Volunteers from BB&T gathered at John F. Kennedy Middle School on Saturday to invest in local kids who are current and future members of the Suffolk Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Virginia.

The volunteers painted, put up new curtains and brought in new lighting for the games room, where students in the club are allowed to relax and play. They also brought and put together tables and beanbag chairs, a couch, a popcorn machine, a karaoke machine, air hockey table, board games, a new TV stand, shelves and more.

It was all part of the bank’s 10th annual Lighthouse Project, started in 2009 to address needs in communities across the country by supporting local nonprofits. Associates have contributed more than 500,000 volunteer hours and helped more than 15 million people in the process.

Reggie Carter, service director for the Suffolk Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Virginia, and Unit Director LaMarr Coles III had been planning the renovation with BB&T since February, when they received notification they had been chosen for the project.

A bank with a long history like BB&T’s surely knows a lot about investing. For its chairman and chief executive officer to say “An investment in our community is one of the best investments we will ever make,” like BB&T’s Kelly King did, is powerful.

“Whether it’s a financial contribution, an investment of our time or both, we can truly make a difference,” she added.

For the 130 or so children who attend after-school activities at the club daily, these improvements surely will make a difference. The contributions were material things, but they will help those kids see that they matter to folks in the community whom they don’t even know, and that might just be what helps change a child’s life.