Jasmen Gilmore grew up in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix and currently works as the Activity Leader at the Jerry & Helen Wisotsky/Peoria Branch. Jasmen's dream was to become a child psychologist someday, but she didn't know how she was going to afford the schooling to make her dream a reality.

Thanks to the University of Phoenix, Jasmen is able to pursue her dream. The University of Phoenix has donated full scholarships to extraordinary youth and staff at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. Jasmen is one of those extraordinary youth who will now have the opportunity to earn her undergraduate degree as well as a master’s degree if she chooses.

We wish to thank University of Phoenix for making their scholarship program available to Club members and staff. Thank you for the gift of education!

Summer fun heats up as thousands of Club Kids and their families celebrate Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids on September 11, 2009.

All 12 Branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix will host a day of fun activities for the entire family. Day for Kids was created to provide a day for families to bond, build stronger relationships, and to take a break from the stresses of daily life. Day for Kids is sure to be a welcome vacation not far from home for our kids and their families!

Contact your local Club for information on their Day for Kids event.

This summer, the kids are having a great time "beating the heat" on field trips that have taken them all over the country.

Some of the summer outings include a summer Education Camp at NAU, a vacation trip to Michigan at Camp Klinger, as well as Camp Swift and Camp Pearlstein in Prescott.

Later this month, members of the SMART Girls program will be heading off to Carlsbad, California.

A special thank you to the Lavidge, Lee, and Pearlstein families as well as NAU for making these opportunities possible!

The Board of Directors will host their annual Back to School Shopping event on Wednesday, July 19th. Over one hundred kids will be paired with Board Members for a night of dining and shopping for clothes and shoes to start out the new school year.

Each child will also receive a backpack full of school supplies. If you would like to sponsor a child for the Back to School Shopping even please click here.

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.

July 17
BGCMP 2nd Annual Film Festival
The 2nd Annual BGCMP Film Festival will be Friday, July 17th at UAT (University of Advancing Technology). The film categories are Foreign Film, Animated Film, Action Film, Comedy/Dramedy, and Documentary. The day will also include a tour of the UAT facilities, a viewing of last year’s films, big screen film trivia and lots of popcorn.

July 17th – 20th
SMART Girls trip to Carlsbad, CA
Eight strong, independent, SMART Girls from a variety of Clubs will be taking a trip to the west coast. The girls will visit a Boys & Girls Club in San Diego, spend a day with Shamu at Sea World and soak up the California sun with a day at the beach.

July 28th
Deuce Lutui Football Camp
Arizona Cardinal offensive guard, Deuce Lutui will be hosting 10 kids from our Jerry Colangelo Branch at his annual Youth Football Camp. The kids will learn from the best different football drills and skills and have some one-on-one time with the NFL star.

August 11th
Vision Screening at the Diamondbacks game
Keeping your eye on the ball can be a difficult task if your vision is impaired. On August 11th, Club kids will have an opportunity to have their vision screened and enjoy a Diamondbacks game at the same time.

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

Join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix cheer on the Diamondbacks and give our communities’ kids a brighter future. Purchase tickets to the Dbacks Vs. Padres game and a percentage will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix.

To purchase tickets, visit www.dbacks.com/groups
Enter log-in: bgcmp and password: kids

Save the Date:
Saturday, September 26th
Padres vs. Dbacks
5:10 p.m. Game time

Treat the family to Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre’s production of Disney’s High School Musical. A portion of the special $25 rate (normally $54) will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs. Use code BGCMP to receive this special price.

Valid Dates:
July 24th - 26th, 30th - 31st & August 1st – Twilight Showing
July 25th – Meet the Cast
July 26th, 30th & August 1st – Matinee Showing

To purchase tickets online click here.

Grab your clubs and join us for the 14th Annual Mayors’ Challenge Golf Tournament. Each year, the Mayors from the West Valley and local businesses come together to support the Tri-City West/Thornwood Branch with a day of golf, food, and fun. NFL Hall of Famer and Arizona native, Randall McDaniel will be playing as a special guest in this year’s tournament.

Saturday, October 24th, 2009
The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa
300 Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park
7:00 a.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. Shotgun Start

Greens fee, golf cart, range balls, and lunch are included. Sponsorship opportunities start at just $300. For more information on the tournament click here or call 602-954-8182.

Kid of the Month Erika Hinkle

Our FS Arizona Character Counts member is 9-year-old Erika Hinkle. She has been a member of the Club since kindergarten and an active one at that! She has participated in the Techathalon the last 3 years and this year her group took first place. She is also a member of the Zoom Science club and has achieved High Honors in the Learning Lounge (doing homework more days than anyone else!).

While at the Club, Erika participates in all areas but her favorites are the Gym and the Computer Lab. Erika always displays a positive attitude and has become a mentor to the younger kids by helping them work out problems when they arise. Erika's leadership and positive attitude makes her a strong role model to the other members of the Club.

Congratulations, Erika for being this month’s FS Arizona Character Counts Kid of the Month!

Each year, Valley organizations lend their best employees to become advocates for advancing the common good. These individuals are on loan to Valley of the Sun United Way for three months during the fall season, working in partnership with United Way staff to make a difference in our community.

This Fall, the Loaned Executives joined us as volunteers for our “Club in the Park” day. This event invites the community to experience the five core areas of the Clubs. The volunteers were fabulous and truly had a passion to help make this a great day for the kids.

We are thankful for our terrific partnership with Valley of the Sun United Way and want to specially thank the Loaned Executives who so passionately served the members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix.

Luke and Candice Waters spent many years volunteering and supporting Boys & Girls Clubs. They wanted to give back in a way that would help our organization fulfill its mission. At the same time, they were looking for a way to care for their family in the future.

LUKE: My wife and I heard that with new lower rates, now is the best time in years to set up a charitable lead trust. We could fund the trust with cash or stock and this trust would pay income to Boys & Girls Clubs for a number of years with the rest of the trust value going to our children in the future.

CANDICE: We liked the fact that our children would be well cared for and that we could see the result now of our gifts to Boys & Girls Clubs.

Luke and Candice were also pleased to learn that taxes on the gift to their children would be significantly reduced by the added benefit of a gift tax charitable deduction. After the income was paid to our organization, the remaining trust value would go to their family with very little tax owed.

LUKE: Candice and I found that by using a charitable lead trust we could accomplish our goals of helping both family and Boys & Girls Clubs during our lifetimes.

If, like Luke and Candice, you would like to set up a charitable lead trust to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, please call (602) 954-8182 or e-mail Brad Kuluris at bkuluris@bgcmp.org.