Join The Club

Shane Meleifea, Desiree Gomes, David Nakada, Alana Castillo, Sineo Heam, Tim Motts, Ernesto Yoro and Jalen Jovero are all in at the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii as Motts takes the helm

Wednesday - October 19, 2011
By Chad Pata
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has seen its fair share of belt-tightening in recent years, and when looking at how they can expand they prefer to always take the long view.

“There is not a part of the state that doesn’t need a positive place for kids to go, the challenge is the resources behind doing it,” says Motts. “At BGCH we have very high standards, making sure that every kid who comes through that door has not only a safe environment but really nurturing them through education and a healthy program. In order to do that at the scale we do, it takes a significant amount of resources. We never want to come into a community, provide a great service and then leave.”

One way they are looking at saving money is through a partnership with local high schools. Many schools have public service programs they offer for credits, and Nakada envisions having teens volunteering with BGCH to help ease the workloads at the clubs in those teens’ communities.

Not only would this help with budget woes, but by having kids connecting with kids in their community, it will improve the impact the BGCH can have in these children’s lives.

Making a difference in kids’ lives and watching the fruits of his labors blossom will be the biggest loss for Nakada as he moves on from BGCH after his 35-year run.

“The thing I am going to miss is the relationships you have with people,” says Nakada. “The kids when I started out are now in their 40s it’s those relationships that don’t go away, and they won’t, but they won’t be as readily accessible as they were when I was part of the organization.”

Nakada is sad to be leaving the organization, but he sees a lot in Motts that he saw in kids coming up through the program and has supreme confidence that they have the right man to fill his shoes.

“Motts is going to bring a different plate to the table,” says Nakada, a Kaimuki High graduate. “What he is presenting to the kids is to challenge them more, both intellectually and physically, and that is going to help them, whereas back in the day we just wanted to get them off the street and away from the gangs and drugs. There is a lot more going on with kids these days, and his new approach is going to be a lot more vibrant.”

As for Motts, he is looking forward to the challenge and feels blessed to have the chance to raise his two young boys here in the Islands.

“It was so exciting to be able to do the work I love and to live in the community that I am working in,” says Motts, who has in-laws all over the Leeward side.

“I have worked for several nonprofits, and what I like about BGC is the depth with which we reach our children,” says Motts, who has two boys, Jaxson, 17 months, and Gavin, 5 months. “We aren’t serving just only as a friend, as a confidant, as a lifeline, but as the positive influence in their life, not just for the fourth or eighth grade but literally through all their formative years. We get to watch that child grow into a contributing young adult.”

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