Like a favorite uncle, Gerald Lyon draws kids toward fun and growth
Building a better future for kids one day at a time is the preferred method of choice for Bloomer Club Director Gerald Lyon as he mentors youth from ages 6 to 18. He likes that the Club gives them space to "just be kids."
"Kids come here for the other things that they don't get in school," Gerald said. "They have fun. They do activities that raise their heartbeat. We want kids to be glad they are here."
Part of the fun comes from multi-faceted programming. Whether it stems from Club programs or community efforts, Gerald is always looking for another angle to enhance the experience and reinforce a lesson. In fact, it was the emphasis on excellent programming that brought him to Detroit.
An alumnus of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Lyon's first job with a Club was in his hometown. He came to Michigan in 1975 at the urging of Joe Kozo, then executive director of the Boys Clubs of Metropolitan Detroit (and later Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Detroit). At that time, the organization consisted of six Clubs.
Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social work and youth agency administration from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., Gerald was eager to apply his knowledge.
Gerald recalls the excitement of coming to Detroit, "The Clubs had a reputation of having the best programming in the nation, due largely to Kozo, Ray Jurczyk and a supportive team of innovative youth leaders. Detroit was the place to be for youth development."
He started at the Holden Club in Detroit as a physical education instructor then went to the Diehl Club as a program coordinator. In the summer of 1976, he worked on the mobile Boys & Girls Club called "The Going Thing," a 22-foot truck with a pool table and games area that was set up in various Detroit neighborhoods. He then served as a program coordinator at the Bloomer Club. In 1985, with seven Clubs and Camp Drusilla Farwell, the Clubs were renamed Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (B&GCSM).
Gerald has served as director of three Clubs at various times: the Sarver Club in Redford, the Guest Club in Dearborn, and the Bloomer Club (since 2000).
The Bloomer Club is the largest and oldest facility within B&GCSM. It is situated in the Chadsey/Conner section, located between the Ambassador Bridge and the western edge of downtown Detroit. Despite its age, it's a Club that kids fondly call their second home. "It gives them a place to be somebody," Gerald said.
Gerald has worked for the Clubs for 38 years and plans to give at least seven more years of service in what he calls his "life's work." During his tenure at the Clubs, he has come to love Detroit. He likes to shares nuggets of information and intrigue about the city's culture and history. He even takes kids on tours - by bus, foot, car or boat. He also likes to make sure kids are physically active, encouraging them to walk a mile at the Club in warmer weather.
Newer programs at Bloomer Club include teaching kids financial literacy through "Money Matters" and raising awareness of obesity and how to counteract it. The kids also get involved in international events. When the earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, the Keystone Club (a club within a Club for kids ages 14 to 18) raised funds and awareness by staging an overnight shelter inside the Club. They camped overnight at the Club, had beans and rice for dinner, and raised $200 by seeking donations in a neighborhood that itself has little to give. Gerald likes to teach kids by having them act things out rather than just talk about it. It's the experience that they will remember.
Aside from being Club Director, he's a jack-of-all-trades. As a licensed builder who constructed his own home for himself and his wife, he led the kids in a compassionate rebuilding project. In summer 2009, they rebuilt the stairs and floor of a dilapidated deck of a senior's home down the street from the Club. "We got involved following a call from Bridging Communities," Gerald noted. "That's a community group that links seniors with kids to complete special projects."
The Clubs provide kids with formative activities and a strong sense of community that helps bolster their confidence so they can pursue their dreams. One such program is "Career Launch," which includes an online program of career exploration paired with mentoring.
While Gerald doesn't believe that college is for everyone, he encourages kids to choose a career or job that matches their interests. "Never mess up another guy's dream," he states. "If someone wants to play pro sports, he (or she) should pursue it," he said. "But kids need to be prepared to make a living if their dream career doesn't work out.
"I like that I can make an impact on kids over a six- to seven-year period as they grow up in the Club," Gerald said. "A teacher is also influential but typically only has a child for one school year. Our youth development services span a longer time and we have great capacity to positively influence and guide Club members. Sometimes, we don't even know which ones we are impacting the most."
One example he cites is a young man who was a member of the Bloomer Club up until his mid-teens when his family moved from Detroit to Novi. At times, Gerald found this young man to be a challenge. He was smart and used his intelligence to embarrass other kids at times. "I would intervene and we had some heavy-duty discussions about his behavior. Of all the kids who were members, I thought he never really liked me or appreciated what I was doing for him."
Yet, a few years later, Gerald got an invitation to come to this boy's high school graduation. The boy ended up going to a Big Ten school. "He told me later that I had been a big influence on his life. I was amazed."
Another alumnus called Gerald to say, "I'm teaching the adults at my workplace things that I learned at the Club when I was 14 and 15."
"There's something going on here (at the Clubs) that kids take to heart," Gerald said. "Like how to shake a hand when you meet someone; how to apologize when you've hurt someone. I've told these kids that when you start saying things to your kids that you've learned from staff at the Club, I want you to call me right away and let me know. That is when we know we have succeeded."
There is often no greater satisfaction when working with youth.
