(KNSI) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota President and CEO Mary Swingle has been honored with the 2021 Vision & Spirit Award. On Tuesday, Mary was honored at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s virtual Midwest Region Celebration.
According to a press release, the Vision & Spirit Award is given to a professional who has served in the Boys & Girls Club for less than five years and has provided the catalyst for the advancement of the clubs.
Officials say Mary was honored for building community relationships and the Boys & Girls Clubs’ response to the pandemic. In March 2020, the clubs opened their sites to three area school districts and provided childcare to frontline workers. The clubs also launched a grab-and-go meal distribution program. The program served thousands of meals per week through the summer of 2021.
Some new programs instituted during the pandemic included Zoom meetings, check-in phone calls, and a Virtual Club, with videos, activities and challenges designed to keep kids busy and connected when they couldn’t come to the club. The club was re-opened in the summer of 2020 using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Department of Health safety requirements.
According to the press release, Mary built trust by holding weekly meetings with the board, trustees, staff, and school district partners. Mary began as President and CEO in September 2018, after Mark Sakry’s retirement. Sakry had been with the Boys & Girls Clubs for 35 years.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!