The Boys & Girls Clubs of America awarded Joyce Wilson, chief development officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, with the National Outstanding Resource Development Professional award this week.
The kids weren’t the only ones impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with staff at the Lanier Clubs working differently than before, but leaders surprised Wilson with the announcement via a conference call.
“Oh no!” Wilson said when she learned what the conference call was about, according to a release from the organization. Wilson, described as “always humble” in the release, said “I am honored to even be considered for this award.”
Wilson has 30 years of experience in leading non-profit management. She is a graduate of the Boys & Girls Club Leadership University School through the University of Michigan, and she also attended Brenau University and the University of Kentucky and studied Business Administration.
The award is given to a fundraising professional who works directly for a Boys & Girls Club, the national organization described. They look for dedication, leadership, ingenuity and high ethical standards, those who build and strengthen the culture of philanthropy both in the community and in their home club.
“I’m extremely excited that our very own Joyce Wilson has won such a prestigious award among several outstanding nominees throughout the country,” said CEO Steven Mickens in the press statement. “Joyce works tirelessly to make sure that over 1,000 youth each day between Hall County and Forsyth County have access to the many services our clubs provide on a daily basis. I am honored to work alongside her and her team because what they do for us is simply AMAZING!”
In her role, Wilson leads and provides oversight for all resource development and marketing strategies at the Lanier Clubs. Joining the team in 2002, club leaders said Wilson’s work has “significantly impacted the mission of the organization. During this time, the organization’s budget has grown from $660,000 serving 200 youth per day at one Club site, to a budget of over $4.7 million, serving nearly 1,000 youth each day across 15 Club sites, eventually becoming the second largest Boys & Girls Club organization in the state of Georgia.”
Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier board members agreed and Co-President Abb Hayes praised Wilson’s dedication to helping local children flourish.
“Joyce’s commitment to our mission has been consistent and unwavering since she joined us 18 years ago. During her time at the Clubs, she has helped tens of thousands of children and youth turn dreams into reality,” said Hayes. “This award represents a historically proud moment for both Joyce and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier.”
A virtual awards ceremony to honor Resource Development Professionals was held Wednesday, as the national organization was unable to hold their annual conference this year due to the pandemic.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier was established in 1954, and originally called the Gainesville-Hall County Boys Club. Girls Clubs were established in 1963, and the two merged in 1997 as The Boys and Girls Clubs of Hall County. The club has operated at The Positive Place on Downey Boulevard at that time, renovating in 2001, just a year before Wilson entered the Boys and Girls Clubs scene. During her 18 years with the nonprofit, she has been a part of a new name in 2017, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier, and saw the execution of new sites like the Teen Center in 2006, an expansion on Memorial Park Drive in 2010, and a location established in Forsyth County in 2018.
