(A News and Sentinel Op-Ed - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

As a longtime supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg and now its CEO, I felt compelled to share my thoughts about the United Bank Kids Golf Classic, which recently celebrated an incredible milestone: 30 years of investing in the youth of our community.

This event is a testament to what can happen when a community chooses to invest in its young people. Over the past three decades, the Kids Golf Classic has raised more than $5 million for the Boys and Girls Club. That achievement is remarkable in itself, but the true impact cannot be measured in dollars alone. It can be seen in meals served, homework completed, mentors provided, field trips taken, and safe places created for children who need them most.

When this tournament began, our youth faced challenges. Today, those challenges have only multiplied. The internet, a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, social isolation, mental health concerns, and increased exposure to substance use have created obstacles many young people are struggling to navigate. Because of this, the need for caring, consistent adults has never been greater.

Research tells us that one caring adult can change the trajectory of a child’s life. At the Club, we see that truth play out every day. Kids may not remember every activity they participated in, but they remember the people who believed in them.

I am reminded of this often when I think about the teens I worked with at the Club more than 20 years ago. Many of those young women looked up to me as a first-generation college student serving in the military while raising three young sons. Over the years, they have reached out to thank me for being a role model and for believing in them when they needed it most.

Today, those same young women have become military service members, college graduates, professionals, mothers, and leaders in their communities. Some have even returned to give back to the Club that helped shape them. They are among the many success stories that remind me why this work matters.

And that was from just one year of my involvement.

Imagine the impact of 30 years of the Kids Golf Classic and more than 60 years of the Boys and Girls Club serving children in our community. The reach extends far beyond what any statistic can capture.

The Kids Golf Classic is not simply a fundraiser. It is a long-term investment in the future of Parkersburg and the Mid-Ohio Valley. That investment has helped produce soldiers, teachers, attorneys, skilled tradespeople, business owners, and countless other success stories. Yet when our alumni return, they rarely talk about programs or activities first. They talk about the adults who coached their teams, taught them to fish, took them camping, encouraged them to dream bigger, or simply listened when they needed someone to care.

These successes do not belong solely to the Boys and Girls Club. They belong to a community that has chosen, year after year, to stand behind its young people. They belong to United Bank, our sponsors, volunteers, golfers, staff, and supporters who have made the Kids Golf Classic possible for three decades. They belong to the many donors who support us through days of giving, fundraisers and foundations.

With an event the magnitude of the Kids Golf Classic, we see what can happen when businesses, nonprofits, and community members come together around a common purpose.

For 30 years, the United Bank Kids Golf Classic has done far more than raise money. It has raised expectations, opportunities, and hope for thousands of young people across our region.

As we look toward the future, one thing remains certain: Parkersburg needs Club kids, and our Club kids need us; now more than ever. The next chapter of this story depends on all of us continuing to invest in the potential of every child who walks through our doors.