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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

And he's imbued his
spirit across the community.....
Recently we shared an
article, A Christmas Wish, with you which addressed the "very
sad situation when so many children's reality is that he or she must
list some of the basic necessities of life such as shoes and a
blanket as what they wish for at Christmas. And although some of
these needs were noted by our membership in the past - this year we
realized a FAR greater need for the "basic necessities."
The community response
has been overwhelming; so overwhelming that tears of joy have become
daily occurences. Good Samaritans of all backgrounds come by the Club
to drop off blankets, pillows, food cards, shoes, jackets and toys.
My office resembles a combo Bed an Bath and Toy store.  Two
individuals have come by with $500 checks to spend on the children
who need it most. And an anonymous donor who lives in West  Los
Angeles sent a very sizable donation"after she heard about the
article. The Palos Verdes Young Professionals organized a special
Holiday Gift Card Drive and both National Charity League groups
in Palos Verdes had similar activities for the youth. Lastly a number
of businesses in the area have set up boxes to collect gifts for the
kids.
So
Thank you
messengers
of goodwill for bringing joy into the lives of children and a special
warmth into the hearts of all.

And to all, We wish you
and yours a very Merry Christmas....







Monday, December 5, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...


For many of us, the Holiday Season brings feelings of great joy. Thankgiving is a time where everyone takes a moment to focus on all the things they have been blessed with over the past year. Once the turkey is off the table we immediately set our sights on Christmas. And just as the holidays change so does our focus. We tend to forget about what we are thankful for and focus on what we want for Christmas. For most children that is the latest and greatest toy or perhaps a new video game or computer. But for some children, their Christmas wishes are for things that all of us take for granted in everyday life - clothes, shoes, a pillow, blankets, a bed to sleep in, money for the family... these are the real wishes of some of the members here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

We do not want to paint the picture that all our members are poverty stricken or begging for things; on the contrary, we would not be aware of these needs if it were not for a survey that was done throughout our organization about three weeks ago. The truth of the matter is times are tough for everyone and this Christmas will be especially tough for some families.

Let us take the time to continue to be thankful for our blessings but to also look for ways in which we can help those who need a helping hand. This December, I hope that this blog will be filled with stories of how the community came together to make this Christmas one of the merriest for all the children we serve.

Monday, November 28, 2011

And the Final Count... over 2,400 Thanksgiving Meals Served!


This year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor served the most Thanksgiving meals ever! Over 2,400 plates were served to the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington at 6 different dinners. We would like to thank all those who helped to make these dinners possible. Now with another Thanksgiving in the books, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor has set it sights on providing a memorable Christmas for all our members. If the response is anything like the generosity we saw at Thanksgiving, we know this will be a season our members will be talking about for years to come.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Wilmington Torch Club Holds E-waste Fundraiser


On Saturday November 19th, the Wilington Boys & Girls Club Torch Club, "The High Flyers," held an E-Waste Drive.  The drive was sponsored by Planet Green and All E Waste.  The High Flyers were collecting electronic waste to be recycled safely and responsibly to help the environment.  It was a great day as there were plenty of items brought in by neighbors and staff alike.  Everything from televisions to speakers and from computer towers to monitors.  We had a great time and hope to do it again in the future.

Joshua Johnson
Computer Center Coordinator
Boys & Girls Clubs of L.A. Harbor - Wilmington Branch
Phone: (310) 549-8323 ext. 233
email: jjohnson@bgclaharbor.org



Thursday, November 17, 2011

San Pedro Sites Give Thanks

Last night the Boys & Girls Club of San Pedro completed its second, jam packed, thanksgiving celebration. Tuesday night was set aside for teen and middle school members and their families. Last night was for elementary aged members and their families. Over 800 dinners were served.
 Board member Mitch Harmatz helped with serving dinners at the Tuesday night celebration. Tamara Powers, another member of the board, was in the kitchen helping with food preparation and Board President, Yvonne Bogdanovich, was also in attendance.

Ladies from the Palos Verdes Chapter of the National Charity League were on hand to help serve. They were also responsible for supplying all the turkeys and hams for both dinners.
In this photo a Marymount College Student prepares a dinner for serving. More that 20 Marymount College student volunteered to help with the dinners. 
240 Pumpkin pies were donated by Micheal Bonert.
Free family photos were donated by Kathleen & Isabel Bettencourt.
Live music was provided by the BGCLAH Staff Band.


A very special thank you to all the staff and volunteers that made these dinners possible. Without you we would not be able to put smiles on our members faces. Great job San Pedro! Now on to Wilmington for their dinner tonight!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Creating Color - Wilmington BGC Art Show

On Tuesday, November 15th, The Wilmington Boys & Girls Club hosted their 3rd annual art exhibit. This years theme was: "CREATING COLOR - an exploration of color through art and imagination."
The art work will be on display at the Wilmington Club until Thursday November 17th, between the hours of 12pm to 6pm. All are welcome.
 A special thanks goes out to the Sandra Tovar, the Art Director for the Wilmington BGC, for her dedication to the children of Wilmington. She has clearly shared her talents and has given the gift of art to the next generation of artist. Thank you!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Let the Feasts Begin!





Tonight is the first of 6 Thanksgiving dinners that the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor will provide to the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington.

Nov 15      5pm-7pm         San Pedro Boys & Girls Club Middle & Teen Center
Nov 16      5pm-7pm         San Pedro Boys & Girls Club Elementary Center
Nov 17-     5pm-7pm         Wilmington Boys & Girls Club & Teen Center
Nov 18-     5pm-7pm         Port of Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club
Nov 22-     5pm-7pm
                & 7pm-9pm       Dana Strand Boys and Girls Club

We welcome any cash donations to assist in the purchasing of food. 

Look for pictures and posts of the dinners over the next few days!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Alumni Come Home!

We are looking for all San Pedro Boys & Girls Club and Wilmington Boys & Girls Club Alumni! Go to www.bgclaharbor.org and click on the 75th Anniversary logo. There you get more information about how your club has grown over the years and you will have a chance to register as a club alumni. Please a moment to check it out!
 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

All BGCLAH sites will be closed Friday, 11/11/11, in honor of Veterans Day


Since 1991 when the Persian Gulf War erupted, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has partnered with the U.S. military to provide youth development programs and activities to the children of military personnel, giving families the vital support they need. 

Initially, military dependents were provided with memberships to traditional Clubs within their communities. Following the war, BGCA extended the partnership to provide support to Youth Centers on military installations across the United States and abroad.  

Today, virtually every military Youth Center is a BGCA-affiliated Club. This means that some 458,000 youth in 387 Youth Centers receive the same programs and curriculums Club members in our traditional Clubs receive. 

More than 70 percent of military families live outside military installations. Through funds provided by the Armed Services, military youth have access to a one-year, no-cost membership at a traditional Club.

Today, more than 15,300 military youth are served at 1,216 traditional Clubs.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Welcome to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor Blog!


Welcome! With this blog you will be able to stay up-to-date with all the great things that are happening at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor. For those of you who are not familiar with us, the BGCLAH is comprised of stand alone club sites, (San Pedro Elementary Center, San Pedro Middle School Center, San Pedro Teen Center, Wilmington BGC, Wilmington Teen Center, Dana Strand BGC, and the POLA BGC,) as well as 10 LAUSD after-school sites. Our organization provides youth enrichment programs in the areas of Arts, Athletic, Academics, and Character Building. Great to see you here and look forward to sharing all the great things we do!