The mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Pike and Surrounding Counties is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Wayne Buchannan, director, said the Boys and Girls Club in Troy has grown significantly over the past year, and the growth is due primarily to the close adherence to its mission.

“For the first time, the after-school program has a waiting list,” Buchannan said. “What that means is that all 60 of our after-school spots have been filled. We now have a waiting list of around 20.”

Buchannan said his hopes are that circumstance will be such that those on the waiting list will be admitted to the program.

“More people have become interested in the Boys and Girls Club because we are running a successful after-school program,” he said. “We have a lot to offer the kids and the dues are affordable.”

Buchannan said the Boys and Girls Club is not a baby-sitting service; rather, the priority is on education.

“All members of the Boys and Girls Club, kindergarten through high school, participate in our Power Hour program,” he said. “For the first hour after the kids arrive, they do their homework. We have staff members and volunteers available to assist them if needed.”

In an effort to evaluate the progress the students are making and to evaluate how the program is working, the members bring their report cards to the Boys and Girls Club.

“The Power Hour is a big part of our educational programming,” Buchannan said. “But we have other educational programs. We have developed a relationship with agencies including the Army Aviation Credit Union, which presents a ‘Money Matters’ program for the kids as a way to encourage them to be more responsible with their money.”

Troy University, Habitat for Humanity, Troy Kiwanis Club and Lowe’s also participate in programming at the Boys and Girls Club or assist with projects.

“Of course, we are a United Way agency and, as one of the 18 agencies the Pike County United Way serves, we receive funding that is greatly needed and appreciated. We want to thank United Way and all of the other agencies and organizations that support the Boys and Girls Club. If it were not this support, monetary and otherwise, we would not be able to serve the number of kids and in the way that we do.”

The Boys and Girls Club also receives grant funding and individual and corporate donations.