Tim McCord received the Champion of Youth Award at the Boys & Girls Club of Western Benton County's fifth annual Bill Foreman Hall of Fame Banquet on Nov. 18.
McCord, who is the market president at Generations Bank, received the award for his work with the club. He said he felt honored to be in the company of such men as Bill Foreman and Chet Hobart.
The event was hosted by Arkansas Youth of the Year, Matthew Avery, and featured a performance by Elviana Reynoso, a club member who will perform next year at the Boys & Girls Club National Conference in Orlando, Fla.
State Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-District 87), members of the current Boys & Girls Club board of directors and employees, and area professionals were in attendance.
According to Chris Shimer, the chief professional officer of the club, McCord was an easy choice for the nomination. The hard part was choosing from all of the good nominees for the award, he said.
"What gets a little tough is that we have a number of people and you have to choose one," he said.
McCord understands the importance of the impact the Boys & Girls Club can have on children. While sports is a big part of the club, another big part is the personal development kids can receive while there and that can make a difference for the whole community, he said.
"It's not just about a ball," McCord said.
McCord credits having school-age children as one of the reasons he became involved with the club.
"You just realize the need after you've observed your own personal experience...and you can see the need and how there is a tremendous void for a lot of kids," McCord said.
McCord began his work with the club when he joined its board of directors in 2002, according to Shimer. McCord also helped start the sports program, volunteered as a coach and helped the club find a permanent home.
"At the time we were going through a constant challenge of a growing organization with not enough space and so we went through a couple of different locations," McCord said.
With his assistance, the club had purchased an old church on Harvard Street, which the club used for many years. When it outgrew the church, McCord helped the club find its current home.
The most important part of serving an organization that helps kids is just being there, according to McCord.
"The kids are always going to need you... Just be aware of the needs out there and just because maybe your kids are grown and you don't see a need doesn't mean it's not there," he said.
Although McCord is no longer on the board of the club, he does serve on the board of other organizations such as the Siloam Springs Public Schools Foundation, the Roy Chesney Fund, the Siloam Springs Regional Hospital Board and Choices Pregnancy Center.
General News on 11/20/2019