Ribbon cutting, reception at Boys and Girls Club on Wednesday

Submitted

The Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge has seen some major changes during the last few months. From the recent efforts to reinvigorate the football and cheerleading program to adding a dance classes to the after-school program, big things have been happening for the kids involved.

Effective Nov. 1, the umbrella corporation Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley, which oversees operations at the Oak Ridge unit and the brand new Roane County Unit located at Harriman Middle School, hired Dean Deatherage as CPO of the organization. Deatherage is a native of Knoxville, and his mother Carolyn Montgomery is a former assistant principal of Jefferson Middle School. He has been involved in the Boys and Girls Club movement for more than 10 years, most recently serving as executive director for the Loudon County Club.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the citizens of Oak Ridge and Roane County and look forward to building on the foundation laid by Lawrence Hahn at the Oak Ridge Unit,” Deatherage said in a press release. “This is a dream job for me, and I plan on being with the Clinch Valley until I retire.”

The Oak Ridge Club had a major facelift over the Christmas holiday, thanks to the Oak Ridge Boys Club Alumni Association. The gymnasium was renovated from floor to ceiling including new goals, bleachers, and a new floor. Basketball games are now played five nights a week for ages five through 13.

“The new gym will give us the opportunity to develop new programs for the youth of Oak Ridge,” said Aaron Wells, Oak Ridge Unit board president. “A volleyball league is being organized for girls ages seven and up in the city now that the facilities allow it. This is an awesome time to be involved in shaping our town’s future.”

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the club will host a ribbon cutting for the new gym along with a welcome reception for Deatherage from 5–7 p.m.. All members of the community are encouraged to attend. Basketball games will start at 6 p.m. that night, while the reception takes place in the program area. The Oak Ridge Club is located at 102 S. Jefferson Circle. For more information, contact Adam Wilson at (865) 482-4433 or Wells at (865) 898-7471.