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The Kiwanis Club of Elizabethton awarded a $5,000 check to the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/Carter County on Jan. 28, 2025. The donation was presented by Bill Spooner, chairman of the Kiwanis Northeast Tennessee Children’s Charitable Foundation.

“The goal of the foundation is to provide grant money to local groups who help make the lives of our area’s young people a little brighter,” Spooner said. The foundation has distributed more than $60,000 to organizations that apply through their local Kiwanis Club.

The Kiwanis Club of Elizabethton regularly supports agencies and organizations focused on the health, education, and welfare of children in Elizabethton and Carter County. This year, the club recognized the Boys & Girls Club for its exceptional efforts in serving local children and families.

“Kiwanians care so much about their fellow man and community, specifically children and education,” said Shelly Parham, Boys & Girls Club chief executive officer and Elizabethton Kiwanian. “This funding will be used to support the Club’s Danny Smith Education Center and the great need for more reading and math tutors.”

The Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/Carter County has served the community since 1947. The local Kiwanis Club, founded in 1928, has expanded its reach to include Key Clubs at Unaka and Elizabethton High Schools, a Builders Club at T.A. Dugger Junior High School, and K-Kids Clubs at East Side, Harold McCormick, and West Side Elementary Schools.

Both organizations have long been committed to improving the lives of local children. Through continued collaboration, they aim to provide every child with opportunities to learn, dream, grow, and succeed.