The Boys and Girls Club of Bulloch County (BGC) relaunched their Club 54 Giving Society Kids and Community Gala last week at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center. The important fundraising event had been canceled for the past two years due to COVID.
This year the club decided to shift from a celebrity to a performer to headline the fundraiser. They chose Colin Cloud, a Scottish sage mentalist who describes himself as the Real Life Sherlock Holmes. Cloud currently has a residency in Las Vegas at The Mirage hotel.
For over an hour, Cloud mystified and wowed the audience of nearly 300. His performance was nothing short of spellbinding. As his grand finale, he asked the entire audience to think of a set of numbers. He then guessed several audience members numbers and proceeded to walk the audience through a math equation using those numbers. The total of the numbers translated to the number of people in the audience, the date and time of the performance which was:
- 288 in attendance
- The date was 10/6/22
- The time was exactly 8:08 pm
Cloud sends message to the BGC youth
Grice Connect had the opportunity to visit with Cloud before the show. Since the fundraiser was for an organization that serves youth, we asked what advice he had for the BGC members and other youth in our community.
"Surround yourself with people who actively are going to encourage and push you in any way possible. It might not be the people closest to you or your family, and if your friends are not either, then you may want to question if they are actually your friends", said Colin Cloud. "You want to make sure everyone around you is supporting, being honest, giving honest positive feedback, and helping you. You know, only you can motivate yourself to do it. But having that encouragement around you definitely helps you eventually achieve whatever it is you set your mind to."
Cloud continued, "Always be dreaming, absolutely huge, as big as you can. Because at the very least, if you don't get exactly where you want to be, you will at least be closer to that goal than you would be by never aiming for anything at all."
Event raises important funds for the BGC
The Boys & Girls Club hosted the first Kids & Community Gala (formerly Steak & Burger Dinner) in 2006 which featured Ashley Smith, the 2005 Atlanta Hostage survivor. The events’ primary goal was to raise money to support the Club's annual operating needs by providing a speaker who could deliver an inspirational story of overcoming adversity and succeeding despite challenging odds. The community quickly embraced the event and has helped it become one of Statesboro’s most anticipated annual events.
Coming back after COVID
The past two years, the event had to be canceled due to COVID-19, which not only created financial strains on the BGC but also slowed the momentum that the Gala had become accustomed to for the previous 14 years.
"I was afraid that the hiatus was going to make it difficult to resurrect the event and believed the best approach would be to 'entertain' rather than 'inspire.' Our committee that selects the keynote speaker had considered Colin Cloud in previous years but were concerned with shifting from a Celebrity to a Performer," said Mike Jones, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Bulloch County. "Because we have all experienced a lot of challenges and negativity over the recent years, we felt this was the perfect time to make this change."
Making a difference for youth
The BGC shared their 2021 impact report. They served 265 youth last year. Below are the demographics of who the club is reaching.
More than $60,000 raised
This year's event exceeded expectations in both participation and audience experience. More than $60,000 was raised in support of the services provided by the BGC, and participants overwhelmingly expressed their enjoyment of Colin Cloud's performance. The success of the event will re-establish that momentum and propel BGC to an even better event in 2023.
Special thanks to sponsors:
TITLE Sponsor:
- Automation Systems & Controls
SUPPORTING Sponsor:
- Bulloch First Bank
Sponsors:
- GS Office of the President
- Bulloch First
- CORPORATE TABLE:
- BBWH Ins.
- Mr. Hoke Brunson
- Synovus
- ERA - Pat Hirsch Realty
- Lanier Deal & Proctor CPA
- Queensborough National Bank & Trust
- GS College of Education
- East GA Oral/Facial Surgery
- East GA Regional Medical Center
- SONIC
- Morris Bank
- Frills by Scott
- Mr. & Mrs. Bede Mitchell
- Davis Marketing Co.
- Statesboro Cardiology
- Citizens Bank
- Ogeechee Technical College
- GA Power
- Pride Pools & Spas
- Renasant Bank
- Tormenta
- RE/Max Eagle Creek Realty
- Nesmith Construction
- Howard Lumber
- Crider Poultry
- Dr. Saba & Atty. Renata Jallow
- Bulloch County NAACP
- Haunted Forest
CLUB 52 GIVING SOCIETY
One of the main groups the fundraiser recognizes is the Club 52 Giving Society. This elite group is composed of generous supporters who have made an annual, cumulative gift of $1,200 or more each year. Club 52 recognizes the generosity of those who have made a significant investment during an annual period. Each member of Club 52 pledges to donate $1,200 per fiscal year via one time donation or monthly drafts.
Grice Connect is a proud supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of Bulloch County as a Club 52 donor.
Club 52 gifts make a tremendous impact on the youth we serve. These funds enable us to provide partial and full scholarships to youth that otherwise could not afford to attend.
Because of your support, we are able to:
- Recruit top notch youth development professionals
- Spend one-on-one time with members to help them with their school work
- Introduce our kids to new experiences – such as our innovative STEM program
- Serve hot meals to children each day
- Provide scholarships to deserving young people
SPONSOR A CHILD
To Join Club 52 or make a tax-deductible donation, click below.
Club 52 is a non-profit and registered 501(c)3 organization.
JOIN TODAY
Haunted Forest
Jones also reminded the community about their upcoming “Haunted Forest,” which is hosted by Willingway Hospital. The event is moving to a new location this year, the Kiwanis Fairgrounds, which will provide more opportunities and experiences for our patrons. The Haunted Forest will be open from 8 PM until midnight Oct. 24 (student night) – Oct. 31. Visit www.hauntedforeststatesboro.com for tickets and more information.
