Published: July 16, 2008 10:42 am         

Buchanan takes charge of Carthage B&G Club

With aspirations of becoming a CEO, Wayne Buchanan is now one step closer to his dream as he moves on to becoming unit director for the Boys and Girls Club of Carthage/Leake County.

A native of Florence Ala., 27-year-old unit director for the Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club of Kosciusko/Attala County has been with the organization for the past eight years getting his start in Florence after graduating from the University of Northern Alabama with a degree in social work.

After five years in Florence, he answered a call to Tipton Street in Kosciusko after attending an all-staff training event.

Once in Kosciusko he became program director, designing and running programs for members. In September 2006, Buchanan was promoted to Unit Director for the new B&GC on Knox Road.

The new Carthage B&GC meets at the elementary school, for grades K-5 opened up November of 2007, with around 100-125 members. Many programs ran in the Kosciusko B&GC are ran in Carthage, like “Power Hour,” the homework assistant program.

One difference in Carthage that would have to be worked around is the fact that the building that Carthage B&GC meets belongs to the school, leaving Carthage members without a real facility of their own.

But location isn’t the main factor of a successful B&GC, “The heart of the Boys and Girls Club is the programs, that’s the heart, I mean it doesn’t matter, you can have any kind of facility but the programs is where it’s at,” explained Buchanan.

The Carthage opportunity opened up for Buchanan, when CEO Kelvin McGruder made him aware of the unit needing someone to mainly “run the programs” and activities.

One of the programs Buchanan is most proud of is “Open Gym,” where junior high students come to play basketball, competing against other teams, along with activities inside and out along with providing lunch.

A challenge for Buchanan over the years has been parental involvement in programs.

With different activities there are various numbers of parents present, but increasing awareness about the activities is something the career driven go-getter can plan for.

Buchanan is striving to learn more of the business side of the club and hopes that these steps will help him along the way to one day becoming a CEO.