Join a unique auction and culinary tasting event benefiting a great cause at the Global Gala 2009. In a culinary voyage, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix along with the Branch Development Board have put together a wide variety of enticing aromas and tastes for this event. Hosted at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix, the venue provides a perfect setting for this unique event.

Global Gala tickets are priced at $100 per person. To purchase tickets or sponsorship packages online visit this site. For more information, please call 602.954.8182 or email rpierson@bgcmp.org

Amy Gibbons, President and Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix was recently honored with the Leader of Distinction by the Organization of Non-Profit Executives at a luncheon on March.

Amy was nominated because of her ability to manage one of the oldest, largest and most respected Boys & Girls Clubs in the United States; her uncanny skill at motivating, inspiring and uniting staff, board members and volunteers; building new relationships through her very approachable and reassuring demeanor; and finding unique opportunities, new resources and forging new pathways to bring hope and opportunity to kids in our community who need it most.

Be sure to look for this month's issue of AZ Magazine. Amy Gibbons is highlited as a nonprofit experts leading through the downside. To read the issue online click here.

Congratulations Amy!

A planned gift can be of great benefit to a donor as well as create a legacy! Take Valerie, a retired high school teacher.

Valerie: “Over the past three years, the returns on my CDs have declined significantly. I have looked carefully, but just haven’t found any secure CDs with a good return rate.”

I called the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix and asked about a charitable gift annuity. I was very pleased to discover that based upon my age, a gift annuity would pay 8%. Plus, there would be a tax deduction and part of the income would be tax-free.

The charitable gift annuity was easy to set up, so I transferred $20,000 from a CD that had matured. I am delighted with my 8% annuity, and my CPA says that the charitable deduction will save me over $3,000 in taxes this year. With my tax savings and increased income, I plan to take a very nice vacation this year!”

Fixed payments for Valerie from the gift annuity are about two times what she was receiving from her one-year certificate of deposit – a win for both Valerie and our community’s kids!

For more information on how you can make a difference please call
(602) 954-8182 or email Brad Kuluris at bkuluris@bgcmp.org.

Kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix will also have an opportunity to learn about this at the Go Green Fair. The event will be held on Friday, April 17th, 5-7:30pm at the Jerry Colangelo club, 1755 N. 34th Ave. in Phoenix.

Participating vendors include Electric Car Outlet, Stub Hub, City of Phoenix Water Services, Energy Pro Az., XTreme Scooters, The Desert Center and Audubon Center. Over 100 club members will be in attendance and have a chance to examine fellow clubs’ experiments and speak with various vendors about things such as solar energy, water cleaning, forest sustainability, and the science of the electric car.

The new generations will learn about taking care of our planet in everything they do!

The grand finale to Boys & Girls Club Week was the "Club in the Park Triple Play Festival" at Encanto Park/Amp Island on March 28, 2009.

Community organizations such as Shine Mobile, Suns Toyota Truck, Wellcare Foundation, The Bead Museum, Maricopa Colleges and Valley Metro were invited to set up a booth to share their information. Over 600 people from the clubs and community came out to participate in core area activities and enjoy snacks, beverages, raffle prizes, singers, inflatables, Folklorico dancers and a DJ.

Thank you to the staff, volunteers, and community members for an AWESOME day!

Club kids across the Valley participate a wide variety of programs at the Club everyday. For more information on celebration activities and times call the Club nearest you.

April 15
Five youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix will be recognized for their achievements on Jackie Robinson Day at an Arizona Diamondbacks Game. They will have the unique opportunity to walk on the field while being recognized and Kieckhefer Branch Youth of the Year Blaine Rutledge will sing the National Anthem during the game...a once in a life time opportunity!

April 30 - May 4
Youth of the Year candidates of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix will have the unique opportunity to travel to San Diego as a culmination to their Journey Program. They will have a chance to play on the beach, visit Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

May 2
All boys grow up, but it is important to prepare them for manhood. Passport to Manhood addresses issues young men are facing and provides them with correct information. An organization-wide conference will take place on May 2nd and bring young men from all 12 Clubs into one location to teach them about self esteem, conflict resolution, fatherhood, and more. The conference will take place at the Ed Robson Family Branch.

May 6
Golf is a great sport for many and a hobby for others. Club kids will have an opportunity to learn about golf in a fun way as they participate in the First Tee Challenge. The challenge is the conclusion of a spring golf program for kids to get involved in golf...who knows, maybe we'll find the next Tiger.

May 8
It is hard enough to know what to study, let alone determine your career path when no one at your home has attended school. Children will receive the support they need at the Pizza With The Pros event. There they can hear from a variety of career mentors and determine what to study, what kind of jobs to expect, and how to get there. The event will take place at the new Jerry Colangelo Branch.

There are a variety of other activities going on throughout the month. Call your local Club for more information and a complete schedule.

35TH ANNUAL TASTE 2009
April 26, 2009
Kierland Commons

GLOBAL GALA 2009
May 16, 2009
Arizona Center

For more info on these events, call (602) 954-8182 or visit www.bgcmp.org 

Kid of the Month Delana Moore

Delana Moore has been a member of the I.G. Homes Branch since she was five years old. At the Club, she participates in many of the sport programs including Girls Volleyball, Co-Ed Flag Football and Co-Ed Softball teams. Along with our sports programs, Delana is also a member of the I.G. Homes Keystone Club which is a community service club within the Club.

Delana’s natural leadership abilities help her shine at the Club. Delana spends much of her time at the Club’s Teen Room, a place where she unwinds after school and hangs out with her friends.

Delana is proud to represent the I. G. Homes Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix as this month’s FSN Arizona Character Counts Kid of the Month.

Branch Development Board member and Secretary, Lauren Elliott Stine, has shared her passion for serving youth with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix since 2006.

For the past two years Lauren has served as the Auction Chairperson for the Branch Development Board's signature event, Global Gala.

She and her committee helped the Global Gala event raise over $75,000 in 2008.

With her leadership again this year the event is sure to be a success! Lauren is an attorney with Quarles & Brady LLP in Phoenix.

Her commitment and enthusiasm for our kids and our Clubs is inspiring!
Serving our kids is not just Lauren's passion, it's a family affair. Lauren's husband, Josh Stine, is the Branch Manager for our Spencer D. & Mary Jane Stewart Clubhouse.

Thank you Lauren for your leadership and dedication!