Boys & Girls Club Blog

September 29, 2021

The Boys & Girls of Oshkosh would like to congratulate Lifetime Board Member Dave Elbing and Board Member Sue Ackerman for their honors at the annual Boys & Girls Club Wisconsin Area Council Fall Summit. The summit was on September 12-15 in Wisconsin Dells.

Dave Elbing was awarded the 2021 Extra Mile Award. This award is given to someone who has led significant projects and demonstrated dedication to going above and beyond for the mission of the Club. Dave is always first to ask, “How can I help?” He served on the board for the past 33 years, including a term as board president and was instrumental in restructuring the board to be more efficient and effective.

Through the years Dave has volunteered for fundraising events like Turkey Trot and the Club’s golf outing. He’s also delivered Thanksgiving meals to Club families, and he is definitely not a stranger to hard work. He’s helped build our backyard garden, cut the grass, painted the exterior of the building, and even managed an office remodel for the Club’s in-house mental health center. He has mentored youth as they graduated high school and figured out their post-secondary life. In recent years, Dave has taken a lead on the Club’s safety committee and is instrumental in its organizational growth efforts.

Sue Ackerman was given the honor of being inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin Hall of Fame. This prestigious award goes to someone whose contribution to the Boys & Girls Club movement is demonstrated through their extreme commitment and long-time passion for the Club, its mission and its community. Sue began serving on the Board of Directors in 2005 and is a previous board president. Sue’s commitment to the Club reaches far beyond monthly Board meetings. She has a true passion for seeing youth succeed and is a regular face at the Club. She is someone who is not involved in just one thing at the Club, but rolls up her sleeves and gets involved wherever and however she is needed.

You can find Sue at all sorts of Club events including its Youth of the Year Dinner, Afternoon Tea, and WineFeast. She’s helped prepare Club members for the workforce through assisting with our Professional Workshop program and helped many Club members shop over the years for professional attire. She regularly participates in the Club’s Reality Store events educating youth about their finances and even serves breakfast to kids.

“These are two amazing individuals who have left a lasting impact on our Club and its youth!”, said Tracy Ogden, Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh CEO. “I couldn’t be happier to see them receive these honors. Congratulations!”