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News & EventsNovember 2014
In This Issue
Nov. 20 Edgewood Open House
Featured Youth of the Month
HALLOWEEN at the Clubs
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Edgewood's ENERGIZING Makeover
The $1 Million Dollar Kid!
BGCHC Wins Community Award
BGC Goes PINK
Thank You Harman's Farm
This Door Transforms Lives
 ...Take the Tour and find out how 
Interested in learning more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County?

Join us at our Edgewood Club Thursday, November 20th, at 4pm for a tour during our free open house event. 

Discover the Club's phenomenal renovations for yourself & Find out how you can help create a great future.

RSVP at: 
http://www.bgcharfordco.org/tour/
2002 Cedar Dr. Edgewood, MD 21040.
Join Our Mailing List
Featured Youth of the Month
WINDSOR VALLEY
Youth of the Month
**Sha'terra C.**
 
Sha'terra is a four-year member of our Windsor Valley location. Staff refers to her as a "maverick", because she is routinely expanding her boundaries, trying new things, and exploring the possibilities.

She is involved in several facets of the Club including SMART Girls, Teen programs, and Dance. Sha'terra takes the initiative to participate in activities even if her friends decide not to. She credits the Club with helping her meet her goals and to build positive relationships with other students. She sees Ms. Zipporah as her mentor because she feels she can talk to her about anything, and she will listen and help.

"The Boys & Girls Clubs is important to me because when I need help, I know there is someone there for me. I can study, do my homework on the computer, and stay healthy with dance and yoga."
 -Sha'terra, Age 11

HA
LLOWEEN 
AT THE CLUBS


Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County pride themselves in offering fun and safe Halloween experiences for our members and the greater community.  Between October 30th and the 31st, kids, young and old, from all over the county were enjoying an array of activities and special events available at our 5 sites.


AT EDGEWOOD...


The Torch Club helped to decorate the gym and organize the setup for the big party.  When the kids arrived, they got all dressed up and had a blast!  They could mummify themselves (with toilet paper), test out their bravery in a Fear Factor game (touch eyeballs aka grapes or brains aka tuna fish, etc.), get a little STEM action in by creating Frankenstein hands + spooky relays & other haunted games in the gym.  Our parents & staff were great too and brought in some wonderful Halloween treats for our kids.  


AT BEL AIR...


 We had parent volunteers and a nursing student join us. Torch club spent time creating a haunted Art Room to add a spooky touch and gave out candy to all those who dared to explore their haunted creations. The Torch Club and our staff did a great job making this a fun event for our kids! 

Special thanks to Domino's Pizza for donating pizza for our party and Club Parent, Micah, for bringing games on Demand for added entertainment.  

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
We believe that volunteers play a valuable role in transforming the lives of our Club members.  As little as one hour per week can make a positive impact on the life of a child.  Each Club offers opportunities to work directly with youth as mentors, tutors, sports referees and coaches, and teachers of games such as chess, pool, scrabble-or possibly ballroom dancing. If you have a special talent you would like to share- just let us know. The time of greatest need for volunteers is during the middle-to-late afternoon hours during the school year.

OUR NEED RIGHT NOW

We are Actively Seeking: 
Math & Reading Tutors
Food Servers

For the full list of our Volunteer Needs by Club Location, CLICK HERE.
Join Our Mailing List

Quick Links...


The Autumn leaves are awe-inspiring this time of year, but so is the amazing news we are sharing about Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County. This month we are excited to announce the incredible renovation of our Edgewood Club. Check out all of our highlights below to learn more about what we are doing to encourage, inspire, and support #GreatFutures.
 
Edgewood Club's "ENERGIZING" Makeover
They couldn't really see from one side of the gym to the other before the new lights were installed.

As a part of the ENERGY STAR Change the World with Community Service Tour, ENERGY STAR partner BGE, joined with other partners, Samsung Electronics, The Home Depot, and BEMO Energy Solutions to bring new positive energy to the Edgewood Boys & Girls Club and give the Club an energy efficiency upgrade and makeover. 

 

BGCHC provides after school care to about 4,000 kids, ages 6 to 18 annually, and membership costs only $20 per year so these upgrades will be making a huge impact on the members and community! The power of having three big brands behind this project helped immensely. A local furniture store, Gardiner's, donated furniture to the Club. C&J Contractors donated their time installing the new energy-efficient lighting throughout the club. The new lighting is projected to save the club $5,000 this year in utility bills. Art with a Heart painted a splendid mural in one of the classrooms and coordinated the painting of beautiful benches outside. The local grocery store donated food and dessert to the club for the family night unveiling of the project.

Volunteers helped to paint the entire club. BGCHC staff asked the kids to help select new themes and colors for the rooms. The kids chose various superheroes for each of the rooms.

Samsung donated three ENERGY STAR-certified TVs, a new refrigerator, and 10 new tablets to the club. The Home Depot helped with painting the club, as well as provided beautiful landscaping.

 

CHECK OUT ENERGY STAR'S UPLIFTING VIDEO ABOUT THE RENOVATION

 

Changing the World: BGE
Changing the World: BGE

 

Article Credit: The Power of Positive Energy by Kristinn Leonhart. 
The ENERGY STAR CURRENT: EPA's Blog to help you protect the climate by saving energy

 

$ The 1 Million Dollar 
Kid! $

Sean Hopper
The Million Dollar Kid
Sean, at our Bel Air Club, is very proud of his Club. Serving as a Club ambassador and always greeting visitors to offer a tour. He is a shining example of a kid on a path to a #GreatFuture. 

Harford County Public Schools first shared Sean Hooper's story when he was in 3rd grade; he wrote a paper, "If I Won One Million Dollars, I Would..." Sean shared he would give it to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County! 

Now Sean is a student at Bel Air Middle and still loves going to the Boys & Girls Club- especially playing pool in the games room and making new friends!  #WeLoveSeanHopper

BGCHC Wins 
Building Stronger Communities Award


 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County was recently honored with the Building Stronger Communities TOGETHER Appreciation Award from the Harford County Council and the Harford County Department of Community Services. We are humbled by this award and are honored to be a Community Development Partner, a partnership that allows us to continue making building renovations and enhancements, as well as constructing new family-friendly community facilities, such as the Vi Ripken Field at Ollie's Bargain Outlet Park in Aberdeen in partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.

BGC Goes PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness

In October, we had volunteers from United Way of Central Maryland's Day Of Action at each of our Clubs. Volunteers from Harford County Public Schools joined us at the Bel Air Boys & Girls Club for a Beast Cancer Awareness "Passionately Pink Party!" We had a wonderful time sharing stories, decorating cupcakes, and learning more about breast cancer from both adults and kids who shared their stories with the group. We concluded our party by making cards for loved ones and people who are currently battling the disease at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center. We made "I wanna make you smile" cards filled with lots of love from our BGC Smart Girls! The girls had a great time full of love, learning, compassion, and of course, FUN!
Thank You Harman's Farm

Our Club Youth received a special Halloween treat from Harman's Farm Market, who generously allowed our young ones to come visit their pumpkin patch over the last few weeks, and go home with their very own Halloween pumpkins! We are so grateful for Harman's generosity, and as a special thank you, we have made a tribute video about all the fun we had at the farm. 

Thank You Harman's Farm Tribute Video
Thank You Harman's Farm
Tribute Video

*SPECIAL* FEATURED WISH LIST ITEM 


This month, we are looking to BORROW a FLATBED 15-20 foot pull-behind Trailer for a special float building project to be used during upcoming holiday parades.  Also we are interested in finding volunteers to pull the float with their truck.

November's Featured Item to Borrow: 

15-20' FLATBED TRAILER
To See Our Full Wish List CLICK HERE