I’ve had the privilege of authoring some big books. A 386-page, inaugural Budget Book and District Guide for San Diego Unified School District. The small but mighty Fast Facts 101 … Tiny Tidbits of Tantalizing Truths about the City of Carlsbad. Memoirs that recount the fascinating lives of local celebs.
No book has been more significant, challenging or gratifying to write than my recently published coffee table tome, Over 75,000 Served … A Chronicle of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad.
When longtime Club kid, then employee and current major benefactor Greg Nelson commissioned me to chronicle the organization’s 62-year history, I leapt up joyfully, exclaiming, “I’d love to! I owe an insurmountable debt of gratitude to the Club for the support, security and guidance it provided to my son in his elementary school days – all for a mere $8/month.”
When I came down to earth, I was, frankly, overwhelmed by the challenge. Since most of the documentation had disappeared over the years, I set out to painstakingly research what facts I could unearth and to interview 50 past Club leaders and members, including Member #1.
Would I be able to do justice to the story, to the people who beneficially impacted and were impacted by the Club, and to the organization? Yes, I promised myself that initial day. Yes, I reminded myself over the next year as I crafted the story; interview by interview, fact by fact, word by word.
I became immersed in the project. And inspired by the people who did so much for Carlsbad children and the community, from the Club’s inception in 1952 through today. Over and over, past members shared with me how Club staff changed their direction in life. Business leaders said it had been worthwhile to support the Club, because, as each of them emphasized, “It’s all about the kids.”
One longtime board member told me, “No child has ever been turned away because of inability to pay. The day that happens is the day I leave.”
That day will never come. Chronicle proceeds will help ensure that the organization – and the boys and girls it supports – will continue to thrive. Long live the Club! www.bgccarlsbad.org
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