Judge Tim Irwin was inducted into the Tennessee Boys & Girls Clubs Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement by Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Tennessee Area Council at its annual membership meeting in Kingsport, Tennessee last month. Food City received the Tennessee C.A.R.E. (Children Are the Reason for Excellence) Award for their work with several Boys & Girls Clubs across the state and especially with the Irwin Food City Bass Tournament which has raised over a million dollars during its lifespan.

Irwin was an member of the Boys Clubs of Knoxville from 1966 – 1973. Today, he is a passionate advocate for children, not only on behalf of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley but the entire community. He serves as Knox County Juvenile Court Judge and has been and active member of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley’s corporate board since 1995.

Judge Irwin and his father founded the Irwin Food City Bass Tournament in 1987, and for the last 18 years Food City has been its largest sponsor. Over the course of 28 years the tournament has raised over a million dollars for Boys & Girls Clubs.

In addition to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, Food City supports a number of community-based organizations and agencies throughout their market area including Food City’s School Bucks Program, their Charity Golf Outing, Race Against Hunger campaign, Mission Able project to benefit Paralyzed Veterans of America and others. The company supports other initiatives including United Way, Susan G. Komen, Relay for Life/The American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Juvenile Diabetes, Second Harvest Food Bank, Feeding America and countless others.

“The honorees this year are great examples of engaged, compassionate and hardworking people that not only care about the youth of their community, but do things to make a difference for kids,” said Chet Nichols, Director of Organizational Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Due to their efforts, many great futures will start in Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Area Council is made up of over 90 Club sites from across the state serving approximately 40,000 children each year. The Tennessee Boys & Girls Clubs Hall of Fame honors those rare individuals whose high achievements have made a mark in the state of Tennessee.