Lou Dantzler, President/CEO of the Challengers Boys & Girls Club

Ask any youngster that participates in Challengers' activities what they want to be when they grow up and they will say, "I want to be like Lou." They don't realize that "Lou" has worked many hours to get where he is today - President/CEO of the Challengers Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles, California.

Born in Cameron, South Carolina to Narvis and Arthur Dantzler, Lou is the youngest of 22 children. His parents were sharecroppers. He attended public school in Cameron and graduated from St. John High School. After 41/2 years of military duty, Lou was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force in 1960. He received training as a Communications Specialist.

After returning to the States from a 13-month tour in Saudi Arabia, Lou met Ruby Talley on a blind date. In 1961 they were married. That relationship led to 40 years of blissful marriage and produced two sons who both currently work at Challengers - Mark 38, Program Director and Corey 32, a graduate of Cal-Poly, Director of Operations.

From 1961 to 1963, the Sidney Newoff Company employed Lou as a stock clerk. While working the night shift with the Los Angeles Unified School district as a Custodian (1963-1971), Lou held FOUR additional jobs to support his family. He did landscaping and sold Amway products during the day. On weekends he cut hair in his garage, plus spent his evenings photographing and developing pictures of weddings and community events he was hired to photograph.

Lou realized that there was a need for positive, male, role models, for the neighborhood kids whom he says loved to run his gardening vacuum on the sidewalks, ride in back of his pick-up truck, go to the park, eat hot dogs and drink soda-things he didn't get to do as a child. The majority of the youth came from single-family homes with no father in the picture.

In 1970, an article appeared in the Los Angeles Times, highlighting Lou's efforts. It told of how the back of his pick-up truck was the setting of the recreation program. During his appearance on the then popular television show, "Truth or Consequences," Lou won a brand new station wagon. The television show also provided him with further exposure.

With the support of the community, corporations, foundations and friends, Challengers is proud to look back on 33 years of service and realize the result and resilience of a dream and a dreamer.

Lou has received numerous awards and accolades for his service to mankind, including an appointment by President George Bush to the National Commission of America's Urban Families. He has also received numerous certificates, proclamations and awards from such organizations as Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Rotary Club; Zoë Christian Leadership; NAACP; Brotherhood Crusade and Crenshaw United Methodist Church.

Even with all the energy he puts into Challengers, Lou still finds time for community involvement, including membership with the Greater Los Angeles Consortium; Challengers Active Alumni; Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now (LEARN), and lifetime membership with the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA).

Lou Dantzler, a compassionate, humorous and loyal friend, father, husband, role model and businessman, embodies the aims for which Challengers Boys & Girls Club was founded and the ideals toward which it aspires.