Frankie Bordeaux Talks About His Connection with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America

A true mentor of young people, Frankie Bordeaux has held many positions over the years that have allowed him to shape the lives of America’s youth. After working with the Boys and Girls Club for twenty-five years, Frankie Bordeaux made many connections in his community that he still maintains to this day. In fact, making a positive impact on disadvantaged youth throughout North Carolina is among Frankie Bordeaux’s proudest accomplishments in life.

Q: What is the history of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America?

Frankie Bordeaux: The organization was started in 1860 by three women in Connecticut who wanted to make a difference in the lives of young boys in their neighborhood.

Q: What are the main goals of the organization?

Frankie Bordeaux:  What the Boys and Girls Club really aims to do is build character. By building strong character, kids will be better prepared for the challenges they will face in life.

Q: How else does the program help children?

Frankie Bordeaux: The Boys and Girls Club makes an effort to be involved in every facet of children’s lives, whether it’s building them up physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.

Q: What age groups typically participate in the Boys and Girls Club?

Frankie Bordeaux:  Ages 6 to 18 years old.

Q: Are parents welcome at the Boys and Girls Club?

Frankie Bordeaux: Absolutely. We made a huge effort to get parents involved and to keep them involved as much as possible. A strong and positive parental influence in a child’s life is a great jump start for future success.

Q: Where are most of the facilities located?

Frankie Bordeaux: The Boys and Girls Club organization is in hundreds of schools and U.S. military bases.  In addition, there are several hundreds of standalone centers.

Q: On a slightly different note, what is your affiliation with Elizabeth City State University?

Frankie Bordeaux: I’m a proud alumnus of Elizabeth City State University. I graduated from ECSU in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education.

Q: Where is Elizabeth City located?

Frankie Bordeaux: It’s a small town located in northeastern North Carolina along the banks of the Pasquotank River.

Q: How does your lifelong involvement in the Boys and Girls Club tie in with ECSU?

Frankie Bordeaux: I was a part of helping to raise $1 million over the course of three years for the Boys and Girls club in conjunction with ECSU.

Q: How did you get into a position to be involved with that effort?

Frankie Bordeaux: I was honored to be able to volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club for twenty-five years, and served as Executive Director for part of that time. I also was on the Board of the College at ECSU, so tying two of my great passions together just made sense.

Frankie Bordeaux is a Past Executive Director of the Nash and Edgecombe Counties Boys and Girls Club. Frankie Bordeaux is proud of the positive influence he has made in children’s lives throughout North Carolina.