Temeka Teague’s belief is that when people are doing positive things within their community, others should know.

She wants the community to know about the progress that is being made at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pike and Surrounding Counties under the leadership of Wayne Buchanan.

As director and family advocate of the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center in Troy, Teague has been involved with the Boys and Girls Club since its inception.

“I am amazed by the great things that are being done at the club,” she said. “This is my daughter’s first year at the club and she is thrilled to attend each and every morning. She even wants to go on Saturdays and Sundays.”

Teague said Buchanan is a very structured leader and he has the respect of all the kids at the club.

“Mr. Buchanan and his staff take time to work with the children and in a caring manner,” she said. “He spends countless hours at the club and I have even passed by on the weekend and his car was in the parking lot.”

Teague and her husband were considering letting their daughter spend the summer with her grandmother, who is retired, but chose otherwise after looking into the opportunities held within the Boys and Girls Club.

“After paying close attention to the progress at the Boys and Girls Club, we decided for her to attend because of Mr. Buchanan’s leadership,” she said. “The Boys and Girls Club is a wonderful place for children to go and learn and to interact with others their age.”

Teague said Buchanan provided opportunities for the boys and girls that benefit them in many different ways.

“He is always thinking about the kids and what he can do for them,” she said. “He has a tutoring program that the kids really benefit from and he organizes field trips. The Boys and Girls Club is a great benefit to the kids and to our community.”

Another mother, Sheriat Ortega, said she was skeptical about letting her son attend the Boys and Girls Club.

“I work out of town, and I just didn’t feel good about leaving him there,” she said. “But then I heard about Mr. Buchanan and all the good things he was doing for kids. So I decided to give it a try.”

Now, Ortega said her son loves the club and she is very comfortable knowing he’s there.

“Everything is very structured and Mr. Buchanan has things planned where the kids can learn and have a good time doing it,” she said. “They go swimming once a week and they have been to a movie. They got to go to vacation Bible school and horseback riding and they are going to Camp Butter and Egg soon. The Boys and Girls Club is a wonderful place for our kids.”

When Tironza Arnold’s son was three years old, he was in an accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury.

“He is 16 years old now and he attends the Boys and Girls Club in the summer,” Arnold said. “Because of the accident, his learning skills are mentally delayed. Mr. Buchanan works with him to develop those skills.

“I appreciate his help in that way so much and I also appreciate the fact that he and his staff treat my son just like they treat all the other kids. They don’t treat him like he’s different from his peers and that makes all the difference in the world to him. At the Boys and Girls Club, my son is just like everybody else. We want everyone to know what a great place the Boys and Girls Club of Pike and Surrounding Counties is and how much we appreciate what Mr. Buchanan is doing for the kids in our community.”

For information about the Boys and Girls Club in Troy, visit the club at 1318 North 3 Notch Street or call 334-770-2582.