MAGNOLIA — RHETT GENTRY
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After serving for 31 years as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Magnolia, David Smith had decided it is time to retire.
“He is one of the hardest working CEOs you will ever find,” said Boys and Girls Club Board Chairman Jason Ray.
Ray attended the Boys and Girls Club as a child and worked there through high school. He laughed as he revisited memories working for Smith and spoke about all the things he had witnessed over the years.
He mentioned that Smith has often spent over 60 hours a week working at the Club, and would never ask anyone to do something that he has not done before. This has found Smith at times digging ditches, mowing and working with the children on top of his other duties.
Ray spoke highly of Smith and listed the many accomplishments that the retiring director has had over the years.
He stated that in the time that Smith has been the Executive Director, the Club grew three baseball fields to six, one gym to two, and implemented a food program that is run through the United States Department of Agriculture to feed children a meal after school. He stated that this same food program has been extended through part of the summer, which allowed parents to drive their children to the local Boys and Girls Club to pick up these meals.
Smith said that his favorite accomplishment has been offering the meals after school, but Ray begs to differ.
“Boys and Girls clubs across the country have started closing just from lack of funding,” said Ray. “If I had to say what his (Smith’s) biggest accomplishment is, it is the fact that our Boys and Girls Club is still open when so many across the country are closed.”
Smith said he plans to continue his hobbies through his retirement, which will commence in late October. The Boys and Girls Club is currently accepting applications for the Executive Director position at this time.