April 2007

Members help fund summer program in Paulding through the Boys & Girls Club 

Not everyone has a summer vacation, and when your children are home from school but you’re still at work, what do you do? Many working parents turn to summer programs, but this expense is sometimes too much for low income families to handle. Through Operation Round Up, GreyStone Members have just made a $5,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club in Paulding County to support their summer program.

“Through your support children in the county will have the opportunity to experience what every child should; a safe and fun summer,” says Member David Carriker, Regional Vice President for the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta.

The donation allows the club to have space in their summer program for 50 more students. Students must be a member of the Boys & Girls Club to attend the eight-week program, and preference is given to core members of the club. In addition to this, core members pay $100 to enroll in the program; new members pay $300. Boys & Girls Clubs membership costs $35 per school year and is available to all young people ages six to 18.

Paulding County is the third fastest growing county in Georgia, and the need for community services is on the rise.

“The summer program enables us to serve a population of children who would otherwise have no place to go during the day,” says David. “Our focus is on the emotional, intellectual and social development of each child. Our programs are uniquely designed to address the developmental stages of a child and the challenges that come with it.”

More than 9,000 boys and girls in Cobb, Coweta, Douglas, Paulding and South Fulton are served by the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta. Last year almost 600 youth in Paulding were members or received services from the club, and by this summer that number is expected to reach 700 youth. Club membership dues are $35 a year, but the actual cost of serving each youth is almost $2,000. The balance of these costs are raised through groups like United Way and other fundraisers.

Member Stephanie Rakestraw, who serves on the Operation Round Up Board, says she enjoys the opportunity to fund groups touching so many lives.

“By working with organizations we can support a greater number of individuals,” says Stephanie. “The Boys & Girls Club meets such and important need in the community, and they rely on groups like GreyStone Members to support their work. Members that sign up for Operation Round Up are helping their neighbors. By seeing the smiles on their faces you get to see your money in action.”

To learn more about Operation Round Up, click here.