CLEVELAND, MARCH 13th – Lane Kiffin, newly-named head football coach at University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will pay a visit to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland on Monday, April 20, 2009.
Kiffin was named head coach on December 1st of last year by UTK Athletic Director Mike Hamilton. On Monday, April 20th, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland will host a Breakfast Fundraiser with Coach Kiffin as its keynote speaker. Following the breakfast, Coach Kiffin will spend some one-on-one time with local club members and fans.
“Over the past few weeks, we have been on the road meeting with prospective coaches and talking to some of football's most influential and knowledgeable players and coaches about the future of the Tennessee football program," said UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton when naming Kiffin. "We have had unbelievable interest from great coaches. When it was all said and done, we felt like Lane Kiffin is a perfect fit for Tennessee. He's energetic, charismatic, consumed with recruiting and has had a lifelong love affair with football."
The breakfast will be held in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland newly renovated Gymnasium set to begin at 8:30 AM. Garry Rodgers, current board president of the organization commented that, “We are very excited that Lane Kiffin has both accepted the Head Football Coach Position and decided to come to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland to personally share about the future of the UTK FOOTBALL Program.” He also added that, “We are very fortunate to be friends with people like Brenda Lawson and Sandra Rowland, of Lawson & Associates who deeply care about our community and were instrumental in getting Coach Kiffin to come to the Boys & Girls Club.”

Tickets for the breakfast are a $50.00 donation per person and may be obtained by calling 559-8299 and asking for Beth Kinsey. You also can mail your request with a check to Beth Kinsey, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, 385 3rd St SW, Cleveland, TN 37311.

Following the breakfast, Coach Kiffin will be meeting with fans, signing autographs, talking with children and taking part in photo sessions. “It was not difficult to get Coach Kiffin to Cleveland,” said Lawson & Rowland. “He has a special place in his heart for what the Boys & Girls Clubs mean to our youth and he never hesitated when we posed the invitation.”

Members who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland participate in a five core program including: Career and Education, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, Sports, Fitness, and Recreation, and the Arts. Success is measured by the organization by a simple equation: Academic Success + Healthy Lifestyle + Character Development = Members becoming productive, caring and responsible citizens. The organization simply believes that “What gets measured gets done,” said Derrick Kinsey, Operations Director.

The week of March 30 – April 3, 2009 the seven unit organization will celebrate National Boys and Girls Club Week. This entire week is designed to share with the community “Why the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland is the Positive Place for Kids,” said Charles Sutton, Executive Director. Special events will be held each day beginning with a Health Rocks Fair, Parent Picnic, Ice Cream Social, Cleveland Has Talent Show, and an American Gladiator Day. All events will take place Monday – Friday, 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM during the daily afterschool program.

If you are interested in the clubs after-school program please call to set up an appointment to Take the Tour or stop in to visit the club at 385 3rd St., SW to register your child. For more information on the clubs programs, please contact Derrick Kinsey at 472-6826 or visit the clubs website at www.boysandgirlsclubs.info.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland is a United Way agency and would like to remind the community that it is because of their faithful giving to the United Way Campaign that the club is able to provide the community with a quality youth development program at six different...