Craig Reeves, longtime director and Chief Professional Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County, is retiring at the end of July.
Reeves began working for the club in 1988 as the athletic director. Three years later he was moved to executive director. When Reeves came to the club, it was cash-strapped with a budget of less than $50,000 and only two employees. Today, the club’s budget approaches $1 million, and Reeves manages a staff of more than 20 employees.
“It is impossible to exaggerate the profound impact that Craig has had on the club, its kids, and our community,” said longtime board member Bobby Horton. “He has helped improve the lives of thousands of kids and has jumpstarted the careers of countless employees through his intense devotion to the mission of Boys and Girls Clubs of America and his genuine concern for the welfare of our county’s youth. I am proud to have worked with him and am excited by the foundation he has set from which the club can build.”
Indeed, Reeves has been instrumental in establishing partnerships and building a strong network of support for the club, including a capital campaign that raised more than $2.5 million and enabled the club to move from an outdated facility on Chestnut Street to the facility the club now occupies on Whitlock Avenue.
“I understand the time and hard work that goes into different things and projects by our club as a whole; including, the club’s staff, club members, board members, and even by families and friends, and recruited volunteers ... all of who choose to help out during a time in need,” Reeves said.
The Boys Club, as it was called when it opened its Crawfordsville doors in the mid 1950s, has grown exponentially under Reeves’ watch. Before he arrived, members primarily came from children who lived within walking distance of the Chestnut facility. Today, the club serves kids from all three school corporations on a daily basis, and membership has tripled in size, to more than 3,000 members. The after school program has grown from around three dozen kids to 150, and the summer program has gone from 30 to 130.
“The club is a great facility with financial stability, both of which should be celebrated with wonderful things on the horizon,” Reeves said. “It is exciting and an answer to prayer for so many. All of this because of the great support and work we have accomplished over the last 35 years.”
Reeves has garnered many awards and honors over the years, including being named Professional of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of America.
“I am thankful of the impact that we have made in the lives of so many kids and their families,” Reeves said. “You may know many of them, but their stories are all their own. I feel blessed when they randomly sit in my office for me to return from a meeting or they stay on hold while I’m on another call with someone. It’s not about me, I truly enjoy hearing about how the Club has made a difference in their lives. I’m proud of those kids with their success stories ... but I also have compassion and empathy for those that share their lesser stories and the fact that they reach out to talk about them. It is and always has been about the club.
“We are thankful and grateful for our entire community for supporting us and the children that we serve,” Reeves added. “I have been blessed with having dedicated and caring staff members who did all the important work. I am grateful for our past and present board members who gave a 23-year-old kid a chance as well as all for the volunteers who coached our athletic teams and helped out at our special events, community dinners, afterschool and more.
And the club’s board is certainly thankful for Reeves’ work.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Craig, and his family, for their dedicated service of 35 years at the club,” said Troy Mitchell, current board president and former club kid. “Throughout his tenure, Craig has devoted a substantial amount of time and effort, sometimes at the expense of his own family, for the betterment of the club. Most people strive to leave something better than they found it, and Craig has undoubtedly achieved that. I wish Craig nothing but the best in all his future endeavors.”
The board of directors will hold a celebratory open house in honor of Reeves from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at the club’s Whitlock Avenue facility. His final day is scheduled for July 28.
