Alandas Armistad, the 2021 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Mississippi Youth of the Year, attends St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., but he has not forgotten the place that helped him get where he is today.
Armistad led the effort for the Boys & Girls Club to raise enough money to purchase a $55,000 Ford 350 29-passenger bus that will be used for the kids to take trips.
“We started the program a little while ago because the both of the (vehicles) broke down,” he said. “We just needed the kids to have transportation so they could go on trips to movies, museum, places they needed to be.”
The club had a 1998 15-passenger van and 1999 minivan. Both were Fords and had mechanical issues. Both vehicles were sold for a combined $2,500 that helped pay for the new bus.
“It served its purpose. Like anything, it gets old,” said Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Marcus Pittman. “Basically, it was time to let it go.”
The fundraiser for a new bus started last November and it was purchased in May.
Armistad and his father, Nathaniel, came up with the idea to post a video on Facebook telling people about the fundraiser. A PayPal account was setup for anyone wishing to donate.
Pittman said donations came from all over the state. Checks were as high as $10,000 and an extra $25,000 was raised.
The extra money will be used for trips including one to Updown Trampoline Park in Hattiesburg June 9.
Armistad had good things to say about the park.
“I wasn’t with the club, but I’ve been there before,” he said. “It’s fun. It’s plenty of space. It’s very safe.”
Armistad, a math and physics major with a minor in engineering in college, always wanted to give back.
“For a while while I was here, before I graduated, I always wanted to get older and then come back and continue by giving a bus or a van to the club,” he said.
Armistad’s sister, Kyla, also won the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year and talked about how much it means to his family.
“We love these people and these people love us,” he said.
Pittman expressed gratitude.
“Mr. Armistad, for what he did, it was just a class act. You think of a high school senior that was thinking that way already.” Pittman said.
Pittman said Armistad has other things he wants to do for the club after college.
Armistad said he would like to raise money for the club to have another facility. One possibility he mentioned was across from the FitLife SportsPlex on Anna Drive where there is a lot of open space.
