Writen By: Keenan J. Carey
Keenan J. Carey
Carey & Guarrera Real Estate
keenancareyre.com
Growing up, “The Club” was much more than just a place where I spent time after school while my mother was at work, it was a second home that taught me invaluable life lessons before I even knew what life lessons were. I remember walking through those doors with a mix of emotions. I was excited, hyperactive, and sometimes nervous, naïve to how profoundly the Boys & Girls Club would shape my life.
Today, as a proud member of the Board of Directors at Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, I am constantly reminded of how such an incredible organization continues to empower young people just as it empowered me.
One of the defining moments of my time at the Boys & Girls Club outside of mastering the art of “Bumper-Pool”, overly competing in dodgeball, and running around like a frantic adolescent was being named Boy of the Year for the 6 and 7 year old group way back when. Winning Boy of the Year at that age may seem meaningless to some but looking back, it was a significant award for my family and I. It instilled a sense of pride, accomplishment, and showed me that even as a child, I had the power to achieve and inspire.
After aging out at the clubs programs, my journey didn’t end. I chose to volunteer for a couple of years working alongside the staff who had once mentored me. Those volunteer hours taught me the value of service and the impact leading by example had on kids that weren’t much younger than myself at that point in time. That experience also led to a summer job throughout high school where I had the privilege of helping the next generation of “Club Kids”. It was a job that I enjoyed going to– I enjoyed mentoring the kids and at times, acting as one myself.
Fast forward to today, and I am honored to serve on the Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors. It has been nothing short of a full circle moment. As a board member, one of my personal goals is to ensure that every kids who walks through those doors has access to the same support and opportunities that I experienced.
My family’s connection to the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley runs deep. My grandfather, who I continue to work with daily at our real estate brokerage, was also heavily involved with the Club. He served as Board President as well as being the 2008 honoree of Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley’s most prestigious award, the Raymond P. Lavietes Service To Youth Award. This honor recognized his tireless, unselfish dedication to helping people form all walks of life. HIs example has been a guiding light in my journey and I strive to uphold the values he instilled in me.
Reflecting on my journey, I realize how much the Boys & Girls Club shaped the person I am today. It taught me resilience, leadership, and the importance of giving back and I am happy to share my story not to highlight what I have achieved but to show what a great impact the Club has on the lives of the children that attend.
The Boys & Girls Club is more than an organization, it is a family that I am forever grateful to be a part of.