The 13th Annual McKenzie’s Run on Saturday, Nov. 19, will help create great futures for local young people like longtime Boys & Girls Club member Darius B., who credits his 12-year experience at McKenzie’s Beaches Boys & Girls Club with helping him become the man he is today.
Darius is a graduating senior at Fletcher High School with plans to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to study mechanical engineering.
He has attended the Beaches Boys & Girls Club since he was in first grade and praises club programs like Passport to Manhood for helping him navigate life’s challenges and make healthy, positive choices.
Passport to Manhood is an evidence-based youth development program that addresses critical issues faced by young men, ages 8 to 18, such as ethics, decision-making, wellness, ideas about fatherhood, employment and careers, cooperation and conflict, diversity, relationships and self-esteem.
As a result of his growing leadership role within the club, Darius earned the opportunity to serve as a junior staff member at McKenzie’s Beaches Boys & Girls Club over the summer, pouring into the next generation of leaders the same way staff have mentored him throughout his 12 years attending the club.
Darius and the 4,800 other kids and teens who attend 48 Boys & Girls Clubs across Northeast Florida depend on support from the community to continue receiving free after-school and summer programs to help them reach their full potential.
By running or walking at the 13th Annual McKenzie’s Run on Saturday, community members can help invest in the futures of these local young people. This year’s McKenzie’s Run is expected to be bigger and better than ever as Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida celebrates its 60th anniversary.
This popular, family-friendly 5K and 1-mile fun run is expected to draw more than 1,000 people to help create great futures for local kids and teens. Register to run or simply donate at McKenziesRun.org/register.
Runners and walkers will race through THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra. Both races are followed by an after-party with live music, food, face painting, culinary demonstrations, health screenings and more. All proceeds benefit the 48 local Boys & Girls Clubs across Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Alachua counties that serve more than 4,800 young people, ages 6-18, daily.
McKenzie’s Run is part of the Great Futures Weekend, which also includes the second annual Great Futures Golf Classic held on Friday, Nov. 18, at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
“Every day, our Boys & Girls Clubs provide hot meals, homework help, a safe environment and a sense of belonging for kids who need it most,” said Paul Martinez, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida. “The Great Futures Weekend is an exciting opportunity for the community to support our local kids and teens in a very simple way. We invite everyone to come out to play golf, walk or run with us during these events. You’ll have a blast and make a huge impact, helping thousands of young people reach their full potential.”
Since 2019, McKenzie’s Run has been hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, following the organization’s merge with The McKenzie Noelle Wilson Foundation’s Academic Resource Centers to create McKenzie’s Boys & Girls Clubs and, more recently, McKenzie’s Camp Deep Pond and McKenzie’s Beaches Boys & Girls Club.
McKenzie’s Run celebrates the life of McKenzie Noelle Wilson who filled the world with love and positivity. McKenzie’s family was inspired to carry on her legacy and established McKenzie’s Run in her honor.
Through its partnership with The McKenzie Noelle Wilson Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida continues McKenzie’s legacy of caring, giving and growing by providing local young people with a safe place to go after school and during the summer to receive academic tutoring, enrichment programs, mentorship, meals and snacks, and more at 48 locations throughout Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Alachua counties.
The 13th Annual McKenzie’s Run is made possible through the support of the following Champion Sponsors: The McKenzie Noelle Wilson Foundation, The Church of Eleven22 and THE PLAYERS.
