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Club NewsGreenwich Boys & Girls Club EventsAnnual Board Meeting and DinnerOn Tuesday, May 8, the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club held its annual board dinner to honor and thank the many board members who strive to ensure that the Club remains a “safe haven” for kids for many years to come. What made this night all the more special was the surprise recognition of David Ogilvy, a longtime board member and friend of the Club. David has served our Club in so many meaningful and indispensable ways for 21 years, and has faithfully helped to leave a lasting legacy in the young people who call this Club a home away from home. Jeff Starcher, David Ogilvy, and Executive Director, Bob DeAngelo (Greenwich Boys & Girls Club)Greenwich Bar Association AwardAt its Annual Law Day Luncheon, the Greenwich Bar Association recognized the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich as its “2007 Liberty Bell Award” winner for fulfilling its mission of “enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” The event took place on Thursday, May 24, at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. Assistant Executive Director, Sukie Ginise, received the award on behalf of the Club. Kathy Seiden, Sukie Ginise and Attorney Steve Walko – picture by Bob Capozza3 on 3 Kids’ Basketball ChallengeThe excitement was huge for the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club’s 8th Annual 3 on 3 Kids’ Basketball Challenge on Saturday, June 2. Over 70 children registered, many volunteers stepped forward, and Citigroup of Greenwich was the event sponsor. The theme for this year’s basketball challenge was “Role Models Make a Difference.” Joining us to share with the kids on the importance of character and citizenship was Mary Ann O’Leary, Assistant Basketball Coach at Trinity Catholic High School. Kids Say it AllPeer Leaders Speak Up About Their Experiences!Teenagers such as Andria assist the staff with providing young people with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and peer support to help our children avoid risky behaviors and situations. Andria is a "Peer Leader" for our SMART Moves program. SMART Moves is a Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national acclaimed prevention program for young people ages 6 to 15. The primary goal of SMART Moves is to provide accurate information about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and the consequences of drug involvement, training on how to resist peer pressures and decision-making skills to support healthier choices. Andria Santos and Michelle Mazulla Share a Few Words Regarding Their Experiences about the Club and Being a Leader with the SMART Moves ProgramMy name is Andria Santos and I am 18 years old. I've been with the Bristol Boys and Girls Club since I was 7 years old. The Cambridge Park Unit has taught me so many things in the past about life, school, and new beginnings. I was raised at 111 Davis Drive in Bristol, CT. I was involved in various programs, groups, and clubs. I've have done volunteer work for games and recreational activities that the club offers in the summertime such as: basketball, baseball, flag football, Family Day…etc. I graduated from Bristol Eastern High School in 2005. As a member of the club, I learned to show respect for my peers and to act in a mature and responsible manner despite many of life's difficulties. This helped me to become a mature young adult with the ability to adapt and overcome adversity. I am currently attending Manchester Community College as a full-time student. My major is Psychology with a focus in Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counseling. I am now working for the Bristol Boys & Girls Club as a Peer Leader for kid's ages 6 - 9 in a program called SMART Moves. I was interested in working as a staff member ever since I was in the SMART Kids program. The SMART Kids program is extremely valuable because it teaches kids to have self-esteem, self respect, to avoid the evils of drugs and alcohol, use teamwork, and to give back to the community. I enjoy working with kids of all ages and talking about what the Boys & Girls Club has to offer, what it has done for me and how it can put them on the path for success. I want to thank the Bristol Boys & Girls Club for all of their help, constant effort and dedication to helping me achieve my goals.
I enjoy my job at the Bristol Boys & Girls Club teaching a program called SMART Moves. In this program, I teach kids ages six to ten about drug prevention so they know what to say under peer pressure and can stand up for themselves, all the while still being respected by those around them. This program helps kids in Bristol place further importance on being drug-free and still being happy with themselves. I also believe that helping them with their self-esteem and emotional issues is integral to having a healthy life-style. I have faith that by being involved in these programs, I am making a difference in these children's lives. I feel that I am giving them positive solutions to difficult problems they may face every day. If I can help even one person, that is one life I might have saved and it would make all my efforts worthwhile.
House Speaker James Amann Secures State Funds for Milford Boys & Girls ClubState House Speaker James Amann, who is a resident of Milford, is doing a lot for the city of Milford and the state. “In the position of speaker, fortunately, I’m able to help the city of Milford and all the residents of the state,” said Amann. He is able to help the residents of Milford by securing state funds to find a site in Milford for a Boys & Girls Club. This initiative is very important for the city. It will help many boys and girls, who do not have any other place to go after school, to participate in many of the activities that a boys & girls club provides. The new Milford Boys & Girls Club will be “a positive place for kids.” Amann pledged to continue to pump millions of dollars into finishing several other ongoing projects in Milford, such as revitalizing Walnut Beach and the Devon section. Amann said another local project includes finding money to assist the Beth El Shelter find a new home. Amann said he never could have imagined that 17 years after first running for state office, he would have been able to help Milford accomplish so much. “This gives me an opportunity to do some real positive things for our city,” Amann said. State Appropriation Invested WellQuestion? How can the Connecticut State Legislature positively impact 40,000 Connecticut youth and provide them with Safe Haven Programming? Answer: By wisely investing $1,000,000 in each of the fiscal years 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 in the Boys & Girls Club Neighborhood Youth Center Program! Not only did the sixteen Connecticut Boys & Girls Clubs benefit greatly from the influx of state dollars, but the nature of the appropriation grant required a $1,000,000 from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. What did our Connecticut Clubs do with these financial resources and how did they put them to work to benefit those Connecticut youngsters that needed our Safe Haven Programming most? Here are just some examples of the return generated from the investment of both the state and federal dollars: The Boys & Girls Club of Hartford registered some 400 additional youngsters at three program sites: Parkville School, Village South and the Johnson Community Center. Offering a combination of SMART Moves drug resistance training, together with job readiness and “Passport To Manhood” programs, the Hartford Club effectively used its $180,000 grant to successfully move these youth from some of the most violence impacted streets into the Club’s “positive place” that offered both a safe haven and the opportunity to be exposed to positive peer models. Recognizing that gymnasium sports programs and games room activities is not the answer to every youngster’s needs, the Boys & Girls Club of New Britain created its Arts X’press Program. The program offers four different art components, Creative Writing, Dance, Fashion Design and Radio Broadcast, that allows the youngsters to choose from based upon their talents and interests. Partially funded by the state’s $32,000 grant and crafted into ten week sessions, 50 “at risk” teens were able to both enhance their creative talents and at the same time be exposed to some of the most innovative teen pregnancy and substance abuse resistance training offered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Partnering with the Spanish Community of Wallingford, the Visiting Nurses and Wallingford Youth Officers, the Ulrich Boys & Girls Club of Wallingford initiated their Latino Outreach Program. Recognizing a changing community need, the program created a whole new Latino membership outreach strategy for the Club featuring Latino-centered programs and activities, hiring additional Latino staff and increasing the number of Latino Board members at the Club. Making effective use of some $28,000 of state money the program has moved expeditiously to meet the goals of improved academic achievement, providing well-supervised after-school care, reaffirming the Latino heritage and customs and more effectively integrating the Latino parents into both the Club and the community. One of the challenges facing the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley was effectively meeting the needs of its five community (Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Seymour and Oxford) service area. The club staff recognized that early teens and middle schoolers from three of the most “at risk” neighborhoods would never be serviced unless dependable transportation could be offered to the Shelton-located Club from the Riverside Apartments on Olsen Drive in Ansonia, Derby’s Anson Street neighborhood and the Liberty Street area in Ansonia. Utilizing its $43,000 state grant, the Club initiated evening and Saturday transportation using Club vans to bring an additional 100 “at risk” youths into the Club’s membership and the “positive place” that they so clearly needed. The above represents just four out of the eighteen innovative Safe Haven Programs that were “seeded” by the positive actions of the 2005-2006 General Assembly. The 2006-2007 appropriation of $1,000,000 will be used to further expand our Club’s SMART Moves training, provide continuation funding for the majority of the previous year’s program initiatives and provide access to additional “new program” funding. For continuous updating on our Safe Haven Programming achievements and to confirm the sound investment made by our State’s General Assembly, check out our www.ctboys-girlsclubs.org website.
Partnering to Serve Redding KidsAs a privately-funded nonprofit organization, the Boys & Girls Club in Redding has traditionally run its own programs - primarily youth sports - at its own Cross Highway facilities. But starting last year, the Club has branched out into "partnering" type arrangements with the Redding Park and Recreation Department and the Redding schools. The purpose is to help all three serve more kids with enhanced programs by pooling staff, resources, and creative ideas. The Club hired a new staff member, Donna Neff, to coordinate these programs, which have been held at Redding Elementary School. Activities have ranged from basketball drills to a wildly popular "cup stacking" competition. Meanwhile, the Club has continued and expanded on its "Keystone Club," part of a national Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) program to provide leadership development and community service opportunities for older teens. Keystoners have been instrumental in organizing and staffing special Club events for younger kids, such as "Breakfast with Santa" and other holiday celebrations. Other national BGCA programs are gradually being incorporated into the scope of Redding programs. These include "SMART Moves," a program to provide educational information to kids about avoiding alcohol and drugs; and "Imagemakers," a national contest intended to challenge and encourage young photographers. Even with new programs, we maintain our 67-year commitment to serve the youth and families of Redding. As always, we will continue our baseball/softball program with more than 450 young participants, plus our Travel Basketball program in the winter that serves more than 100. In doing so, we carry on the tradition of our founder, Jesse P. Sanford, through service to the community in general and, in particular, the boys and girls of Redding, with a core purpose of providing (in the words of our Mission Statement) "an opportunity for boys and girls to participate equally, regardless of skill level, in athletic, cultural, social and leadership programs in a wholesome and safe environment." Have you "Hit the Wall"?The "Wall of Fame" is the Club's way of permanently acknowledging contributions of $250 or more. Donors are thanked with a plaque on a brick wall built for this purpose, adjacent to the new pavilion. The plaques are only a token of our appreciation for the generosity of our friends. More than 125 Redding families and other supporters of the Club have added their names to the Wall of Fame, representing more than $50,000 in donations. Come by the Club and check to see if your name is there! (And if it isn't, please consider adding it). Welcome to New Faces at the ClubThe Club welcomes Donna Neff, who joined our staff in the fall of 2005 as Program Coordinator. Donna is primarily in charge of our new non-sports programs and special events, including after-school activities in conjunction with Redding schools and the Park and Recreation Department. She has previously worked at the Bridgeport Boys & Girls Club and in other youth-oriented programs in Fairfield County. We also welcome Paul Stauffer to the Board of Directors. Paul has been heavily involved in the RELAX lacrosse program as well as efforts to improve Joel Barlow High School athletic facilities. As a final note, we want to thank Robby Kaye, who stepped down from the Board after many years of close involvement in our sports programs and service as an officer. Thanks to Our SponsorsTeam sponsorship is an important way to support the Club and its programs. Our thanks go to the following team sponsors for 2006 (list complete as of April 20): ABC Financial The SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training)The SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) prevention/education program addresses the problems of drug and alcohol use and premature sexual activity. Based on proven techniques, the program uses a team approach involving Club staff, peer leaders, parents and community representatives. More than simply emphasizing a "Say No" message, the program teaches young people ages 6 - 15 how to say no by involving them in discussion and role-playing, practicing resistance and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence. The ultimate goal: to promote abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement through the practice of responsible behavior. Facts Not FictionYou're educated, you're smart, and you're aware. You know what's in and you know what's out. But do you know the whole story about what's really in cigarettes? With teen smoking in the rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, needs your help to let students know the real deal about tobacco. Did you know that cigarettes contain formaldehyde - the same stuff used to preserve dead frogs? Did you know that the same cyanide found in rat poison is available in the cigarette smoke nearest you - whether you're a smoker or just hanging around people who smoke? And how about the nicotine in cigarettes? You probably already know that it's addictive, but did you know that it's also a potent insecticide found in bug spray? The NumbersEvery day in the United States, more than 3,000 young people become regular smokers - that's more than one million new smokers a year! After years of remaining steady, teen smoking rates have increased each year since 1992. In 1996, 22.2% of high school seniors smoked daily - up from 17.2% in 1992. Between 1991 and 1996, past-month smoking increased from 14.3% to 21.0% among eighth graders and from 20.8% to 30.4% among tenth graders. More than 5 million young people under the age of 18 who are currently alive will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. In adults, cigarette smoking causes heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that early signs of the blood vessel damage present in these diseases can be found in adolescents who smoke. Starting smoking at an early age greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. A person's risk for most other smoking-related cancers also rises with the length of time that a person smokes. Teenage smokers suffer from shortness of breath almost three times as often as teens who don't smoke and produce phlegm more than twice as often as teens who don't smoke. What about Smokeless Tobacco?Smokeless tobacco use among youth is a continuing problem. Data from recent school-based surveys indicate that about one in every five male students in 9th through 12th grades uses smokeless tobacco. Smokeless tobacco can cause gum disease and cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus. It may also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In 1991, teenage cigarette smokers consumed an average of 28.3 million cigarettes per day (516 million packs per year). During this same period, an estimated 225 million packs of cigarettes were sold illegally to young people under the age of 18. The tobacco industry generated approximately $190 million in profit from the illegal sale of cigarettes to minors in 1991. In 1995, approximately 57% of students in grades 9 - 12 who currently smoked usually bought their cigarettes from a retail store, from a vending machine, or through another person who purchased cigarettes for them. Several studies have found nicotine to be addictive in ways similar to those of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Among young smokers, the transition from experimentation to dependence occurs just as frequently as it does among users of cocaine and heroin. Adolescent SmokingAmong adolescents aged 10 - 18, about three-fourths of daily cigarette smokers and daily smokeless tobacco users report that they continue to use tobacco because it is really hard for them to quit. About 93% of daily cigarette smokers and daily smokeless tobacco users who previously tried to quit report at least one symptom of nicotine withdrawal. Young people who try to quit smoking suffer the same withdrawal symptoms as adults who try to quit. Cigarette products are among the most heavily advertised and promoted products in the United States. In 1994, tobacco companies spent an estimated $5 billion - or more than $13 million a day - to advertise and promote cigarettes. In 1991, about 82% of smokers who had ever smoked daily began smoking before age 18, and by that age, 53% had become daily smokers. A national survey found that about 86% of adolescent smokers who bought their own cigarettes preferred Marlboro, Camel, or Newport cigarettes - the most heavily advertised brands. In contrast, only 35% of adults chose these brands. Teen smoking is often an early warning sign of future problems. Teens who smoke are three times as likely as nonsmokers to use alcohol, eight times as likely to use marijuana, and 22 times as likely to use cocaine. Smoking is also associated with numerous other high risk behaviors, including fighting and having unprotected sex. Looking for Some Help with your SMART Moves Club Program? Want Some Good Strategies to Reach More Members? Contact Anthony Johnson (860-209-5912) or Dick Seethaler (203-235-8185) to set up a day and time for Anthony to visit and share his expertise with SMART Moves coordinators and staff at no cost to your Club. He has visited several Clubs already and shared a number of ideas to fit their individual circumstances.
Meriden Club Chosen as One of the Best Tutoring ProgramsTaking second to Sylvan Learning Centers, the Meriden Boys & Girls Club was given the distinction of being one of the best tutoring programs in the community. Most people do not think of the Club as a location for tutoring, but such activities are essential to the positive youth development strategy utilized in developing programs. Boys & Girls Clubs nationally have proven that their programs raise academic achievement, decrease violence and provide positive choices to youth in after-school and out-of-school hours. The tutoring program at the Meriden Boys & Girls Club support its mission "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens." Congratulations Meriden! Ridgefield Boys & Girls Club ExpandsRendering of Boys & Girls Club Based on Architectural Plans
The Boys & Girls Club intends to expand and renovate it's facility at 41 Governor Street to accommodate more boys & girls and enable it to run programs more effectively. The present facility was built in 1958. The Club intends to build a full sized gymnasium, and additional space for technology, educational, arts, and leadership programs. The new Club will be approximately 18,000 square feet in size after the expansion. This will approximately double the present program space. The building will house a gymnasium, team leadership program area, recreation room, arts room, technology center, several program and activity rooms, a café, and administrative offices. An outdoor swimming pool will replace the Club's current swimming pond. A multi-purpose playing field will be added, subject to the amount of funds raised. The project may be amended or constructed in phases depending on the amount of funds raised.
Boys & Girls Club Site Plan
An Investment in Ridgefield's Youth…An Investment in Our Future
Enlarged Boys & Girls Club will offer teens a place to go. State will kick in $400,000 to help project - Macklin Reid (The Ridgefield Press, CT)Where do teens meet? A parking lot? A pizza restaurant? "We want the club to be the meeting place," said Terry Hughes, director of Ridgefield's Boys and Girls Club. Plans for an expanded facility designed to help the Boys and Girls Club reclaim a role in the lives of Ridgefield's teenagers received a boost this week, with Gov. M. Jodi Rell's announcement that the state would kick in $400,000 to help pay for the project. Gov. Rell said Monday that the borrowing to help finance renovations to the Ridgefield Boys & Girls Club would go before the State Bond Commission on Friday, Dec. 9 - with the money "expected to be approved." For more than a year the club has quietly but actively been pursuing a $5-million expansion plan, which would serve all the club's young members. "This club has provided activities and just plain fun for the young people of Ridgefield for decades, and I am pleased that we are able to support this major expansion," Gov. Rell said. "My focus is on our families and communities, and these dollars will underwrite a new pool, a new ball field and other improvements at the Boys & Girls Club, ensuring that Ridgefield families can enjoy these activities for many years to come." Gov. Rell credited Ridgefield state Rep. John Frey with working hard to get the appropriation on the Bond Commission's agenda for final action. "I've been on their original feasibility study group, I guess, the last year and a half - and I was a club member myself when I was a kid," Mr. Frey said. "I joined right after my dad died, and it served a good purpose for me the couple of years I was a member. So I have a warm spot for the Boys & Girls Club. "It was a good place to hang out," he added. "You weren't going to get into trouble." Teens Terry Hughes, the club's director, said he'd been a member right through his high school years - and he wanted the club to perform that function in kids' lives once again. "My family moved here in '69," he said. "Literally, in the late '60s through the '70s and 80s, I was here every day." He lived right around the corner, on East Ridge Road. The expansion has many important aspects - the swimming hole would become a pool, there would be a new ball field, a new gym. The improved facilities would benefit all the club's members. But what excites Mr. Hughes the most is the expanded club's potential as a place for teens. "We'll have an area for teens, and we're going to have a café where kids can come here and have food and refreshments available to them on a regular basis," he said. The important thing, what this is going to do for the community, to have a place for kids - most importantly older kids," he said. "Right now, we have a couple of dozen high school kids that are part of a youth leadership club. But high school kids don't come here on a regular basis to hang out." There was a time when older kids did go - though it was just a "Boys Club" in those days. "That's how it was when I was a kid," Mr. Hughes said. "Through high school, I came here every day. This is where I hung out, even at night. It was only boys at the time. But now it's boys & girls. "The way the facility is designed now, high school kids don't want to be here hanging out with third graders. The way the new building is going to be designed, there's going to be a room for teens - they can be here - and, come 6 o'clock, the whole facility will be open to teens, every night, late," Mr. Hughes said. "And I really think this is going to help us get the kids out of the parking lots and out of the cars and into a facility where they're around adults who care about them." He added, "We have a fantastic rec center, but it's not a place where you go and drop your kid off and say, "I'll see you in two or three hours." The Boys & Girls Club has a membership of about 1,500 today and the new facility will be designed to handle a membership of more than 2,000. "The current facility, if you get 80 to 100 kids in the building it's pretty maxed out," Mr. Hughes said. "The new facility would be able to handle 200 to 300 kids on a daily basis. "Even larger crowds could be accommodated for special events, by having kids gather in the gym," he said. "For the everyday needs of kids after school, somewhere in the 200 range is what we have projected, and this facility is designed for that, and potentially that many kids every day at summer camp." State's Gift The $400,000 contribution from the state puts the project within reasonable shooting range of its construction fund goal - though there is also the hope of creating an endowment to support the club into the future. "With this gift from the state, this puts us in the $4.6 million-range of pledges, "Mr. Hughes said. "In addition, we do have some offers of in-kind donations, which it's tough to put a price tag on at this time - but it'll certainly help us out when we go to build the thing." Mr. Frey said, "The project is over $4 million in capital costs, and they plan on raising an additional $1 million or more for an endowment. And they're well on their way. "We looked at this as, basically, 10% of the capital costs to help them out, and the governor was very supportive, which I'm appreciative of, "Mr. Frey said of the state's $400,000 contribution. He said that in looking at projects to help, the state looks to see "if there's a significant match of private money to public money; they like that. If it serves a broad portion of the community, they like that." Next Year Mr. Hughes said the club director's hope is to start building sometime early next year, after the fund-raising campaign's last "public" phase. "The campaign is going to go public on March 1. There'll be a big event at the Playhouse," he said. "…We hope to break ground very shortly thereafter." The public fund raising will build on a solid foundation that has already been laid, as organizers have lined up support. "Over the last year we've very quietly been pitching this idea to longtime benefactors and people, individuals within the community, foundations within the "The final phase will be somewhat of a grassroots effort to get support to finish the building." And when the new facility is done, Mr. Hughes believes, the Club will be able to offer more to members, and offer it to a broader swath of young people. "Third graders, fourth graders, they love coming here," he said. "Then they get to middle school, they start coming here a little less frequently." "The way this new building is designed with a place for arts and crafts, a teen room, game room these middle school kids, these high school kids will be able to come here Copyright, 2005, The Ridgefield Press
Boys & Girls Club of Redding Branches OutAbout a year ago, the Redding Boys & Girls Club decided to branch out beyond its traditional programs of baseball in the spring, basketball in the winter, and a few other sports programs in between. We wanted to offer more in the way of positive, constructive activities for kids - including opportunities for teens that have been so badly needed in Redding for so long. I'm happy to report that our efforts were starting to pay off. Here are some examples:
We're proud of the fact that we've found creative new ways to use our facilities and to build positive relationships with other youth-oriented organizations in Redding. But that doesn't mean we've forgotten our core sports programs for kids. To the contrary, our mainstay spring baseball and winter basketball programs have actually expanded to include:
When you count the number of kids in each of our programs, the total is well over 800 - and we manage to do it with one full-time and one part-time staff member, and a very dedicated group of volunteers. But we can't sustain this level of activity, and strengthen our range of programs for Redding's kids, without your help. This year, we've been very fortunate to receive grant money through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to be able to hire a part-time staffer and establish new outreach programs for more kids, including teens. We cannot count on receiving this kind of grant next year, or perhaps ever again. But we felt it was worth the effort to stretch beyond our traditional programs and develop a foundation to better serve Redding's kids, and the community as a whole. We hope you will agree that our expanded range of programs is a worthwhile investment in our kids. We hope you will support our efforts with a generous, tax-deductible contribution to help assure the success of these new programs in 2006 and beyond. Please help us make the Boys & Girls Club "a positive place for kids," Redding-style. Only about 60 percent of our annual costs is covered by the fees we charge the families for participating. The rest comes from the generosity of people like you. Remember, your contribution is tax deductible - our ID Number is 06-06-7880. (Art Poltrack - President, Redding Boys & Girls Club)
New Haven Boys & Girls Club Sports Make a DifferenceWhy are Boys & Girls Club Sports Programs Important? Program Director, Socrate Joseph and Sport and Fitness Director, Kenroy Woodhouse can tell you. During the summer, three main sports programs are helping children at the New Haven Boys & Girls Club on Columbus Avenue understand the full benefits a Boys & Girls Club can provide. The club supports 82 sports teams. New Haven teens and pre-teens enjoy the summer months by participating in baseball, RBI (Return Baseball to the Inner City) program, summer basketball and a unique track and field program. Baseball ProgramBoys & Girls between the ages of 10 – 12 can join this instructional baseball league which is sponsored by Major League Baseball. The club offers this program to any member who is interested in baseball, where they not only learn the skills of the sport, but also what it means to participate on a team and how they can help at home and in their community. The Boys & Girls Club also has a baseball league called “The Junior Minors League.” RBI ProgramThe RBI League is made up of four teams, and is doing extremely well as a “pilot” One important neighborhood that sponsored the New Haven Boys & Girls Club was Church Street South. About 800 people from the neighborhood get involved by supporting the club’s RBI League. The club has reached out in the neighborhood to create a stronger team. Summer Basketball ProgramThe club’s summer basketball program consists of 6 teams (10 children per team). This
program is 12 weeks long and is a favorite among the participants. The children like
it so much that they come early for practices (twice a week). Tutoring is not only
available before practices for all participants, but is strongly encouraged. Other ProgramsNew Haven Blazers Another activity is the New Haven Blazers, a winter basketball travel team which plays other teams throughout the state. The Fairfield County League is just one of the leagues that they play against. The New Haven Blazers consists of two teams (15 children on a team). This program provides a performance goal that can be achieved by only the more talented club athletics. Track and FieldThe club also offers track & field which consists of a 4 by 4 relay team and individual sprints. This unique program is offered to both teenage boys & girls. The team recently competed at the East Coast Invitational held at Duke University in North Carolina and came in 4th nationwide. It was a three-day event starting at 8:00 am and ending at 10:00 pm, so you can just imagine how difficult the competition was. Children from all over the world competed. The team learned how other children conducted themselves throughout the competition which helped them learn about different backgrounds. By competing at a college,the teenagers were exposed to “college” life. Member, Trevor Perry, has dedicated himself both mentally and physically by participating on the team through diet and exercise. This experience has brought him a better home life. Moving forward next year, the club plans to provide members with two more sport programs; one will be indoor soccer, the other volleyball. These programs can make significant differences in a child’s life by developing positive attitudes, by breaking down barriers and by using their skills as a volunteer. Athletics get teens involved! Thanks to the excellent support from parents, volunteers, the club staff and sponsors, the New Haven Boys & Girls Club’s sports programs are helping make a difference for kids.
New Haven Club Member Turns Doubters into BelieversTre’ Travis, a 13 year old was born with Poland’s Syndrome, a congenital abnormality of the chest wall that has left him without a pectoral muscle in his right chest and without a right hand. However, his disability doesn’t stop him from participating in the New Haven Boys & Girls Club basketball program or in life. His new friend Ty Palmer recently told his mom about Tre’ and how he was amazed at seeing how he played basketball. “He can do anything I can do” Ty told his mom. Tre’ plays hard with great passion and shows everyone he can play like any other player. Sometimes shy, Tre’ doesn’t let anyone know. He is very strong and determined to do anything. When Tre’ was much younger, his mom, Saige Tavaris Boyd, worried about how he was going to do the normal tasks like tying shoes, holding a cup, etc. But, somehow he achieved doing these things earlier than others his age. Tre’ even plays touch football, but his mom draws the line when it comes to contact Saige is very proud of her son, “he can do things that I can’t do with two hands,” she said. Tre’ is proud of himself for not letting people prejudge him. It took him awhile to be comfortable with himself with a lifetime of people staring and whispering, so it was a matter of time for everyone to get over it. About four years ago he received a prosthetic hand from the Shriners Hospital, but never wore it again after a week. He decided it wasn’t comfortable and it wasn’t him. Tre’ just figured out how to do things despite how difficult they were. Frank Redente, Jr. a truant officer in New Haven who runs the New Haven Boys & Girls Club basketball league has never met a kid with such heart, drive and determination as Tre’ before. At first he was worried about letting him play, but it didn’t take him long before changing his mind. It only took Tre’ about two to three minutes before making a 3-pointer shot without any difficulty. Frank recalls in one game he made eight straight points and got everyone, even the opposing team cheering for him as well. He proved to his teammates that he could pass, dribble and shoot and was just another player. Meriden Boys & Girls Club Receives State Budget MoneyThe Meriden Boys & Girls Club will receive $300,000 to help pay for the newly constructed pavilion at its summer camp. Gov. M. Jodi Rell visited the Lincoln Street Boys & Girls Club on September 22, 2006 to make the announcement. “I want you to know every dime you spend is going to be well-invested, well-spent,” said Rick Suzio, President of the Club’s Board of Directors. Rell’s urban initiatives will give all children a better quality of life, said Don Maleto, the Club’s Executive Director. The pavilion is at Camp Cuno on Beaver Lake Road and is a multipurpose, open-air facility used for summer programs since 2005. It includes a nurse’s station and picnic tables. The total cost of the project was $500,000, and this is not the first time the Club has received state dollars for it. In 2005, it received a $150,000 grant from the state’s general fund. Rell, a Republican running for reelection, spoke Thursday about how difficult it is to prioritize what projects receive money from the Bond Commission. The commission allocated the money to the Boys & Girls Club at its October 6th meeting. “When it comes to the children, there shouldn’t be any question,” Rell said. “It’s always great when you come here,” Mayor Mark D. Benigni said to the governor. It’s always great when you come with the dollars, too.” A group of young girls seated on a couch introduced themselves to Rell and asked to shake her hand. “They were very excited when they heard you were coming, and they sprang into action.” Maleto told Rell. “I was happy, Jacinda Vega, 8 said. It was nice to see the governor.” The girls told Rell what they liked best about the Boys & Girls Club, and presented her with gifts. Rell received posters with the girls’ handprints, a sweatshirt with her name on it and a lifetime membership to the Club. While many thanked Rell for her part in securing the $300,000, she made sure Meriden’s state representatives and senators, particularly Senator Thomas P. Gaffey, D-Meriden, co-chairman of the General Assembly’s Education Committee, were recognized. “It is the legislature’s delegation that always comes forward for the people and constituents they serve,” Rell said. “We always pull together and do what’s best for our hometown,” Gaffey said.
Christopher Zajac/Record-Journal
Governor Jodi Rell Visits the Boys & Girls Club of Meriden Governor Jodi Rell visited the Boys & Girls Club of Meriden recently to announce the awarding of a $300,000 bonding agreement with the Club for the completion of its new Laura Cuno Camp. The new girls’ camp completes the expansion to include girls which began in 1999 with the construction of a new addition to the Club. The girls’ camp is part of the Cuno Camp complex which also houses the boys’ camp. Local and State Representatives attended the ceremony which was coordinated by Executive Director Don Maleto. Club’s Assistant: “Giving Them the Sense of Empowerment”Paul Avery Hopes to Break Down Barriers in Club’s Program By Jeffrey Kurz – Record-Journal Staff Meriden – Paul Avery was diagnosed at an early age with Duchene muscular dystrophy, one of the most prevalent forms of MS that is characterized by rapid muscle degeneration. The disease affects males, about one in 3,500 worldwide, and is an inherited disorder. Paul’s brother, Patrick, has it as well. “One of the more cruel aspects of the affliction,” said Paul’s mother, Kathy Avery, “is that the muscle degeneration typically begins at the time when boys are just discovering their physical prowess.” Both of her sons were forced to use a wheelchair at an early age and were thus isolated from activities and socialization young people take for granted. For the past two years, Paul Avery has worked at the Boys & Girls Club of Meriden, supervising the game room and helping children with their homework. He’s now about to become an integral part of a new program at the Lincoln Street Club, one that aims to recruit children with any disability as members. The initiative will bring in “kids who really haven’t taken part in our programs,” said Don Maleto, the club’s Executive Director. “We’re hoping that that’s going to create sensitivity among our members,” he said. “And together they’ll pass along the positive experience they’ve had and have an impact on the community.” The “Inclusive After School Program” is thanks to a 15-month $7,500 grant from the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, which supports programs for disabled young people that focus on inclusion. The Meriden Club is one of just six in the nation, and the only club in the Northeast, to receive the grant. “I’m really proud of that,” said Richard Seethaler, a special assistant to the Executive Director who handles grant applications. “Hopefully, we’re going to grow it,” he said. Part of the grant is serving as an example. “We’re going to share our best practices with other clubs that want to do special needs programs,” said Maleto. Spurred in great part by their experience with Avery, staff members had been talking about starting a program for some time. “We knew we wanted to do something,” Maleto said. Early this year the club hired Shawn Porter as a Senior Program Director. Porter had worked for more than seven years at the Kennedy Center, in Fairfield County, as a therapeutic recreation specialist. Porter will be in charge of the new program. “It’s amazing how this all came together,” said Maleto. “Starting off we’d like to get a good half-dozen kids and hope the program will grow,” said Porter. Because the goal is to break down barriers between those with and those without disabilities, those with disabilities will be encouraged to participate in all club activities, including sports, arts and crafts, and the other clubs within the club. “Ideally, they’ll be just like any member of the club,” said Porter. “We want an inclusive program,” he said. “One of the titles of the grant is called ‘embracing inclusion’ – to get kids with special needs and those without special needs to hang out and have fun.” As the special needs program assistant, Avery will visit schools and parents with Porter to talk about the new program. Another special assistant is Elijah Rivers, a 27 year old who’s been coming to the Meriden Club since he was six. “Better than hanging out on the street,” said Rivers, with a smile. The muscle degeneration that forces Paul Avery to use a wheelchair affects his breathing and speech as well. That can make it initially difficult to recognize what becomes obvious once you start talking with him, which is that he is extremely intelligent. The 1997 Maloney High graduate has a degree in sociology from Southern Connecticut State University. Before joining the Boys & Girls Club, he had an internship with the Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership program in New Haven. “I’m living proof that handicapped people can make it through all the obstacles life throws at you,” said Avery. “I’m still a person with aspirations.” Avery, who is 28, controls his wheelchair with a small, joystick-like control. When he speaks, he jiggles the wheelchair back and forth, which helps gather the muscle power for speaking and breathing. The wheelchair, and his disability, can be a barrier and tends to make people “keep their distance,” he said. “It’s very hard for some guys,” said his mother. “People are scared.” Avery said he hopes the new program will help others feel “like they’re not outcasts, giving them the sense of empowerment that they never had.” Patrick Avery, Paul’s brother, graduated from Maloney in 1998, and has a degree in English literature from the University of Hartford. Kathy Avery said she worked hard to give her sons the kind of experience Paul hopes the new program will provide. As Paul put it, having “a social life and feeling a sense of empowerment and happiness.” “We just kept taking them places,” Kathy Avery said. “But I can remember thinking, I wish somebody was calling you and asking if you wanted to go here or there, and that just didn’t happen a lot,” she said. “Friends didn’t come easily,” said Paul. Now he hopes the new program will make it that much easier for others. “He always wanted to help kids who were disabled,” said his mother. More information about the “Inclusive After School Program” is available by calling the Boys & Girls Club of Meriden at (203) 235-8185 or via e-mail, to shawnporter@bgcmeriden.org. We are very excited about the possibilities this provides for our challenged youth in the Community. Along with a recent partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters we are reaching out to all segments of the community. Thanks for your hard work and support on behalf of the “movement”. (Dick Seethaler – Executive Director, Meriden Boys & Girls Club).
Paul Avery, center, sits with children in the homework room of the Boys and Girls Club of Meriden. Avery, who is confined to a wheelchair, is a special needs program assistant at the club. Boys & Girls Club of LNV Partners with Derby School to get $150,000 Grant for After School ProgramIrving School of Derby, in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley, received a $150,000 state grant for a new After School Grant program recently. State Senator Joseph J. Crisco Jr., Democrat of Woodbridge, announced the state Department of Education grant. The 2006 state budget allocated an additional $2.1 million for a competitive grant program to expand after school opportunities for children. Derby is the only school district in the Valley to receive the funding. The program will be conducted in the Irving School will serve approximately 150 students. The after school program is designed to keep youths off the streets and will include mentoring to help students do better in their academic work. The program will include an academic component, an enrichment component and a recreation component. Gov. M. Jodi Rell said, “By providing young people with a place to go after school, we not only offer positive experiences and directions, but we also keep more children off the street and assure working parents that their children are being cared for in a supervised environment.” This grant will help children in the town of Derby achieve their academic goals.
Boys & Girls Club of the LNV – “Girls Night Out,” May 20, 2006Want to know what a “Girls’ Night Out” is? It’s just what is says – a girl’s night out. Teens from the ages of 10 – 18 and their moms were invited to attend the “Girls’ Night Out” event on May 20, 2006, at the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Approximately 220 girls and their moms attended the event. This was a special program dedicated to girls, which included a dinner, motivational speakers and discussion sessions about careers and health. It gives girls and their moms a great time to spend together. The Keystone and Torch Clubs ran the event. Keystone Club President, Sharon Oates, was the Mistress of Ceremonies. Jack Ribas, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club welcomed everyone. Jade Anderson, President of the Torch Club, said the Club’s code and pledge of allegiance. Haley Corkery sang the National Anthem. As the night went on, Samantha Heins, Secretary of the Torch Club gave the invocation. Two key speakers were at the event as well, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and F.B.I. Director Kimberly Mertz. Other inspirational programs were presented during the evening;’ the “Status of Women Report” was presented by Ms. Michelle Noehren, Legislative Assistant Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and “Uniquely Me,” a self-esteem program, was presented by Mr. Christine Kennedy of Unilever Corporation. A poem (“In the Image of Her Mother”) was read by Chi-Chi Moono, a Keystone member. Amanda Cotela, SCSU Sophomore, 2001 Girl of the Year, gave a speech which was called “My Best Friend” and the winner of the club idol Tasia Nieves gave her “Greatest Love of All” speech. The most important thing about the evening is that everyone enjoyed themselves and had fun! “Thanks” to the sponsors of the event – Unilever Corporation, BIC Corporation, Tetley Tea Company, Underground Steppers, Staples, Shelton Youth Services, Sports uthority, Bridgeport Bluefish, David M. Grant Caterers, Keystone Club, Torch Club, Urban Souljaz Dancers, LNV Alumni Association, Community Foundation of New Haven and Go Girl Go’ Women’s Sports Foundation the evening was a great success.
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