On behalf of our team, our Board of Directors, and all who have called Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Baltimore their own, it is with deep sadness that I share the passing of our colleague, friend, and mentor, Siron “Coach Ron” Avery. Coach Ron passed away unexpectedly on Friday, January 14, 2022.
Ron was a member of the BGCMB team since 2016, a daily presence at our Webster Kendrick and O’Donnell Heights Clubhouses. To our members, our team, and the community, Coach Ron embodied the best of the Boys & Girls Club movement. As many witnessed first-hand, I’ll always remember Coach reciting the mission statement of Boys & Girls Clubs each day with members – it was his subtle way of reminding young people that each of them is valued and that they are part of something special.
“Coach” Ron was an especially fitting title. During his time at Boys & Girls Clubs, Ron devoted his life to serving others and found his purpose in expanding opportunities for our young members to participate in sports – especially flag football and basketball.
Ron will be deeply missed. I invite you to read his poetry, which he began writing as a means of processing world events, through which he modeled healthy coping methods for the young people he mentored. You can read those poems here – just a small glimpse of Ron’s legacy.
We intend to honor Coach Ron’s legacy in the coming weeks and invite all of our friends and supporters to join us. We look forward to sharing those plans soon.
Finally, a personal note. From my first days leading this organization, Coach Ron and I shared many conversations, and I will forever cherish those moments. Coach would often share a text or email after we talked, imparting one last piece of wisdom, or thought for me to consider. In 2020, on the heels of the pandemic Coach emailed me sharing his excitement to continue serving kids. He offered, “It makes my heart sing when I see the kids waiting and they say ‘hey coach what we doing today, what you going to teach us today’.”
Just before Christmas, he shared a brief but meaningful reminder of the connection we all share when he sent a note that read “thank you for your ear, I always appreciate our conversations.”
No, Coach – thank you…for everything.
Jeff
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