The new Lift Zone at the Liberty County Boys and Girls Club unit doesn’t have anything to do with weights.
But it may add some muscle to their development.
Comcast has opened its newest Lift Zone at the Boys and Girls Club, and Lift Zones provide free high-speed internet to the community.
“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Comcast for their incredible support and dedication to our community,” said Mark Lindsay, CEO of the Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club, the parent club of the Hinesville unit. “This initiative has truly opened new opportunities for this club and its young people, by providing them with high-speed internet access and digital resources.”
The local Boys and Girls Club is housed on the campus of the former Jordye Bacon Primary School. While the club was gifted with a facility that had classrooms, an auditorium and a gym, it didn’t have internet where the kids were meeting and getting checked in.
“It’s not just about connectivity,” Lindsay said. “It’s about creating pathways for learning, growth and a bright future for our students. We’re here to bridge the digital divide and empower our youth to do great things. With this gift, we are future driven.”
The Boys and Girls Club Lift Zone is the fourth one for Comcast in the Savannah area and the 20th in Georgia, said Amy Wright, Comcast director of community impact.
“We’re giving students, families and veterans a place to grow and pursue their dreams,” she said. “Together we’re going to open doors and create a brighter future.”
Comcast and the Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club have had a long-standing partnership.
“We’re so proud to be partners with this club and this network of clubs,” said Melinda Little, Comcast vice president of government affairs and community investment. “The work you do is so impactful. Digital equity is such an important issue. Having a safe place to come and do homework and have internet access and also for other people who are not children. Digital equity is important to our company.”
The public also will have access to the Lift Zone WiFi, Wright said. There is also more to Lift Zone than free WiFi, she said.
“There are free resources online. There are free training programs the kids can go through,” Wright added. “They can look for a job, they can work on their resume’.”
Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Al Hagan said people would be surprised to know the number of families who do not have internet at home.
“I thank you for bringing this to Liberty County,” he said.
The Liberty County club, which also is preparing for its annual gala this weekend, continues to grow, Lindsay said. The chapter had 135 members last year, and it is anticipated that number will double. A summer camp of four weeks that had 40 kids is looking at expanding to eight weeks in the future.
“We’re just getting started,” Lindsay said. “It’s a safe, nurturing environment in that most crucial afterschool hours that children are coming here and learning. It’s not child care — it’s youth development. We really are developing the youth of the future.”