Tuesday evening Marvin Boatman addressed City Council on the startup of a new community club, the Kingsman Club.

Boatman first established the club in Tallahassee and has seen the success and wants to offer it to young men in Bainbridge as well. The organization helps young men learn to dress for success, fill out applications, balance their finances, open banking accounts and basic etiquette skills.

Boatman grew up in a single parent household and knows it takes a village to help raise a young person.

“I always said if God would bless me to live long enough, I wanted to help the community,” he reiterated.

Boatman said this club, however is not only for children who live in single parent households or are low income; it’s for anyone.

“Sometimes both parents are working so hard on providing for the child, they unintentionally forget about the child, and that’s what we are there for,” he said.

Boatman wants the Kingsman Club to be that backbone and fill in the gap when parents are unable to get there. He understands parents may be working late, so he wants the club to support the young men at their basketball or football game or any other endeavors they may participate in.

“We are there to support to the family,” he said. “We want to make sure they are safe and understand the rules and principles of the game and play with integrity.”

Boatman enjoys taking time out with the young men and truly listening to them, and making sure their parents also have the time to do so. He coordinates a yearly trip and a father/son brunch for everyone to participate in.

He realizes it can be difficult to get across to a young person sometimes, so that is why it is good to have other people in their life that they can open up to. He wants fathers and other men who play a role in a child’s life to realize it’s okay to not be able to get through to them all the time.

“We are men willing to sacrifice our time to make sure we help them and get them taken care of,” Boatman said.

Boatman is excited to kick off the club next month and hopes to make a difference in the community and help young males of all races and backgrounds grow and learn.

The club will be meeting at 2550 Old Whigham Road for their kickoff, which Boatman promises more details to come on.