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Message from the Executive Director
Greetings!
The months leading up to summer are busy as we get ready for camps and events. May began with National Youth Week (May 1 - 7). Although I believe it is always 'youth week' at Boys & Girls Clubs, it provided an opportunity to celebrate the great young people here at the Club. This year we are extra proud of the Central Saanich Keystone youth leadership group, who were nominated for the Youth Now Awards!
Some of our team and I just returned from Boys & Girls Club's national conference in Newfoundland where we presented workshops on strategic planning and our unique Outdoor Centre model. We also gathered ideas from counterparts across Canada to bring home to Victoria.
May closes with our Annual General Meeting. We hope you will join us from 9:30 - 11:30 am on Wednesday, May 30th at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort to share stories about the previous year, say goodbye to Board members and welcome new members. Please RSVP if you are planning to attend to development@bgcvic.org.
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Youth leaders from Central Saanich gave the club a face lift - thanks to a donation from the Sara Spencer Foundation!
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The whales are back!
Get your tickets online now for your chance to win great prizes!
 | | Youth enjoying outdoor activities at the Outdoor Centre in Metchosin |
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Boys and Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria1240 Yates Street,
Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 3N3 Phone: (250) 384-9133
Fax: (250) 384-9136
Email: info@bgcvic.org
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What's New?
Summer Camps
Registration for our three adventure summer camps is now open! Getting kids actively exploring the outdoors is something we are passionate about at Boys & Girls Clubs (read how parents can help in Tools & Tips below). Summer adventures start with our camps: Outdoor Adventure, Urban Adventure and Outdoor Youth Leadership. Find out more and register here.
Annual Appeal for Camperships
At Boys & Girls Clubs we can proudly say that no child misses out due to financial reasons. However, we couldn't do that without the generous individuals and businesses in our community who stand behind that pledge by supporting our Annual Appeal.
Every gift we receive through the appeal adds to the fund to help families access our camps and other programs. However, the need for camperships is always great. When the appeal letter arrives in your mail-box, please consider supporting us this year. If you would like to receive the appeal, please email us with your mailing address. If you would like to donate online, you can do that here.
Buy a "paper hammer" and Help our Club
Please support the Home Depot's Foundation's 2012 Buy a Hammer, Build Our Community campaign from May 31 - July 4 by purchasing a $2 'paper hammer' at the check-out of your local The Home Depot store or online. All proceeds raised will support the local efforts of the Foundation's charitable partners, including Boys & Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria.
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Spotlight on...
The Outdoor Centre
Our 98 acre property in Metchosin has a new look and name - the Outdoor Centre. We're still offering the same fun, quality programs for children, youth and adults, but, with our new brand in hand, we are hoping to increase the individuals and groups who visit the Centre for outdoor recreation and education experiences, events, workshops and gatherings. To give you an insight as to what goes on at the centre, here are some of the programs we're running this spring and summer.
Our 'Wild-kids' programs for homeschoolers every Monday is a fun afternoon focused on different subjects such as: shelter building, archery, edible plants and gardening, pond exploration, climbing and canoeing. Each session includes games, cooperative activities and learning about the natural world.
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Tools and Tips
Take a moment to think about your childhood summers. Are you building rope swings, exploring forests, or chasing friends in green fields? No doubt you cherish outdoor experiences that generated a sense of freedom and discovery. Are your children getting the same opportunities? If not, what are the consequences of a childhood removed from nature?
Here are some tips for keeping your children safe while introducing them to 'nature's playground'.
1. Build a fort - encourage them to create a hide-out using natural materials. Line up rocks, gather cut grass or sticks to make walls, or rope branches together to make a teepee.
2. Turn a walk outside into an adventure - help them discover the real 'jungle gym' by creating obstacle courses around puddles, logs and boulders. Encourage them to look for and follow animal tracks. Or organize a scavenger hunt for items such as 'something blue', 'something stinky', 'something alive'. |
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Events
Wild About Whales 2012
Racing horses, racing ducks, racing....whales? Yes, this June we are racing rubber whales down the Gorge giving you a chance to win some fantastic prizes.
Be the first to 'adopt' your whales - order tickets online or call (250) 384-9133.
On Saturday, June 9th, 2012 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm bring the whole family to enjoy the race (at 1:00 pm) and other activities including: ocean themed games, bouncy castles, face painting, Voyageur canoe and Dragon Boat rides, concession and much more!
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