Longtime YELLS supporter Cliff Kelker has had a front row seat to the impact of investing in young people. Today, he is helping continue that legacy through the Rotary Club of Marietta.
The Rotary Club of Marietta has generously supported both YELLS and our Franklin Gateway community for years. They show up strong each year at the Franklin Road Community Association’s Holidays around the World, and their incredible Rotarians expertly model “Service Above Self.”
Mark Barbour has a big heart for YELLS, and when he rallied fellow Rotarians to contribute a generous $10,000 to our Invest Today. Change Tomorrow. campaign, he found plenty of support, including Rotary Club leadership.
Long before Cliff Kelker became President of the Rotary Club of Marietta, he saw the impact of YELLS firsthand through his work with the Marietta Police Department. As a lieutenant, Cliff spent several years driving Marietta High School students to the YELLS Mentoring Program and back home each day. What started as a simple ride gave him a unique perspective on the growth happening in the lives of those young people.
What I observed over time was nothing short of transformational. The energetic, sometimes unfocused teenagers who first stepped onto that van grew into confident, purpose-driven young adults by the time they graduated.
Their conversations shifted—from typical teenage banter to meaningful discussions about college aspirations, career goals, and how they could make a difference in the world. They encouraged one another, modeled leadership for younger participants, and developed a genuine sense of purpose. It became clear to me that YELLS was not just mentoring youth—it was shaping future leaders and responsible, engaged citizens.
Cliff’s support made our early work possible, and his belief and advocacy helped us build a strong reputation to grow our impact. Years later, after retiring from the Marietta Police Department, Cliff attended YELLS’ 10th anniversary celebration and had the opportunity to see some of those same students again.
This time, they were successful, confident adults sharing stories of their accomplishments and continuing to demonstrate the commitment to service that Cliff had watched develop years earlier:
What I witnessed there confirmed everything I had seen before. Those same students I once drove home were now driving themselves—successful, confident adults sharing stories of achievement, many building careers with six-figure incomes and, more importantly, a continued commitment to service.
Today, Cliff’s connection to YELLS continues through his leadership with the Rotary Club of Marietta. As the oldest civic organization in Cobb County, the Rotary Club of Marietta has remained steadfast in its commitment to “Service Above Self” for more than 105 years. Throughout that history, the organization has focused on investing in nonprofit community partners that share its passion and dedication to service.
That commitment recently included a $10,000 contribution to YELLS’ campaign, continuing the Rotary Club’s investment in an organization that has made a lasting impact on young people and the greater Marietta community.
For Cliff, the reason to continue supporting YELLS is simple:
Investing in this organization is not just supporting a program, it is investing in the future of our community.
Cliff’s experience is a powerful example of the lasting impact that investing in young people can have. The growth he witnessed years ago continues today through the adults those students have become and the ways they continue to contribute to their communities.
We are grateful to Mark, Cliff, and the Rotary Club of Marietta for their continued support of YELLS and their commitment to helping young people learn, lead, and serve.
If you’d like to follow in their example and invest in the future of our youth and community, please consider donating during the upcoming Match Magic campaign when our donation page goes live on November 10!
