Chamber Member of the Week: Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club

The Cliff Hagan Boys Club opened its doors in April 1967 and was chartered by the Boys and Girls Club of America that summer. As circumstances changed, the board changed the name to the Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club in 1993 to include female members.

The nonprofit has grown and evolved dramatically over the past half century and currently has six locations in four counties: Daviess, Bulter, Ohio and Henderson.

“To meet the community’s growing demand for membership, our club has had to move several times to find larger facilities,” said Kalie Winkler, the club’s director of research and development. “After a successful fundraising campaign for our permanent home, the Mike Horn Unit of the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club opened its doors at its permanent location at 3415 Buckland Square on October 14, 2005.”

The club offers afterschool and summer programs for children ages 6 to 18. Winkler said it promotes a safe environment, academic support, healthy snacks, quality programs and supportive mentors.

She added that the programs focus on three main areas of impact: academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. They have also improved their care by following the BGCA’s 2025 impact model of “youth engagement, trauma-informed care, and workforce development.”

“Under one organization, our clubs reach more children every day to provide youth with the services necessary for a great future,” she said. “Our mission is to inspire and empower young people by providing meaningful opportunities to improve the quality of life of youth, especially those who need us most, so they can reach their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”

Winkler attributes the nonprofit’s continued success to the community’s ongoing support.

“The community has supported us in our mission by volunteering, supporting us directly, attending and sharing fundraising events, getting involved as a business, and being willing to do whatever it takes to help our youth succeed,” she said.

The club recently celebrated its first AG Day, sponsored by Cargill, and received a West Bend grant to offer workforce development training using virtual reality.

The club’s CEO, Steve Winkler, was recently named the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentucky CEO of the Year. He said they want to meet the kids where they spend 80% of their time: outside of school, and they do whatever it takes to give them a great future.

“We advocate for equal access and opportunity for all young people and develop life-enhancing programs that encourage children to raise their voices,” he said. “We also have caring mentors who help children develop the skills they need to succeed, and we train the next generation of leaders.”

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a benefit for members of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked for over a century to provide valuable benefits and services to its member businesses and individuals.

Today, the Chamber, with its nearly 1,000 members, is a driving force in community and business development initiatives and serves as a center for economic advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.

To learn more about becoming Chamber Member of the Week or to inquire about Chamber membership, contact Chamber Vice President Shelly Nichols at 270-926-1860 or (email protected).