Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia (BGCSWVA) has served youth in the Roanoke region since 1997. Currently, we meet the afterschool and summer program needs of over 1,000 children and teens each year. We continue to operate in our region thanks to local funding, with significant corporate and individual support.
Because of BGCSWVA, tens of thousands of students in our region have graduated from high school with a plan for the future. But one question remained. How would these hardworking kids pay for that future?
One of our current Board Members, Jim Barker, CFO at Delta Dental of VA, grew up as a Club kid in Bristol, VA. Jim had the opportunity to be a first-generation college graduate, in part thanks to the caring staff at his local B&GC. Jim recognized that kids need inspiration and someone to look up to as proof that their dreams are possible. In Jim’s own words, “My mom suddenly became a single parent after the passing of my father. My mother did a great job of monitoring my educational progress while taking me to church every Sunday. However, we didn’t live in the best neighborhood. The Boys & Girls Club protected her investment in me afterschool while she worked to provide for the family.”
Thanks to the benevolence and generosity of fund founders Mike and Danielle Wise, the Jim Barker Educational Scholarship Fund was established in 2020 and is available for Boys & Girls Club members to assist with post-high school educational pursuits. The fund is held at and operated by The Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia. To date, $35,88o has been awarded to deserving young people.
You are invited to make an investment in the Jim Barker Scholarship Fund today to ensure our Club Kids have the opportunity for brighter futures!
Want to learn how you can support the Jim Barker Scholarship Fund? Contact Chief Development Officer, Christina Ballard, at cballard@bgcswva.org or (540) 761-9274.
SCHOLARSHIP IMPACT
Jim Barker Educational Scholarship Fundraising Committee Members
- Chair: Sam Lionberger, III
- Committee Members: Jim Barker, CJ Caldwell,
Judi Murphy, Jonathan Richardson, Eric Wise
Scholarship Recipients
- 2021: Jack Graves, matriculated to The College of William and Mary
- 2022: Lawrence Moore, matriculated to James Madison University; Hunter Muddiman, matriculated to Savannah College of Art & Design
- 2023: Tyler Turner, rising senior Art Major at Virginia Commonwealth University; Lawrence Moore, rising sophomore Chemistry Major at JMU; Hunter Muddiman, rising sophomore Art & Illustration for Entertainment Major at Savannah College of Art & Design
- 2024: Kamille G., graduated from Patrick Henry High School and is pursuing a degree in Education at Hampton University; Ashton L. is a graduate of Eastern Montgomery High School and is pursuing a degree in Interior Design at Virginia Tech.