• Rotary Year: 2018-2019
  • Application Date: 5/30/2018
  • Club Name: Bristol,Va.-Tn.
  • Project Name: Boys & Girls Club Outdoor All Weather Play Court
  • Project Total Expenditures: $12,630.50
  • Grant Amount Requested: $4,000.00
  • Describe the Project, its location and its objectives: Boys and Girls Club of the Mountain Empire (B&G Club) operates its primary location beside Bristol, Virginia's largest public housing project. Serving 80-100 kids (grades K5-12) after school each weekday and more than 150 kids per day in their summer program, 365 different club kids visited/participated in the club activities in 2017. In addition, the grounds of the Boys and Girls Club are not locked and is available evenings and weekends for the community's use of the playground and outdoor basketball court, thus serving as a pleasant and convenient community gathering place for the area. The current surface of the outdoor basketball court is an uneven and unsafe slab of concrete. At the request of the Boys and Girls Club, our Rotary Club was asked to participate in a solution to enhance the overall functionality and success of the B&G Club by overlaying the concrete court with Flex Court Athletics' shock absorbing outdoor tile system to improve safety and usability of the surface for basketball and other group activities. This nearly 1900 square foot surface will have high grade basketball goals installed on each end and will incorporate the design of a basketball court (for example, three-point and foul shot lines), with the Rotary Wheel permanently emblazoned at center court. This high-quality addition to this already busy campus not only will increase much needed safe play space, it will also expand areas dedicated to exercise, health, and wellness activities for club participants, while incorporating natural opportunities for team building. It is our goal to also make the four-way test an important part of the finished product by incorporating it on the sign planted alongside the court to commemorate our Rotary Club's commitment to improving the quality of life of the young people in our community through the gift of this play court.
  • This is the Club’s: Primary Project Application
  • Expected Start Date: 8/1/2018
  • Expected End Date: 10/1/2018
  • Expected Number of Beneficiaries: 450
  • Describe how the project will benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the less fortunate: The Boys and Girls Club is a beacon of hope in our community. Its goal is to break cycles of poverty and food instability for the families served. This new play court will strengthen the community in multiple ways. First and foundationally, it will enhance the safety and wellbeing of a major play space for hundreds of children served throughout the year. Our Rotary Club's investment in this upgraded facility will convey respect and value for the work of the B&G Club and every family connected to the B&G Club and its activities. Participation of Rotary Club members throughout the planning and construction phases will inevitably result in crossed economic and racial barriers and, in turn, will raise awareness among our Rotarians and the larger Bristol community of the essential impact of the Boys and Girls Club as we work side by side and communicate through social media and other outlets. Finally, it will engage our members in meaningful activities and dialogue, which, along with the completion of a very important project, will increase understanding on race and poverty to further strengthen advocacy in our community.
  • Estimated Total Project Volunteer Hours: 400
  • Describe the Rotarian hands-on activities in the project (i.e. non-financial participation): Under the supervision of a fellow Rotarian (who is also a licensed engineer) and other volunteers from his construction company, Rotarians will provide the labor for the installation, which is expected to be completed on two consecutive Saturdays late summer/early fall 2018. Approximately 25 Rotarians working 6-8 hours a day will be needed to complete the installation. In addition, we are going to encourage Rotarians not physically able to assist in the installation, but who want to participate, to join us for a general "improvement day" at the B&G Club with a variety of housekeeping projects available (something for everyone!). We will also call on fellow Rotarians to provide water, snacks, lunch, and plenty of encouragement! Our goal, along with building a better play court, is to create an opportunity to build camaraderie among our younger members, with ample time for intergenerational team building as well. In addition, students at King University (with the goal of reactivating the Rotaract chapter) and members of Interact at both Bristol, Tennessee High School and Bristol, Virginia High School will be invited to join us.

    In addition, we will invite members of the local police department to join in. A number of officers already volunteer at the B&G Club, and their visibility on a project like this will build even greater trust and rapport between law enforcement and this community. Finally, we will also invite a crew from the local Job Corps to help install the basketball goals. However, if neither of these groups are available to help we will still have sufficient Rotarian labor and talent to accomplish the entire project.
  • Describe the publicity plan to inform the general public that this is a Rotary sponsored project: The B&G Club and our Rotary Club will collaborate on timing and messaging of all publicity plans. It is anticipated that the project will be kicked off and updated throughout the planning and construction phases via social media. Simultaneous with the kick off, a press release will be created and distributed to all media outlets in our region as well as shared with our members and the mailing list of annual donors to the Boys and Girls Club. We will propose to the local newspaper a special interest news story in preparation of the project start. We will select local television and radio stations to be invited to report on-location throughout the construction phase and at the dedication ceremony anticipated two weeks post completion. We plan for the Rotary Wheel and the 4-Way Test to be displayed at the site during planning and construction, then permanently displayed on a sign beside the play court, visible to the children at play as well as from the road for all to see. The Rotary Wheel will also be displayed at "center court" as part of the play court's design, another reminder of the outreach of Rotary in our community.
  • Cooperating Organizations – Please list each cooperating organization, if any: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mountain Empire
    Burwil Construction Company
  • Letter(s) of Participation: Participation Letter - Boys & Girls Club .pdf, Rotary Bristol VATN Rotary Burwil Participation letter.pdf
  • Project Expenditure Budget – list detail uses of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Project Funding Budget – list detail sources of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Budget Upload:Budget Rotary Bristol VATN District-Grant App B&G Club 2018-19.xls
  • Primary Contact Name: John M. Vann
  • Primary Contact Rotary Position: President 2018/19
  • Primary Contact Email: vannjm@gmail.com
  • Primary Contact Phone: 423-360-1153
  • Financial Contact Name: Phil Hartley
  • Financial Contact Rotary Position: Treasurer
  • Financial Contact Address: 
    P. O. Box 1225
    Bristol, VA 24203
    United States View on Map
  • Financial Contact Email: owlracoon@hotmail.com
  • Financial Contact Phone: 423-274-0912
  • District Grant Project Authorization LetterAuthorization letter Rotary Club of Bristol VA-TN B&G Club Grant .pdf
  • Project Supporting Uploads:Rotary Bristol VATN Grant Supporting Documents.pdf
  • Grant Number: 1819-02
  • Grant Award: $4,000.00