When Dawn McWilliams became the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka 13 years ago, she was thrilled. “I was a reserve officer for the Topeka Police Department, and I connected with some amazing families and young people,” she says. “I wanted to get more involved in helping them be successful.”
The Clubs provide everything from before-and-after-school care, sports, and healthy meals to literacy programs, back-to-school supplies, and mental, social, and academic support. Of course, all of these much-needed programs take funding.
“Thanks to incredible donors, we're going to completely overhaul our playground,” says Dawn. “Bruce and Theresa McPherson have both championed the transformation of the outdoor play area at our main Clubhouse [which has been in use since 1977], located at 550 SE Adams St. into an Adventure Oasis. It’s specifically designed for children aged 5 to 11 to foster creativity, imagination, and resilience while developing fine and gross motor skills. The design will promote health and wellness, encourage family engagement, and, most importantly, ensure plenty of fun in a safe environment.”
Its Rise & Shine Breakfast is being held to assist in raising additional funds for this and other projects, while also making the community more aware of what the Clubs offers young people.
“Typically our fundraising initiatives have been held at rented halls or centers, which is lovely, but this one’s going to be held at the Club, which I have dreamt about,” Dawn says.
The guest of honor and speaker will be T. C. Broadnax, who joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka at age 6 and stayed until he aged out at 18. “My parents wanted me to have a safe, nurturing and supportive environment to go to after school,” he says. “It was like my second home.”
He especially loved playing basketball there, and later played for Topeka High School. In 1987, he was named one of the five best players in the city and the state. “The people and the coaches who worked at Boys & Girls Clubs would always tell us that we were going to be successful. I wanted to live up to that belief.”
T.C. has surely done that. Over the years, he’s had a very successful career in government and has served on many executive boards.
Although he moved out of state years ago, he always managed to stay involved with Boys & Girls Clubs. “I wanted to do something to give back to young people, so I've always found a way to make sure I stayed connected and to do my part, particularly in leadership roles.”
When asked to be the guest speaker, he says he was humbled and flattered. “I’m excited to come and inspire people to support Topeka Boys & Girls Clubs,” he says.
Today, T.C. lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife Andrea, whom he first met while walking from school to the Club. “I was probably about 9 or 10, and I told her one day we were going to get married.”
They later dated throughout high school. Although they went their separate ways for a while, they married seven years ago and now have a blended family with two 14-year-old sons and a 16-year-old daughter.
The Rise & Shine Breakfast will be held on November 1, 2024, with a VIP Social at 7:00 am and breakfast from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. City dignitaries will be there to meet T.C. and other business leaders and to interact with young members.
For more information and tickets, go to BGCTopeka.org/S/RiseandShine.
The breakfast menu includes:
- Rosen’s Gourmet Bagels (based out of Austin, TX) will be providing an assortment of bagels and artisanal schmears
- Assorted Fruit
- Bacon
- Yogurt
- Orange and Apple Juice
- World Cup Coffee