As a child, Dwayne Walton never would have imagined himself eating lunch at one of the premier country clubs in one of the most affluent counties in America.

Not when he was a tyke in Guyana, a Third World country in South America, where his thoughts of the future rarely extended beyond his next meal.

Not when his family, all 11 of them, immigrated to what seemed like another planet when he was six years old to live in the decrepit basement of a dilapidated house in Brooklyn.

And certainly not as a teenager when two of his uncles and his father were murdered within a three-year stretch, the unfortunate consequence of their running with the wrong crowd on the unforgiving streets of New York City.

But there Walton, 36, was last week, enjoying fresh salmon and carrot-and-ginger soup on a beautiful fall afternoon at the Whitford Country Club in Exton. He was there on behalf of The Parkesburg Point, a youth center where he is the Executive Director and in charge of helping kids who are in danger of falling through the cracks of society.

“I witnessed my one uncle get killed, and I could’ve easily headed down the wrong path,” Walton said. “But a pastor took me under his wing, and made sure I made the right decisions. Eventually, by the time I graduated high school, I had the highest SAT score in my class.”

Walton attended Philadelphia Biblical University, now Cairn University in Langhorne, Bucks County, and decided he wanted to pay it forward and mentor the type of at-risk child, full of ambition and potential but lacking an adequate support structure, he was.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I see myself in some of our kids,” he said. “I shouldn’t be where I’m at today. A lot of these kids have single mothers, and I can relate to that. These women love their kids so incredibly much but are left to fend for themselves, and it can feel like all the weight is on their shoulders. It’s impossible to be Superwoman.

“They’re overwhelmed and underappreciated. The Point provides these kids a safe haven, and treats the parents with dignity, because we understand their struggles.”

With more than 300 volunteers, The Parkesburg Point offers academic enrichment, scholarships, music programs, a variety of recreational activities, and, with the help of local churches, a hot meal every evening.

“I didn’t think I’d live past 22; all my challenges made me want to give up, so I know how a lot of these kids feel,” said Walton, who is happily married with two children. “Through the Lord, though, I learned that a tumbling block can be a stepping stone, and that’s what we try to teach them.”

The Parkesburg Point was one of 25 nonprofit organizations in the area that were beneficiaries of the Whitford Charitable Fund’s philanthropy. The Sixth Annual Whitford Charitable Fund Classic – a weekend in September of golf and tennis tournaments, as well as dinner, dancing, and auctions – raised $119,351.

Last week’s lunch was a fitting way to cap the Classic, as representatives from each nonprofit were on hand to receive their hefty check.

“In six years now, we’ve raised more than $600,000 for charity,” said Kim Brumbaugh, the CEO of Brumbaugh Wealth Management and a member of the Charitable Fund Committee. “And to think, this whole thing started when a group of guys were out there golfing and decided they wanted to do something to give back.”

“We wanted to do something different, something that was inspiring and would make Whitford stand out,” said Bruce Hockman, one of the Classic’s founding fathers.

In addition to The Parkesburg Point, the other nonprofits to receive assistance were:

• Aidan’s Heart Foundation
• Allianzas de Phoenixville
• Friends Association for the Care and Protection of Children
• Lionville Community Branch YMCA
• Mom’s House Inc. of Greater Philadelphia
• Phoenixville Community Education Foundation
• Uptown! Entertainment Alliance
• Andrew Hicks Foundation
• Hope Springs Equestrian Therapy
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center
• Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County
• Partners in Outreach
• David’s Drive 831
• Lord’s Pantry of Downingtown
• Downingtown Area Senior Center
• Domestic Violence Center of Chester County
• Safe Harbor of Chester County
• Phoenixville Children’s Learning Center
• Brandywine Valley SPCA
• Downingtown Library
• Chester County Futures
• Maternal Child Health Consortium
• Chester County Public Safety Training Foundation
• Team CMMD

“We had about 75-80 organizations apply, and whittling it down to 25 recipients was a difficult task,” said Ed Hart, a State Farm Insurance agent who just completed his first stint as chairman of the Classic’s board. “We have a committee of 12 that meet to determine where the money can have an impact for an array of causes, all of them wonderful.

“It truly is in giving that we receive.”

“Chester County has some of the most gracious and benevolent people you can imagine,” said Walton. “When the Whitford Charitable Fund chose us to donate to, it sent a message. And it’s that all kids matter.”