An anonymous donor has come forward with a very generous gift to help the Cawood Ledford Boys & Girls Club with its planned gymnasium project, which is projected to cost between $300,000 and $350,000. The project will include a basketball court/cafeteria space that can be divided into 3 separate program areas when needed, locker rooms, and a commercial kitchen that will double as a concession stand during basketball games.

“The donor and his wife have been loyal supporters of the Club for years,” said Kateena Haynes, Club CEO. “Although he is not from the area, she is, and it is obvious that Harlan County holds a special place in her heart. Her love of the area is so abundant that her husband has decided to make this incredible donation to ensure that children here have a place to run and play and be safe.”

“The project was moving very slowly, and we needed some momentum. This donor had expressed that he wanted to help when construction began, so I reached out to him and told him we were ready to move forward. He requested a few days to talk it over with his wife. When I heard from him several days later, he said they were willing to give $200,000. I nearly fell out of my chair. I started crying and just repeatedly saying ‘thank you’. It was absolutely overwhelming.”

Haynes states that the donor wants to generate interest among other donors and build community excitement, so he is offering the money as a matching contribution. For every dollar raised, he will donate two dollars- up to a total of $200,000. His donation, along with the matching funds, should be enough to complete the project. “He really wants to get the community involved and excited about the work we are doing. He asked if I thought we could raise $100,000 on our own and I told him I am confident that we can. We have a wonderful community that has always rallied around us and I know they will again,” stated Haynes.

A contract has been drawn up and the money is already waiting in an escrow account. “He had hoped we would have the money raised by the end of the year because he wants to get this money to us as soon as possible. I think he and his wife are as excited about this project as we are.” Haynes states that their goal is to have the $100,000 raised by June 30, 2019 but that the donor’s money will be released as soon as the money is raised. “If we raise $100,000 by December 31, then we will have a total of $300,000 on December 31.”

The addition of a gymnasium will bring about major changes to the Cawood Ledford Boys & Girls Club, states Area Director Kendra Calhoun. "We can’t wait for our gym," said Calhoun. “Some days, we have nearly a hundred children in this facility. We feed all of them using one stove and rotating them in and out of the art room. It takes the entire afternoon. The addition of a commercial kitchen and a mass seating area will make a huge difference in the way we program.”

Calhoun also states that the gym will double the capacity of the Club. “We are at the point where we cannot handle many more kids in our facility. We simply do not have the space. It’s okay when the weather is nice, and we can take a group outside, but when it’s raining and all the kids are inside, it is very crowded. The gym will allow us to serve twice as many kids every day. We also plan to have teen-only hours once the project is complete. The gym opens up a world of possibilities for us.”

Since the Cawood Ledford Boys & Girls Club was chartered in 2003, it has served over 15,000 children and teens through its sports leagues, summer camps, and school outreach and has had over 3,000 members in its afterschool program.  The Club provides a safe place for children and teens to go during the evening when school is out and all day during the summer. Since its inception, the Club has saved parents and guardians over 2.5 million dollars in childcare costs.   In 2017 alone, the Club provided 26,843 meals and snacks to the youth in its afterschool program. At the Club, young people receive a warm evening meal, homework assistance, access to technology, programs that help them succeed, and a staff who encourage them daily to become productive and successful citizens. 

The Club is a place for children....all children....to receive the hope and opportunity they need to succeed.   Club members may be in foster care, single parent homes, living with grandparents or even great-grandparents, orphaned, suffering the physical effects of maternal drug abuse or they may have parents who work in the afternoon and simply need a safe place to go.  Regardless of why they are there, all youth are treated the same at the Club.  The Club is a second home to the children it serves and the staff and members are all one big family.  At the Club, everyone is equal.  

The Club has changed lives and continues to do so daily.  Club alumni include medical, pharmacy, and law school students, Disney cast members, teachers, US military personnel, nurses, musicians, entrepreneurs, and even a UK basketball player.  You can help us change even more lives by donating to the Cawood Ledford Boys & Girls Club today.  We are expanding our facility, growing our capacity, and helping even more children and teens receive the services of the Club.  Success looks different for every child, but the Boys & Girls Club is in a position to see that each child reaches the potential he or she is capable of.  For some, that may mean being employed full time and staying away from drugs and alcohol while for others that may mean a college education.  However, in the end, if we are fulfilling our mission of helping the youth we serve become productive, responsible and caring citizens, then we are helping them achieve success.

Haynes states that the Club expects to break ground early 2019. For more information on how to donate to the Club’s building campaign, contact Haynes at 606-573-0960 or kateena01@yahoo.com.

Mission: To inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.

For more information about the gym project click here.