A Farewell Message from Dave Dear Friends of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo: in 1967, I Was 10 Years Old and a Fourth Grader at St
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ANNUAL REPORT JUNE 2019 - MAY 2020 A Farewell Message from Dave Dear Friends of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo: In 1967, I was 10 years old and a fourth grader at St. James School. My classmates and I watched with great anticipation the daily renovation work on the old Ohio Bell building across the street. It was being transformed into the South Toledo Boys Club. I joined when it opened and became what we often refer to as an everyday member. I was active in all programs. My favorites were Athletics, Games Room, Ceramics and the Woodshop. Later, I was engaged with the Service Club, and the Torch and Keystone Clubs. I was elected to the offices Dave Wehrmeister of Secretary and then President of the Keystone Club and attended my first National Keystone Conference, at the Palmer Executive Director House, in Chicago. Wow! I was hooked. Little did I know that my Keystone Advisor, Stan, would still be mentoring and working with me today at the Club. Thank you, Stan! Five short years after joining the Club, my father got sick and passed away. At age 14, I turned to the Club as my respite and spent even more time there. I remember coming home from school one day and my mother saying that she received a letter and call from Ed Johansen, the Executive Director at that time. The letter was a congratulatory note, and the call was to ask her to urge me to consider coming to work Dave and his mom at the Club. At age 16, working was the last thing I wanted to think about. But after the high school tennis season was over, I listened to Mom and became the coat check attendant at the South Toledo Boys Club, earning $1.25 per hour. I soon found myself helping in the Games Room and was promoted and eventually ran nearly every program area in the Club. It was fun and it was extremely rewarding. I remember chaperoning a bus trip to Detroit, to see a Tigers game. It was not my first professional game, as I was fortunate to have been to one with my Dad, in 1968. I will always remember that first walk into the stadium and seeing the field. But the Club trip was a first for almost all the other members and it is a day I will never forget. On field trips, our staff rotated short breaks. When it was my turn, I quickly ran to the restroom and bought a hot dog before going back to my seat. I watched from above and noticed one member, Pete, looking at me, not the game. The guilt was too much, I bought 25 hot dogs and passed them out. The road to become the Executive Director took many years. I applied for advancement Used with permission of the Blade, September 2012 opportunities many times, and heard that I was not ready…or someone else is better suited for the position, and was told to be…patient. Being patient was the best advice I received. Because the wait was worth it. It allowed me time to work with some amazing kids and staff and to learn from them. It allowed me to become a better leader and provide a bigger impact. Continued on next page ➜ I have traveled to events throughout the country with quality of our programs and facilities. The unique partnerships members, staff and board. Going to the National Conference with Toledo Public Schools, The Toledo Museum of Art, the has always been the highlight of my year. While no one enters YMCA, Connecting Kids to Meals, the First Tee of Lake Erie and this line of work to receive recognition, I have been honored many others, are solid and built to stay in place for many years. and humbled to be recognized many times throughout my I would be remiss if I did not mention the many Board career. From the South Toledo Boy of the Year Award to the Presidents that have helped me along the way as Executive Thomas Garth Character and Courage Award, these honors Director. I have learned much from each of you. To all who have have been lovingly appreciated. None of them would have been helped me develop and lead the organization – thank you for possible without your help and support. Thank you! all that you have done. I will always appreciate our friendship. As the director of this organization, I have appeared in While this is not how I envisioned concluding my career, the media, spent time with corporate leaders, shared the Club please know that working at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo story with countless donors and celebrities, been in the Mayor’s and with all of you, has been an extremely rewarding and a Office, City Council Chamber, the Governor’s Mansion, visited wonderful experience. The job is different everyday as the our Legislative leaders in Toledo, Columbus and Washington. problems and challenges of the kids we serve are different and I hosted two Presidents here in Toledo and visited with one continue to change. Who would have thought that today we President in the Oval Office! Toledo’s relationship with Boys would be planning to take every member’s temperature and & Girls Clubs of America is the best that it ever has been. be sure they had the proper mask on prior to coming to one of Our donors are second to none. Their support of our mission our sites! I am so happy that I was encouraged and allowed to continues to grow. Thank you! play a small part to help change and save lives. I know that the Watching our incredible staff members grow and have such Club was there for me when I was in need and for the last 46 great impact every day with Club members was amazing. Many years, I have tried to give back a little of what you all have given of them have devoted their lives and careers to continue our to me. I hope and pray that our Club is in a better place today mission while others have gone on to other agencies or other to grow on our 127-year foundation. That has always been cities to share our work. It is mind blowing to imagine how our my intent. Finally, I also want to thank my wife Lisa and my mission is compounded to serve so many. I would like to thank children Adam, Nathan and Anna. They are my guiding stars our outstanding team of dedicated professionals, past and and their support and love keep me emotionally and spiritually present, for helping me along the way, but more importantly for nourished. their commitment to help the kids who need us most. I would like to share a quote from our founder, John Gunckel. Those staff members are among my most prized He ended his book BOYVILLE with the following statements: accomplishments and friends. “Let us kindly suggest a new work, a new field of Our Board members have always been the solid foundation labor; a field that may test human goodness and human of our organization. You are the best group of individuals ability, but where you will reap more than riches, more assembled ever! Your group guidance and advice has been than fame. always spot on and your individual counsel has been essential Begin today, go out upon the streets, work among and very much appreciated. The incredible time, work and the newsboys, reach down to those below, and offer a support that you give to fulfill our mission has been nothing hand to lift them up. Throw around them the proper short of miraculous. My special thanks to all the committee protection and influence. In your own city, your own members who give countless hours to dig into the trenches and town, at your own doors, are acres of diamonds only get the work done. One example of this was our realization, waiting for you to help in the work of polishing.” twenty years ago, that we could not stand alone to do our Thank you! I appreciate all your help, support and work. Collaboration would be necessary as we moved forward wonderful remarks along the way, and I will always cherish our to instill our mission. The hours, months and years of work time together. that went into developing strategic collaborations has helped With respect, admiration and love, us become more efficient and improve both the quantity and Dave Announcing the David Wehrmeister Boys & Girls Club Annual Meeting Hightlights he Echo Award was established as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo’s most prestigious award. The name Boys & Girls Clubs of Echo represents the way the actions of certain Toledo Welcomes Tpeople reverberate through other individuals and serve as a role model worthy of emulation. The 2020 the following Trustees Recipient of the Echo Award is Kevin O’Neal. He, along to our Board: with his fellow trustee, Tiffany Cavanaugh and the Club resource development team, restructured resource Christi Ansberg development to become an effective and expanded source Jason Daniels of funding to fulfil our Clubs’ mission. As Club President, David Fisher he worked tirelessly to make sure that our members received a world class Boys & Girls Club experience. He Elizabeth Hupp also had the foresight to forge new relationships. Our partnership with The First Tee of Lake Craig Jablonski Erie will bring to fruition a Club to serve the Roger/McTigue area of Toledo. At the end of his Keith Jordan, Sr.