It was Sept. 3, 2002, and the doors were once again open at the old Padgett Chevrolet dealership building on main street in downtown Morristown.

However, for this occasion, the former showroom had been transformed into a games area with the remainder of the rooms designated for arts and crafts, after-school homework and board games. The Morristown Boys and Girls Club was open for its first day.

Club corporation executive director John Hartnett Jr. and unit director Jenny Price were not sure how many youth to expect on that opening day.

“We were hoping to have at least 10-15 kids,” said Hartnett Jr. “When a steady stream of youngsters began to file in and hang up backpacks and jackets, we had a feeling that the Club in Morristown would be a long-term success.”

On Saturday, exactly 20 years later, the Morristown Club will mark the anniversary with a day-long celebration at Morristown Park. There will be a ceremony from 10 to 11 am followed by a car show, rides and music until 9 p.m.

Christopher McMichael signed in as the first person to attend the Morristown Boys and Girls Club on that day two decades ago. He was followed by 35 fellow members who were introduced to their local Boys and Girls Club.

The Morristown Club has operated at three sites with a consistent level of program and facility development over the course of the past 20 years. Four unit directors have dedicated considerable time and effort to establishing the Club as a community institution: Jenny Price, 2002-2006; Fred Miller, 2006-2013; Scott Spahr, 2013-2020; and Dana Songer, 2020-present.

The concept for a Club in Morristown began on a Sunday afternoon during a pick-up basketball session at the Shelbyville Boys Club. Hartnett and Morristown’s Chris Ross began discussing the possibility of creating a Shelbyville Boys and Girls Club satellite operation in Morristown.

“Chris was very involved in Morristown youth activities and the idea sprang from there,” said Hartnett. “Ken Self (former Shelbyville Boys and Girls Club executive director) and I had actually talked in the early 1980s about Morristown being a prime place to someday start a Club unit. My conversation with Chris rekindled that interest and we proceeded from there.”

Ross, a lifetime Morristown resident and Morristown High School graduate, was an ardent advocate for the Morristown community.

“John and I talked about having the Boys and Girls Club being an organization that would have a presence in Morristown that could serve as a connecting force,” said Ross. “He gave examples where Clubs had established branches in smaller communities and how they had been successful.”

The process began with a feasibility study that included an extensive look at demographics across a wide range of categories. Early steps also entailed creating an advisory committee of Morristown community leaders. That initial group included: Ross, Donna Tracy, Brent Fuchs, Shirley Shepherdson, Bruce Carlton, Shannon McNamara and the late Jay Wortman.

“That group met on a regular basis and solicitated support from local businesses and individuals,” said Ross. “We were able to raise significant funds for start-up costs and settled on the old Padgett building as our first Club site.”

Hartnett directs a good deal of credit for the unit’s creation to Ross: “He was very well-respected in Morristown and that provided credibility. He put his heart and soul into the effort. Chris was relentless in his commitment. It would never have happened without his dedication.” 

Local industry such as Central Soya (now Bunge Corporation), Morristown business people like Don Runyon and Bob Wortman, and individuals such as Dave and Janet Ross provided initial and sustaining contributions to enable the Club to flourish in the early years. In addition, the parent organization assumed the cost of basic administrative functions which eased the financial pressure.

Shelbyville businessman Dennis Baker served as the Boys and Girls Club corporation board of directors president during this period and lent his enthusiastic efforts to the proposal.

“Dennis was an experienced business person and provided excellent advice as we progressed through the plan,” said Hartnett. “He was devoted to the Boys and Girls Club mission and thought this was a most worthy endeavor. He helped oversee the process and lent a significant degree of energy and advice to making the Morristown Club a reality.”

Fred Miller (photo, right) became sports coordinator in 2004 and unit director two years later.

“Fred did a great job of enhancing the sports programs,” stated Spahr. “He developed soccer programs and expanded the Club’s sports offerings.”

Miller served as unit director for seven years and was very important in establishing the Boys and Girls Club as a stable Morristown entity.

“Fred is a Morristown native who has a great sense of pride in his community,” said Hartnett. “He worked to incrementally build the Club and even provided assistance following his retirement.”

The Club moved from the Padgett building to the Morristown Christian Church annex in 2007 and then to Morristown Elementary School in 2014.

Spahr stepped into the role of Morristown unit director in 2013.

“We continued basic Boys and Girls Club programming and developed additional ones similar to the Shelbyville Club such as being open before school and summer and holiday camps,” said Spahr. “We also utilized the Indiana Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs to provide daily meals for our members.”

“We are most grateful to elementary school principal John Corn for his heartfelt support for the past eight years,” continued Spahr. “He has always gone above and beyond to make sure the Club succeeds.”

Spahr is quick to express his appreciation to current Shelby Eastern Schools superintendent Dr. Todd Hitchcock for his support as well.

Bunge, Runyon, Craneworks, First Merchants bank and many other industry and business leaders continue to support the Club’s work on behalf of Morristown youth.

Spahr is very thankful to the town for supporting the Club in myriad ways.

“The town allows us to use the park for a wide variety of purposes,” said Spahr. “They recently constructed four basketball courts there. They allow use for fundraising events and permit us to have fields there for baseball and soccer. They even built a concession stand for us."

Spahr also placed a priority on fundraising so as to consistently enhance the unit’s financial foundation.

“We continued to develop and expand annual events such as the golf benefit and Morristown participation in the Club festival and raffle,” said Spahr. “We started a motorcycle ride and a car show. These have all grown over the past few years.”

Spahr became Shelby County Boys and Girls Club corporation executive director following Hartnett’s retirement in October 2020. Long-time unit staff member Dana Songer assumed the position of Morristown director.

Today, 20 years after opening in a former car dealership, the Morristown Boys and Girls Club records a daily after-school attendance of approximately 100 members and continues to provide a wide spectrum of service to 350 Morristown youth.

There also is the overriding theme of continuity. Christopher McMichael, the Club’s first attendee, today has children who are Club members.

“The Morristown Boys and Girls Club is an excellent example of organizations and individuals working together across boundaries to achieve success for an important cause,” reflects Ross. “After 20 years, it is very satisfying to see where it is today.”