Club Closed Due to Inclement Weather
The Boys & Girls Club will be closed Monday February 20, 2012 due to inclement weather. This includes both the Waynesboro and Staunton Clubs.
Worm whisperer and worms aid Club in fight against childhood obesity
A worm whisperer is helping youth at the Boys & Girls Club with their latest venture – worm farming.
Why worm farming, you might ask? The Boys & Girls Club is the proud caretaker of 10,000 and more super and standard red wiggler worms. Steven Blair is the whisperer, and B&GC staff member Whit Caulkins works with Blair and the youth, to keep the worms well-hydrated and happy.
The worms were acquired last fall as a part of Project Grows, a multi-partnership between Augusta Health, the Boys & Girls Club, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, the Department of Social Services, Head Start, Mary Baldwin College, the Central Shenandoah Office on Youth, Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Valley Community Services Board, working to help to reduce childhood obesity in Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County. Read more
Partnerships create video on bullying
It started with an idea from a young man named Jeffrey Bowers at the Boys & Girls Club. He attended the National Youth Venture Summit in Orlando and thought there should be a video on bullying.
That idea grew. Cynthia Pritchard, executive director of the United Way of Greater Augusta, says, “Jeremiah Jordan contacted our office about an internship and loved the concept, and that came hand in hand with the receipt of the funding to do the video.” Read more
“Doing nothing” alternative to B&GC
When asked “If you weren’t at the Boys & Girls Club, what would you be doing?” the answer from one child among the December Youth of the Month winners was “I would be doing nothing.” Another responded “I’d be at home watching TV.”
The Boys and Girls Club presents great options and multiple choices for area youth. Youth of the Month winners enjoy sports, playing and power hour but the favorite option among them seems to be “we get to play.” Mariela Ruiz (8years old) attends Berkley Glenn and says she really likes to play. She was the December Youth of the Month for ages 6 and 7 – the perfect age to have the opportunity to play in a safe and supervised environment. Read more
Program teaches soccer to Club members
It was a cold January day, but it was also a Friday afternoon, and the youngsters at the Boys & Girls Club were getting restless.
Going outside on this wintry day wouldn’t mean basketball, as it usually does on the blacktop courts off East Main Street.
Waynesboro High School soccer players Eric Chandler and Matthew Burns were on hand to begin a new program aimed at teaching Club members the “beautiful game.”
“We’re here to expose the Boys & Girls Club to soccer, something that we grew up with, we love, to get them doing it, too. It’s a lot of fun,” said Burns, who coached one group of Club members, The Dominators, they called themselves, through a few drills before running a series of scrimmages. Read more
Boys & Girls Club marks successful Holiday Open House
The Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County raised more than $15,000 through its annual holiday raffle.
The Club marked the raffle on Saturday, Dec. 5, with a new twist – a Holiday Open House that invited members and their families to the Waynesboro Club location for arts and crafts, snacks and visits with Santa.
“We’re trying to reach out to the community and bring families into the Club,” Club Board member Emily Lucente said.
For Club President Tom Hardiman, involvement in the local Club is payback for positive experiences as a youth member.
The Boys & Girls Club “made a huge impact on my life,” Hardiman said, “and I know it’s making an impact on the young people in our community.”
“We like to say our slogan is, Great Futures Start Here. We’re looking for the community to help us help these youth in our community,” Hardiman said.
Giving Thanks
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving? That was the question we posed to several members of the Boys & Girls Club in Waynesboro this week.
“I’d have to say … well, my parents., because they’re very helpful. They care for me and all that … and my brother and my sister. They’re, like, there for me and stuff like that. I like how they’re always there for me. My mom and stepdad are always helping out with each other, making a team. We’re strong together. My family members, all together we’re strong,” said Tylik Mawyer, 12, a student at Kate Collins Middle School.
“I’m thankful for God because he’s the one that made all of us, and He’s the one that made this Boys & Girls Club. And I love the Boys & Girls Club,” said Rachel Obiro, 8, a student at Westwood Elementary School.
“I’m most thankful for my family … how my mom and dad love me, and how they take care of me and my little brother,” said Re’sun Stevenson, 9, a student at Wenonah Elementary.
“My family, and the people who give me the stuff for Thanksgiving. And my brothers. And my mom and my dad,” said Michaela Williams, 8, a student at Wenonah.
“I’m thankful for my family and my friends. And my three brothers and my sister,” said Shiona Hodgins, 9, also a student at Wenonah.
“Turkey! Turkey, stuffing and the rest of the food. Mostly my mom,” said Aalayah Hubbard, 8, a student at Berkeley Glenn Elementary.
Best Buy grant will aid Club Tech Center
A $10,000 grant from Best Buy will go toward the installation of a new Technology Center at the Boys & Girls Club in Waynesboro.
The grant, through Best Buy’s At 15 program, which is focused on community programs aimed at teens and adolescents, is the second in as many years to go to the Club from Best Buy, said Chris Ashby, the director of logistics at Best Buy in Staunton.
“We feel very, very fortunate that we’re able to work with the Boys & Girls Club again this year and provide them with funding,” Ashby said. Read more
Holiday Open House at Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County are hosting a Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 302 E. Main St., Waynesboro Boys & Girls Club location.
The Open House will feature arts and crafts, pictures with Santa, cookies and hot chocolate, displays of ornaments made by Club members that will be made available for sale, and a reverse raffle featuring a $7,000 grand prize.
The public is invited to the event. Raffle tickets are on sale for $100 each with a limit of 249 tickets sold. In addition to the $7,000 first prize, there will be two $1,000 winners and two $500 winners in the raffle.
For more information about the event, or to purchase a ticket for the raffle, call the Club at 540.942.4516.
Tickets on sale for Boys & Girls Club raffle
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County are currently selling tickets to their annual Holiday Raffle – with a grand prize of $7,000 and second and third prizes of $1,000 and $500 to a group of lucky winners.
The tickets are selling for $100 each – and will be limited to 249 buyers.
The winners – one $7,000 prize, two $1,000 prizes and two $500 prizes – will be announced at the Boys & Girls Clubs’ holiday event on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Waynesboro Boys & Girls Club location at 302 E. Main St.
For more information, or to purchase a ticket, call the Club at 540.942.4516.
