EAST AURORA, N.Y. — "Organized chaos" is how Gary Schutrum describes his East Aurora Boys & Girls Club.
"The energy they come in here with is so rewarding," said Schutrum, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora.
Schutrum has played a role in the lives of tens of thousands of kids in his 36 years as CEO of the club. It's a place where he grew up himself. A 1978 graduate of East Aurora High School, Schutrum said he would play basketball there after school as a child and it was his home away from home.
"I wanted to be here every single day if I possibly could, just to go to the gym."
And thanks to his vision, It's so much more than just a gym for the 380 kids on average who go there every day after school or in the evening for teen nights. There's a computer learning lab, a junior counselor work program, arts and crafts, a game room, music classes, a teen room, a quiet space for mental health counseling, cooking classes, leadership programs, and much more.
"If we're able to develop relationships with them and recruit them into more impactful programming, if we can teach them job ready kills without them even knowing, it's the stuff that they'll use for the rest of their life," he said.
Schutrum became director of the club in 1987 and helped it grow to now have a base membership of 1250 kids, with 1400 kids as non-members taking part in activities sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club. There's also the successful summer program called Camp Ska-No-Ka-San.
One of Schutrum's biggest accomplishments was helping to raise the money to build the new club in 1996.
"And as a result of the growth of facility, our membership grew a third, our budget grew a third, and our facility grew a third. So that growth at that time was exciting, rewarding, great for kids, and great for the community," he said.
Unit Director Neil Parrish says he's lucky to work for someone as selfless as Schutrum. The club has one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the country, which speaks to Schutrum's leadership.
"He has transformed this place to what it is today," said Parrish. "His passion for the youth of East Aurora, and his passion for the Boys and Girls Club movement, it's unmatched around anywhere. And his passion for this village, this town where he grew up as well. He just wants to give back and keep it going."
Schutrum also gives back through coaching. He has led the East Aurora girls and boys basketball teams for over 25 years, and has also coached football and tennis, and is now the golf coach at his alma mater.
"There's nothing more satisfying to me in coaching than to watch a player do something that they don't even know they're capable of doing. But you've preached it, you've sold it, you've taught it, you've made them believe. And now, here they go for you," he said.
The impact he's had is immeasurable, and lucky for the kids in East Aurora, has no plans to slow down.
"No one's going get rich here, but the personal reward that comes with it is far greater," he said.
Schutrum has been married to his wife Christina for more than 40 years and they have daughters Jessica, Lindsay and Brooke.
Schurtrum's accolades include Section VI's Frank Martin Coach and Person of the Year Award in 2022, Citizen of the Month by Legilator Joe Lorigo in November 2018, and New York State High School Girls Varsity Coach of the Year in 2015. He was inducted into the East Aurora Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 2017 and he is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of East Aurora and has held the offices of president and secretary.
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