L-R: Barksdale Executive Director Terry Walker-Moore, Rockdale County Board Member Heidi Pearson, and son Bryce.
On Saturday morning of Feb. 12, 17-year-old Bryce P. pulled into the parking lot of our A. R. “Gus” Barksdale Boys & Girls Club in Conyers with a truck filled with lumber, paint, power tools, crew—and a plan to revitalize Barkdale’s outdoor play area while honoring the legacy of a family friend and long-term Rockdale County board member.
A senior at Morgan County High School, Bryce chose the Barksdale Club for his Eagle Scout project because he had seen both his mother Heidi Pearson’s and family friend Amy Williams’ involvement with the Club.
Pearson is a current Rockdale County board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA), and Williams was a beloved long-term member who died in February 2020 after a battle with leukemia.
“She was an inspiration to many at the Club and myself,” Pearson said of Williams. “She truly enjoyed being a mentor and part of the Club.”
While on the Rockdale County Board, Williams served as mentor and judge for BGCMA’s Youth of the Year (YOY) program, taught Money Matters classes (a financial literacy course) to teens, co-chaired the Rhythm of Rockdale Fundraising Event, and enjoyed volunteering at many special events and during the holidays.
For Bryce, his Eagle Scout project was not only about earning the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank. Bryce sought to improve the play area for the Club kids with updated picnic tables and mulch on the playground, and repain the chalkboard, all while preserving Williams’ memory.
“Although this community project was for my Eagle Scout, it was much more than that,” Bryce said. “It was a way for me to improve the way in which kids could enjoy the outdoors and play.”
In addition to Bryce spearheading outdoor playground renovation, he raised funds to bring the project to life. He was happy to report he raised about $2300 for the project, which was $750 more than he originally planned. All additional funds will be donated to the Barksdale Club.
“This is truly what she believed in: community, giving back, service, and helping the kids here at Barksdale,” said Executive Director Terry Walker-Moore. “With this they’ll know who Amy Williams was. It starts with you, with Bryce. Our young people are our future.”
