|
President's Corner
Dear Friends:
125 years of service! I'm proud to announce the 125th anniversary of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington.
Having opened our doors in 1886 as the Newsboys and Children's Aid Society, we have strived to be a positive place for kids; a place where kids can develop the character to become healthy, well rounded citizens of our communities and of our country.
Milestones should be times for reflection, not only on past accomplishments, but on future plans. As BGCGW celebrates this milestone anniversary, it is a great time to renew our promise to the youth and families of Greater Washington.
What is that promise? We aim to continue as a crucial bridge between school and home, offering proven programs and solutions that work. We are committed to a tradition of helping thousands of girls and boys rise above the temptations of dangerous decisions and instead choose health, productivity and well being. We promise to find ways to encourage our dedicated staff, and the mentors, other volunteers, funders and stakeholders in their essential and much appreciated support of our Club Members and all the youth we serve.
It goes without saying when we fail our kids, we fail our future.
So please allow me to officially invite you to our celebration! In fact there will be 125 Days of Caring, Sharing and Giving. We welcome you to attend some very special events, learn more about the Clubs and find meaningful ways to contribute your time, dollars, knowledge, care - whatever resource is yours to give.
Our terrific Next Generation Leaders group of volunteers will kick off with a Metropolitan Police Clubhouses' St. Patrick's Day Cocktail Reception at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum; get ready for our annual Tim Russert Congressional Dinner in May and of course our Women's Leadership Group ICON event, in October, supporting youth in the arts.
For ways you can be involved in our mission all year long, please visit our website, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
National Boys & Girls Clubs Week is March 20-26. Visiting a club is one of the best ways you can connect with our members and see what we are all about. We hope that you will join us in helping to prepare today's youth for tomorrow's challenges.
To all of our supporters through the years - thank you.
Pandit
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
FEBRUARY 17
Jelleff Recreation Center:
Triple Play Ping Pong Championship
3:00 p.m.
George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6:
Black History Month Movie Special
5:00 p.m.
FBR Branch @ THEARC:
Exploring Scholars in Black History
5:00 p.m.
Teen Movie
7:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 18
Butler-Wyatt Clubhouse 2
George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6
Jelleff Recreation Center
Zoo Field Trip
11:00 a.m.
FEBRUARY 23
George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6:
Parent Meeting
6:00 p.m.
FBR Branch @ THEARC:
Parent Meeting
7:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 24
FBR Branch @ THEARC:
Exploring Athletes in Black History
5:00 p.m.
George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6:
Spelling Bee
5:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 25
Hopkins Branch:
Black History Tribute
5:00 p.m.
Jelleff Recreation Center:
Torch Club Black History Program & Performance
5:00 p.m.
Richard England Clubhouse 14:
Black History Month Program
5:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 26
George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6:
Keystone Club
Blacks in Wax Museum Field Trip
10:00 a.m.
FEBRUARY 27
Jelleff Recreation Center:
National Portrait Gallery Field Trip 12:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 28
FBR Branch @ THEARC:
Passport to Manhood Graduation
6:30 p.m.
MARCH 5
Richard England Clubhouse 14:
Dollars & Sense Expo
10:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m.
MARCH 17
St. Patrick's Day Cocktail Reception
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
7:00 p.m.
MARCH 20-26
National Boys & Girls Clubs Week
For more information call 202.540.2300 or visit us online at www.bgcgw.org
| |
|
Job of the Month
| |
Project Coordinator
This part-time position provides oversight and management of a
Freddie Mac grant.
Click here for a complete position description
|
Funder of the Month | |
Marriott Foundation Fund
Community Foundation
for the
National Capital Region
|
|
We Want YOU!
Are you a Boys & Girls Clubs Alum?
We want to here from you!
 
| | |
|
|
|
FBR Branch @ THEARC Hosts
United Nations Foundation
Girl Up Campaign Pep Rally!
Hundreds of area teens--from Baltimore to Virginia--came together at BGCGW's FBR Branch @ THEARC as the United Nations Foundation's Unite for Girls Tour introduced its newest campaign--Girl Up--to help American girls channel their energy and compassion to raise awareness and funds for their sisters in the developing world.
 | |
Celebrity guest Nigel Barker helps to raise awareness for the futures of girls in developing countries
|
There are more than 600 million adolescent girls living in countries that lack access to basic needs such as education and health care. Joined by special celebrity guests Nigel Barker, Estelle, Washington Mystics, and Miss Teen Maryland, area teens were encouraged to give back and told the world that they care about the health and education and future of girls in developing countries.
 | |
R&B singer Estelle at the Girl Up campaign kick-off celebration
|
Through Girl Up's support, young women around the world will have the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, counted, and positioned to be the next generation of leaders. Funds raised through Girl Up will support United Nations programs to help the hardest-to-reach females in such countries as Malawi, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Liberia.
Campaign supporters are encouraged to give a "High Five" to girls in developing countries by taking five minutes to learn about the issues they face or by donating $5 or more to provide them with such basic needs as access to school supplies, clean water, life-saving health services, safety from violence and more.
|
 | |
Winning 125th Anniversary Logo Contest design created by 10 year old Sachi Greene-Dover
|
Club Member Inspires New
125th Anniversary Logo
With over 40 logo design contest submissions from members across the National Capital Region, Sachi Greene-Dover--a 10 year old member of George M. Ferris Jr. Clubhouse 6--was named the winner of BGCGW's 125th Anniversary Logo Contest! During a creative interpretation session with volunteer graphic artist Beth Crichton, Greene-Dover's design concept inspired BGCGW's new 125th anniversary logo highlighting BGCGW's five core program areas. The design illustrates our members "stepping" into Great Futures at Boys & Girls Clubs. |
| |
BGCGW's new 125th Anniversary Logo inspired by the concept of the logo design contest winner
|
|
Click here to view BGCGW's new Break the Silence Anti-Bullying Public Service Announcement
|
Manassas Club Hosts Citywide
Community Gang Summit
 |
Prince William County Police Lieutenant and Commander of the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force Dan Hess with Manassas Chief of Police Doug Keen and Gang Response Intervention Team Coordinator Richard Buchholz (left to right)
|
In partnership with the Manassas Police Department and the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force, BGCGW's Manassas Club hosted a community gang summit to discuss ways to work together to suppress gang violence.
Joined by Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-10), Manassas City Manager Lawrence Hughes and Congressman Gerry E. Connolly's Prince William County Director Collin Davenport, this community forum focused on key areas of prevention, intervention, education and enforcement in response to the growing concern of street gangs in the Northern Virginia area.
BGCGW continues to serve as a community resource and puts its mission into action by joining forces with community leaders to share insights and engage in healthy, solution-driven dialogue about violence and gang prevention initiatives.
|
|
BGCGW Celebrates MLK Day
 | |
Butler-Wyatt Clubhouse 2 Torch Club members celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day at the 23rd Annual We Feed Our People community service project
|
This year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the National Capital Region. In the District, members of Butler-Wyatt Clubhouse 2 joined D.C. Councilmember Harry Thomas, members of sororities and fraternities, and other organizations to serve food and provide clothing to homeless families at the 23rd Annual We Feed Our People community service project in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. BGCGW's Teen Arts Performers (TAP)--in partnership with the DC Jazz Festival, and John Phillips Sousa Middle School--presented a celebratory performance, In Celebration of MLK: Lift Every Voice and Sing, inspired by the momentum of Dr. Martin Luther King's life and work. The performance featured a youth-led mass choir, dance troupe, and excerpts of Dr. King's inspirational speeches. In Manassas, Club members celebrated by creating an artistic timeline of Dr. King's life and achievements. Take a look at the wonderful artwork! 
|
BGCGW Participates in the
NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo
 The NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo provided free health screenings, fun activities, and information on products and services that relate to healthy living. Throughout the expo, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington presented health and life skills programming for children and families and provided free Body Mass Index measurements.
The Humphries family, winners of Boys & Girls Clubs of America's first-ever Triple Play Fit Family Challenge, encouraged families at the Expo to improve their health through healthy eating and active living.In addition, BGCGW's Vice President of Programs and Outcomes, Dr. Khalid Randolph participated in an anti-bullying panel discussion with community leaders to address ways to stop bullying before it creates permanent damage.
|
Service Spotlight:
Ross Stores Hosts Power Hour Holiday Store
 | |
Culmore Character Club Branch members shop at the Power Hour Holiday store
|
Special thanks to Ross Stores, this year's sponsor of the Culmore Character Club annual Power Hour Holiday Store!
Throughout the school year members earn points for completing homework, showing positive character traits and attendance that can be redeemed at the Power Hour Holiday Store to buy holiday presents for themselves and their family.
This year, Ross Stores not only provided clothing, toys and gifts, but Ross employees from across the National Capital Region also staffed the Power Hour Holiday Store, welcoming members and spreading lots of holiday cheer!
|
Keystone Club Members Deliver Care Packages to Walter Reed Medical Center
FBR Branch @ THEARC Keystone Club members visited Walter Reed Medical Center to deliver care packages created during a community service event with President Obama and Lakers coaches and players in honor of their 2009-2010 season and their second consecutive NBA championship.
|
Jelleff Torch Club Members "Stuff-A-Truck"
 | |
Jelleff Recreation Center Torch Club President Jamie Elliott and Education Director Tyler Naake speak to FOX 5's Tony Perkins
|
Along with Fox 5's Holly Morris and Tony Perkins, Jelleff Recreation Center Torch Club members delivered collections from their Caroling for Cans community service project to kick-off the 2010 Stuff-A-Truck giving campaign to support the Capital Area Food Bank. Click here to see the footage!
|
Manassas Club Celebrates 6th Birthday
BGCGW's Manassas Club celebrated its 6th birthday with Club members, parents, and staff with a birthday cake, fun activities, and giveaways, including over a dozen bicycles donated by Bull Run Bikes of Manassas.
|
|
Support Camp Brown
Each summer, Camp Brown provides a safe haven for hundreds of D.C. area children ages 7 to 13. At the camp, children learn to ride a bike, fish and swim, and also acquire important character and leadership skills from our nationally approved Boys & Girls Clubs programming.
In order to host Camp Brown this summer, we need financial support to raise our budgeted costs of $600,000. While the actual cost per child a week is $600, we only charge $150 and most children struggle to pay even that amount.
The kids need scholarship support from generous benefactors, supporters, and friends like you. With your help, we can make Camp Brown a reality for children who need us most.
|
|
|
|
|
