Club Highlights

April 13 2026

A Place to Belong: Malachi’s Journey at Boys & Girls Clubs

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To the kids we serve, the Club can be many things — a fun place, a safe space, a place to get a hot meal.

Behind our blue doors, youth and teens find mentors who champion their potential, programs that spark their dreams for the future, and — above all — hope.

That is exactly what Malachi, 12, has found at the West Orange Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida when he joined four years ago — and what he looks forward to continuing at his new Club in Winter Garden, the June Family Branch.

Once shy and unsure, Malachi is now a confident young man who holds his own on the basketball court — even in friendly pick-up games against high school students.

More importantly, he has found his voice. With the support of caring mentors, like Service Director Shamel Akins, he has learned how to navigate challenges, ask for help, and believe in himself.

We sat down with Malachi to learn more about his journey at the Club — and what it means to him.

Can you share a memorable story from playing basketball at the Club?
There was a time when Coach Shamel took us to the gym to play against high school students. We won three games in a row!

So you must be very good at basketball! Did you know your new Club will have a basketball court?
Yes, I’m excited about that.

What is your favorite thing to do at the Club?
Play basketball, meet new people, and play with my friends.

What is something the Club has helped you with?
It’s helped me with my math and STEM activities. It’s helped me a lot with my education and also helped me open up more. When I’m stuck on math homework, they help me write down the basics and figure it out. One time we worked through it together because I was too scared to ask at first.

What are you MOST excited about when your new Club opens?
Meeting new people, meeting the staff, and having a fun time doing activities with them.

When you think about being at the Club, what emotions come to mind?
Happiness. They cheer you up and make you feel good. It also makes you curious — like when big boxes come in and you get to open them. Last summer, they surprised us with a PS5 and let us play it as a reward for good behavior.

Is there anything else you want to share about your Club?
They’re really good at teaching you and helping you through situations. They help you move on, cheer you up, and make you happy.

What are some ways the mentors at the Club show up for you?
Coach Shamel lets you be yourself. If he sees you not being yourself, he’ll come over and help you figure out what’s going on and give you advice on how to handle it. Sometimes it’s just about having fun — that can help when you’re not feeling like yourself. They really put the “fun” in fun again, especially over the summer.

If you come in early, they’ll put movies on the TV and give you cereal and milk in case you didn’t eat. They even give you different cereal options.

Malachi’s story is one of many that reflect the life-changing impact of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

It is also a powerful reminder of why expanding access matters.

The new June Family Branch will ensure that more kids like Malachi have a place to go, mentors who show up, and opportunities to discover their full potential.

If you are inspired by Malachi’s journey and want to help create more stories like his, we invite you to be part of what comes next. Visit our Winter Garden landing page to learn more about supporting this transformational project through our capital campaign, including naming opportunities that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Support Great Futures in Winter Garden

April 13 2026

A Full-Circle Story: How a Former Club Kid Is Now Leading the Next Generation in Winter Garden

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This fall, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida will open the blue doors of our newest Club, the June Family Branch. Located in Winter Garden, this Club will serve as a safe haven for youth and teens ages 6–18, offering high-quality, out-of-school programming led by caring mentors who show up every day to make a difference.

One of those mentors is Service Director Shamel Akins.

Those who have met Shamel know his heart beats for the Boys & Girls Club mission and for the youth he serves. A former Club kid himself, he understands firsthand the transformational power of having a safe place, a supportive community, and someone who believes in you. As we prepare to open this new Club and expand our impact in Winter Garden, Shamel took pen to paper to share his story — and why this work matters so deeply.

“My name is Shamel Akins, and I am the Service Director for the West Orange Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

But before any title, before any role, before any responsibility, I was a little boy who was just trying to survive.

I first walked through the doors of a Boys & Girls Club when I was six years old at the West Boulevard Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. From age six to 18, the Club was my safe place for more than 4,300 days of walking through those doors. Some days, I walked in hungry. Some days, I walked in tired. Some days, I walked in confused, carrying more than a child should ever have to carry. But I walked in every day with hope.

For me, the Club wasn’t just an after-school program. It was the reason I made it home at night. The streets don’t give kids time to grow up. They don’t offer grace. They don’t wait for you to be ready. Gangs, drugs, and violence pull you in when you are at your weakest — when you’re searching for belonging, protection, or just someone who sees you. And I was vulnerable. One night without somewhere safe to go could have ended my story forever.

That is when Mr. Cedric, the director of the West Boulevard Club, stepped in. He showed up consistently, cared deeply, and reminded me every day that my life mattered. Simply put: he saved my life.

When I turned 18, I returned to the very Boys & Girls Club I grew up in to become a youth assistant, eventually working my way up to director of my neighborhood Club. My passion for serving youth grew as I gained experience working in different capacities, which eventually led me to move to Orlando, Florida, to make an even bigger impact. I worked with Harbor House of Central Florida, the Coalition for the Homeless, and as a teen director at our Levy-Hughes Clubhouse. It was there that I had the privilege of mentoring an incredible, focused young man, Raymond, who eventually earned the title of Youth of the Year — the highest honor a Club member can achieve — and is now attending Duke University on a full scholarship. He is my “why.” From a kid walking through the Club doors to now attending Duke University to pursue his dreams, Raymond embodies the possibilities we strive to create for every child. [Learn more about Raymond’s story here>>]

These experiences prepared me for my current role, where I oversee the West Orange Branch, which will soon become a new Club in Winter Garden, where I continue to make an impact on the lives of children and teens every day.

The Club didn’t just give me something to do. It gave me somewhere to go. It gave me someone who believed in me. And it gave me a reason to believe in myself. It showed me that a different life was possible before the streets could show me a different ending.

It’s why I show up every day, just the way my mentor showed up for me and changed my path.”

Shamel’s journey — from Club member to mentor and leader — reflects the very heart of our mission. It is why we do this work, and why we are committed to expanding access to safe, supportive spaces for the more than 15,500 youth we serve each year.

The need in Winter Garden is real, and the June Family Branch will help meet that need in a powerful way. Under Shamel’s leadership, this Club will not only serve as a place for kids to go after school — it will be a place where futures are shaped, confidence is built, and lives are changed.

We are proud to have passionate, service-driven leaders like Shamel guiding this work, and we are excited for the impact the June Family Branch will have on youth and families across the community.

If you are inspired by stories like Shamel’s and want to be part of creating more of them, we invite you to get involved. Visit our Winter Garden landing page to learn more about supporting this transformational project through our capital campaign, including naming opportunities that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

April 17 2025

Joe R Lee Branch in Eatonville Celebrates New Kid-Designed Playground Thanks to Partnership with DaVita and KABOOM!

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A Playground with Purpose

On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the energy at our Joe R Lee Branch in Eatonville was electric as volunteers, community leaders, and youth came together to unveil something truly special—a brand-new, kid-designed and community-built playground, made possible by the passionate efforts of our partners at DaVita and KABOOM!.

From the earliest drawings in December to the final bolt turned, this project has been a labor of love, led by the children who inspired its design and powered by the hundreds of volunteers who brought it to life.

Over 200 volunteers —150 of them DaVita teammates from around the country — arrived early in the morning, fueled by a shared belief that every child deserves a joyful place to play. By 2:00 p.m., their collective efforts had transformed an empty lot into a vibrant playspace built with purpose, pride, and partnership.

The empty lot behind Joe R Lee Branch before over 200 volunteers worked tirelessly to build a playground for Club members.

“You came together from everywhere. That is the the most marvelous piece of this project,” shared Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner. “On behalf of this town, these children, and their familie, I want to thank you for finding that this was worthy enough for you to give your time that you didn’t have to give to come out and support Boys & Girls Clubs [of Central Florida] to get this done in such an amazing period of time.”

Volunteers mix concrete together.

A Playground with Purpose

This playground is more than just swings and slides. It’s a symbol of what’s possible when communities unite to prioritize play equity—the belief that every child, regardless of background, should have access to safe, engaging places to play.

Research shows that play is essential to a child’s social, emotional, and academic development. Yet far too many children lack access to these basic opportunities. This partnership between BGCCF, DaVita, and KABOOM! is part of a movement to close that gap.

The Joe R. Lee Branch plays a critical role in the lives of nearly 400 children annually. Now, thanks to this initiative, those children have a state-of-the-art playspace where they can dream bigger, grow stronger, and thrive together.

Building Toward a Brighter Future

This project is part of KABOOM!’s 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, and it also marked the launch of DaVita’s new ‘Recess’ program—both aiming to create systemic change by investing in local communities and kids’ well-being. The build also coincided with DaVita’s 25th anniversary, making the event all the more meaningful.

Jamie Merrill, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, with Joe R Lee Branch Club members.

As kids ran onto the new playground for the first time, faces lit up with joy and amazement. I was clear: this space is theirs. Designed by them, built for them, and rooted in a community that believes in their future.

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, we believe that Great Futures Start Here. And now, for the kids we serve in Eatonville, they start on a brand-new playground that stands as a testament to collaboration, compassion, and the power of play.