Weslye Saunders knows the importance of the Boys & Girls Club. It's a place he went as a kid in Gary, Indiana, not just to have fun, but for educational programs and more.
"It was a great outlet for me and my cousins to go there, play basketball, get our homework done and stay out of trouble," said Saunders, the Steelers second-year tight end. "It was an important part of my life."
He has kept not just his hometown Boys & Girls Club close to his heart, but also others around the country and showed that when he attended a golf outing for the Boys & Girls Club in Washington, North Carolina.
The golf tournament is the club's main fundraiser, bringing in close to $25,000 through foursomes and sponsorships. The club serves about 60-75 kids daily, offering a homework "power hour," as well as tutoring programs, computer and art classes and sports programs.
Saunders, who had off-the-field troubles while at South Carolina, encourages kids at Boys & Girls Clubs to always stay positive and work hard, while delivering a key message about learning from the mistakes you have made like he has.
"We are all going to make mistakes," said Saunders. "It's how you recover and learn from those mistakes is what is going to define you. I have been trying to preach that message for the last two years, ever since I went through what I went through in college. Being that I ended up here in a great situation, I wanted to let the kids know one mistake isn't going to define you or ruin you. Just make sure you make up for it."
