A STORY OF SERVING OTHERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY 

Talk with Jim and Jan Gailey for less than two minutes, and you realize they have spent their lives serving others. Officially, they represent a fraternal organization called Modern Woodmen of America, but the connection with, and love for, children is personal. 

Jim and Jan have supported the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Carolina through their work with the Modern Woodmen of America. When asked a simple “why,” they gave a simple response: “We wanted to give to an organization we trust and we know the Boys and Girls Clubs are doing great work.” 

Of course, they are right. It is that simple. But their true “why” runs much deeper. 

Jan explains what life was like for her as a young girl growing up in Greensboro. At that time, the Boys and Girls Club was in partnership with the Salvation Army, where Jan’s family attended church. The Club became a hub of life for Jan’s family, creating a close-knit community that Jan is visibly moved to think about several decades later. 

Jan remembers one occasion when she helped her mother make turkeys and hams all night to help provide a Christmas meal for the Club families. Perhaps it was this experience, or many others like it, that provided a fundamental principle for Jan’s life: Serve others. 

Jan smiles as she recalls the friendships built through the Club, some of which have become lifelong friendships. As we meet, kids are happily engaging in activities in the background. She and Jim both smile as the noise level reaches full-blown joy. It is clear that these are two people who care deeply about the Club and the young lives it impacts. 

We are thankful for Jim, Jan and the multitude of investors who have made it possible for decades of children to have the experience provided by the Boys and Girls Clubs. It is an experience that changes lives and impacts families, even decades after a child’s last day at the Club!