PR for People Monthly JANUARY 2016 | Page 34

Cheers isn’t the only destination in Boston where everybody knows your name. Just a short ride from the city by a scenic pond, the Arlington Boys and Girls Club serves infants through seniors. Staff like Kevin Flood reflect the club’s community spirit. Raised in Arlington, a public school graduate, and an alum of the state’s premiere public university, Kevin grew up going to the club. Kevin’s advice on fitness: “Get to know the people at the club that you may share the pool or fitness room with.  Get to know the staff. Make the club a place where you can go and feel appreciated and feel a part of a great community within the club.” 

Programs are offered to children from birth to the oldest member who's over 100 years old! Kevin shared that the club offer classes in aquatics, sports & fitness, and Arts & Sciences: “Offering a wide range of programming helps each child become a well-rounded member of not just the club, but of the community too.” Academics, civil servants, members of the military from a nearby base, and families from all over the world find fitness and community: “Being a part of a child's life is a feeling that should never be taken for granted.  In many ways we are an extension of the parents/caregivers. Many parents are working and are not home after school to see their child.  It is hard work, but it is a rewarding part of my job that brings a lot of joy and satisfaction to my co-workers and me here at the club.”

Kevin encourages people to support their Boys and Girls Clubs: “When we accomplish our mission, we provide children with memories that they will carry with them for years to come, and perhaps they will be inspired to give back and become a part of something bigger than themselves.”

Alison Harris is a communications professional in Boston and served in Governor Patrick’s administration, held three rising PR positions at Harvard, wrote for the Boston Herald, and worked for Liz Claiborne and Tommy Hilfiger.

From Boston:

Arlington Boys & Girls Club’s Kevin Flood

It's easier to stay fit when everybody knows your name!

By Alison Harris

Kevin Flood, Assistant Director, Arlington Boys & Girls Club