"If I didn't come to the Club, I would be stuck at home all day helping take care of my brother and sisters," said 11-year-old Sarabeth. "I'm glad I can come to the Club. I get to hang out and have fun."

With school out during the summer, the programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix (BGCMP) provide a big part of the intellectual stimulation kids need in order to develop properly, have fun, and enjoy childhood.

"I love the summertime because we get to go on a lot of field trips," said 9-year-old Rosalyn.

Daily field trips at the Club provide opportunities for kids to experience a diverse array of activities that help entertain and educate them. The Club also provides a fun and safe environment in some of our neighborhoods.

"The Club means a lot to me because it's like the only safe place for kids that I know of," said 10-year-old Courtney.

With activities each week day and now with some Clubs even open for the weekend the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix truly is a positive place for kids.

Thank you to all those who have contributed their time and resources to making the summer programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix a unique opportunity for our kids and a great help for parents.

To learn more about how you can help support the summer programs of the Boys & Girls Clubs and the youth that we serve, click here.

To help combat some of the negative trends in South Phoenix neighborhoods, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix has expanded the current teen program at the I. G. Homes and Herbert Kieckhefer branches. These two Clubs will provide a safe and fun environment with extended hours, weekend days, and teen-specific activities in communities that lack recreational programs for teens. And best of all, this program is FREE!

From June 18 through August, these two Clubs will stay open Saturday from 6-10 p.m., Monday through Thursday until 8:30 p.m. and Friday until 10 p.m.

The addition of extended hours on Friday and Saturday reflects a great need in this South Phoenix community. With school out for summer and negative activity on the rise, the Club is providing fun and safe activities for teens. To help keep the youth engaged, programming will emphasize inclusive, fun-filled evenings with dances, movies, music, games, and sports such as volleyball and basketball. Special activities will be featured during Fridays and Saturdays. Free dinner will also be provided to all participants.

If you are interested in volunteering at our teen centers or if you would like to contribute to this program, please call us at (602) 954-8182.

Real golfers don't mind the heat - and they love the challenge of the game. If you're one of these golfers, then join us for the hottest event on grass this July.

You can golf and challenge your buddies to help out the kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. Here are the details:

When: Friday, July 27, 2007
           6:30 a.m. cool registration
           7:30 a.m. shotgun start
Where: The Legacy Golf Resort, 6808 South 32nd Street, Phoenix Arizona
Cost: Individual $125, foursome $500, tee sponsor $300.
Additional Info: Green fee, golf cart, range balls, lunch, and award festivities are included.

Participate in the hottest game on grass this July...hey, it's for the kids! To register, download a form by clicking here or call David Mann at (480) 242-8310.

Kids at the Herbert Kieckhefer Branch recently had a chance to sit down and talk to a former Club kid when Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Rose visited the branch.

The purpose for Jalen's visit was to make a $10,000 donation to the educational programs at the Kieckhefer branch.

Jalen, the self-proclaimed "Rose that grew on concrete," also delivered a motivational speech encouraging the kids to stay in school, pursue their dreams, and work to achieve what they desire. Jalen shared with the kids how his Boys & Girls Club helped keep him off the streets and provided him with a safe place where he could play basketball and participate in other activities.

Thank you Jalen Rose and the Jalen Rose Foundation, for making this donation and for recognizing the importance of supporting kids to achieve their dreams through education and hard work.

Close to 200 Club members had a chance to experience first hand the power and science behind physics as the Physics Factory made a stop at the Gabel and Rosenzweig Branches.

The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with students, teachers, and the community. Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping stage shows, the Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention and offers a rewarding career.

Through a series of fun and interactive experiments, kids at the Clubs learned about the structure of atoms; the structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions, motions, and forces; and the conservation of energy among other topics.

Summer is a busy time at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix with daily field trips. Contact your nearest Club for a list of daily field trips. The following calendar of events are samples of activities at the Clubs: 

Tuesday, July 10
Members from the Tolleson Branch will visit the Phoenix Art Museum, where they will have an opportunity to see exhibitions of the top 1930's dressmakers, painters, cartoonists, and New York photographers.

Friday, July 13
Kids at the Warner A. Gabel Branch will have an opportunity to experience the amazing Craig Davis Comedy, Magic, and Juggling Show. The presentation will be a fun-filled and highly entertaining show, packed with audience involvement and lots of comedy.

Tuesday, July 24
Ronald McDonald will make a special visit to the Glendale Branch for a meet-and-greet opportunity. Ronald McDonald will give a 30-minute show and perform several magic tricks for the kids.

Wednesday, July 25
Glendale Branch members will have a unique opportunity to see how a stuffed bear is created when they visit the Stuffington Bear Co. in Phoenix. Kids will learn what goes into designing a bear, and how the materials are cut, assembled, and then stuffed.

Call your local Club for more information and a complete schedule.

HOT LINKS GOLF TOURNAMENT
Friday, July 27, 2007
Legacy Golf Resort

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS "DAY FOR KIDS"
Saturday, September 15, 2007
All 10 branches will host different activities

12TH ANNUAL MAYORS' CHALLENGE GOLF TOURNAMENT
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Wigwam Resort & Golf Club

TODAY'S KIDS, TOMORROW'S STARS - CELEBRATING EXTRAORDINARY YOUTH!
HONORARY CHAIR BUD SELIG, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COMMISSIONER
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Arizona Biltmore Resort

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

Kid of the Month Jessica Fajardo

FSN Arizona's Character Counts Kid of the Month is 9-year-old, Jessica Fajardo. Jessica attends the Harry & Sandy Rosenzweig Branch, loves dogs, and is very serious about basketball.

Jessica’s father says she is so serious about basketball that as soon as she gets up in the morning, she’s outside dribbling and practicing before school. In school, her favorite subject is math, but her mind is never far from basketball.

Jessica enjoys all areas of the club, but she can’t wait to get on the court and start playing. She is very proud to have been chosen to represent her club as one of the FSN Basketball League All-Star players. She admires and credits her coach with teaching her some of her new basketball skills. Jessica is hoping to be a very successful basketball player when she grows up.

Congratulations to Jessica, the FSN Arizona's Character Counts Kid of the Month!

Christina Volanos has been volunteering at the I. G. Homes Branch three days a week for the past three years. During her visits, Christina helps in all the different areas of the Club. While volunteering, she brings with her an energy and excitement about the Boys & Girls Clubs programs that she imparts to all the kids she works with.

Christina enjoys assisting others in the learning center during Power Hour, when she spends time helping kids with their homework. She strives to give the kids the extra attention they need to succeed in school. When she is done assisting others with homework, Christina helps staff members serve dinner to all the kids. As if all of this was not enough, last basketball season she coached two teams to ensure that all kids could have the opportunity to play. She is always ready to jump in and help out wherever she is needed and that is just one of the skills that makes Christina so remarkable.

Christina has four children who attend the I. G. Homes Branch, and she really enjoys giving back to the club and working with all the kids. She has a great relationship with all of the kids at the club, and they really respect her and appreciate all that she does for them.

Trina White, Branch Manager at Homes, says “Every time I have called her for help, she has been there.” It is this amazing, generous spirit that makes Christina Volanos such a valuable volunteer.

Thank you, Christina, for all that you do to help make the Boys & Girls Clubs The Positive Place for Kids!!

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering please visit our website at www.bgcmp.org or call Teresa at (602) 343-1210.