COVER STORY 51 SEPTEMBER 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition h d n - - t e s f - e d s a , h n - - w r t n . , r g . o , y , d x & h s t a , n - e - - C s comes through reduced juvenile crime, teen pregnancy and abuse, as well as healthier families and children who are better prepared for life. A sanctuary in the midst of adversity For Markes Thomas, known as “Coach Markes” at the Nan Knox Center where he is now the club director, the Boys & Girls Clubs were more than an after-school program. They became his sanctuary after tragedy struck. At just 13, Thomas lost his mother in a shocking act of violence. Reeling from grief, his grandmother urged him to attend the summer program at the club. The director not only gave him a safe space but a job. From that moment, Thomas says he never had the chance to spiral out of control because the club kept him close, kept him accountable and surrounded him with mentors who believed in him. “They refused to let me act out after the tragedy. Collectively, they made sure I stayed busy, stayed here, and interacted in programs. That’s why I’m who I am today.” He recalls one conversation with his director in response to an incident at school that changed his life: “He said, you told me when we first hired you, this is your sanctuary. This is another home for you. It’s like church. Now you have to set examples for others.” Raised by his grandmother, Essie Mae Gantt Thomas, and his great grandmother, Mary Lee Barnes, who faithfully brought him to Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, Thomas understands now that they knew he would become “the rock of the family.” Even as he faced hardship — caring for a father who struggled with addiction and even rescuing him from danger — Thomas drew strength from his community. Today Thomas is a Junior Warden at Saint Christopher Episcopal Church, and after 38 years on staff at BGCBC, he continues to lead, mentor and embody the faith and resilience that saved him. “The Boys and Girls Club provided guidance and leadership for me, and it’s our job and responsibility to do the same for this upcoming generation. These children’s futures are in our hands. These are our future doctors, our lawyers, our future nurses, and we have to invest in our future.” Last year, Coach Markes was accepted into the Alumni Hall of Fame with his friend, Broward College President Torey Alston. “I am a product of our Boys and Girls Clubs here in Broward County,” said Alston. A strong community advocate, Alston is a former Broward County commissioner and School Board chair. “I'm a longtime supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs, a former member of the Corporate Board and Alumni Board, so I have seen the mission up close.” He joined at age 7 and stayed until 18, crediting the clubs with giving him camaraderie, mentorship and life skills that continue to guide him today. “Once a club kid, always a club kid,” he says. A fourth-generation member of New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Alston said the Boys & Girls Clubs aligned with his Christian values. “The Boys and Girls Club has served as that anchor of support for so many families,” he explained. Many of the friendships he built there still endure today, including one friend for whom he served as best man decades after they first met in the club. As the clubs celebrate 60 years, Alston emphasizes their significance: “Not many institutions last that long. It speaks to its history, its heritage, its mission.” Alumni who came back For many Boys & Girls Club alumni, those foundational ties run deep. When Rear Admiral Ryan Perry of the U.S. Navy returned to South Florida earlier this year for Fleet Week, he made a special request. Rather than head straight to official ceremonies, he asked to visit the North Lauderdale Boys & Girls Club — the very place he grew up as a child. For Organ, the moment was deeply moving. “That’s the club I helped open back in 1981, and I stayed there for about 10 years,” he recalled. As Perry stepped out of his car, dressed in his Navy whites and adorned with stars on his shoulders, the reunion was instant. “I looked at him and said, ‘Man, you look familiar,’ and he looked back at me and said, ‘I told my mother you’d be here.” Organ said. “He put on his sunglasses to hide his tears — and I’ll admit, I shed a couple myself.” Perry, who once roamed the halls as a 7-year-old, spent hours reconnecting with the club and its members. “He just couldn’t believe he was back where he started. He played football with the kids, walked through the building, and kept saying he’d never forget what the club had done for him,” Organ shared. That connection soon turned into action. The admiral later invited Boys & Girls Clubs youth to tour a Navy ship during Fleet Week, arranged for sailors to volunteer at local clubs and even accepted induction into the organization’s Alumni Hall of Fame. For Organ, the visit was a powerful reminder of the club’s lasting impact. “You know you’re doing good work, but moments like this validate it. We really are making a difference in young people’s lives,” he said. Learn more at bgcbc.org n Markes Thomas, Director II of the Nan Knox Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County adjacent to the Fred DeLuca Teen Center. Torey Alston, President, Broward College
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