.
The purpose of the Club is to promote development in these core areas for boys and girls during critical periods of their growth.
To learn more or to support the Boys & Girls Club, go to our Facebook page, visit www.augustabgclub.org or call 540-949-4516.
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Chris Graham
