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News & Events October 2015

In This Issue
This Door Transforms Lives
 ...Take the Tour and find out how 
SIGN UP TODAY!
TOUR THE CLUB AFTER WORK!

Interested in learning more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County?

Join us at our Aberdeen Club, Thursday, October 29th, at 4 pm for a tour during our free open house event.

The Aberdeen Club has been selected as a STEM Center of Innovation. Big changes are coming soon! Check out the progress we've made so far.

Discover the Club's phenomenal programs and services for yourself & find out how you can help create a Great Future. 

RSVP at:  
100 E. Bel Air Ave.

Join Our Mailing List
Featured Youth of the Month
EDGEWOOD CLUB
Youth of the Month
**Lyric J.**

Meet Lyric, a six-year old with profound leadership skills. Despite being one of the youngest Club members, Lyric demonstrates to her peers how to be a role model. She knows how to raise her hand and not speak out of turn. She respects the staff and her friends. She also watches her fellow Club members and advises them on Club rules.
Lyric enjoys spending her time in the Arts & Science room and in the STEM lab for Junior First Lego League. She credits the Club for helping her to understand that you are responsible for your own actions and there are consequences. While Lyric has been a Club member for a mere 6 months; her social skills and grades are already reflecting the impact the Club has had for her.

"I can go to the Club after school and eat good food and do art projects in Ms. Deborah and Ms. Ally's room. Ms. Ally is the staff that helps me most, her room is so fun to read and play in."
-Lyric, Age 6
Only $84 per Month

Just $84 dollars a month provides 1 child with an entire school year of Boys & Girls Club services & activities. 

Because of your support- Kids like me can become engineers, scientists, teachers, or whatever we want!


 

"There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up." 

-Bernard Meltzer


Donors who pledge $84 dollars a month or an annual pledge of $1,000 dollars are qualified to become a Violet Society Member.

Join Our Mailing List

The Amazing Adventures of...
Teddy Bear Sean!
 
Our furry friend knows how to have fun!


Backpacks, Burgers, and Brews! (Oh my!)
Harford Roundtable held a fundraiser at MaGerk's in BelAir to collect backpacks and school supplies for our youth. Thank you for your support and to everyone who helped in creating a mountain of backpacks and supplies!
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Halloween  at the Clubs

Edgewood-  Oct. 29th
We are throwing a party! Shoprite is helping to celebrate Halloween with the Edgewood community. Don't forget to enter the costume contest!

ABERDEEN- Oct. 30th
Aberdeen will be hosting a Trunk-&-Treat. There will be music, trick-or-treating, and a haunted Club-house. The entire community is invited.  

BEL AIR-  Oct. 30th
Bel Air is hosting a Trunk-&-Treat for all their kids. There will be plenty of candy and fun. Be sure to bring your friends!

Windsor Valley-  Oct. 30th
Windsor Valley is taking their Club kids to visit Valley of the Haunted! Prepare to be scared. 

Havre de Grace-  Oct. 30th
Join us for a Halloween Art Show! Check out some amazing projects by our Club kids. 


Quick Links...



Welcome to October! It's sure to be spooky with the promise of a good scare at Valley of the Haunted. We love Halloween at the Clubs and can't wait to celebrate. Check the "Halloween in the Clubs" post to see how a Club near you is spending Hallow's Eve. We wish everyone a Happy Halloween. 

Between planning out our brand new STEM Center of Innovation and launching several new programs Club wide, there is never a dull moment at Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County.

Read on to discover more about our Clubs and check out all of our highlights below to learn more about what we are doing to encourage, inspire, and support #GreatFutures.

Valley of the Haunted

Do You Dare Enter the Trail?

Valley of the Haunted opens this weekend! All attendees help to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County.  The trail is full of twists and turns with frights lurking just around every bend. We dare you to visit Topher, he's been waiting. Topher hates waiting.

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Dare to Be Scared?

The trail will be open for 3 terrifying weekends! October 16th - 18th, 23rd - 25th, and 30th-31st. Gates open at 6:30pm. VIP Zombie Fast Pass - $30, General Admission - $20, and Little Haunts on Sundays - $5. Tickets are on sale now! Be sure to check our Facebook Page for all the updates. 

Visit  Valley of the Haunted  to purchase tickets, check schedules, and learn the history of the haunted trail.

~UPDATE: STEM Center of Innovation~
Big Changes Are Coming

After being named one of 6 STEM Centers of Innovation in the world by Raytheon, our plans for the redesign have been submitted to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and we are working with them to finalize some of the main design challenges. We are planning to unveil the room in late November. Raytheon has just announced they will be providing each Center of Innovation site with another $13,000. The updated space will be filled with new technology, furniture, and tools to further sophisticate our STEM program. We are targeting our teen Club members; teaching them new skills to interest them in a STEM career. 

Nick, a Club member at Aberdeen, describes his ideas for the new STEM Center of Innovation.


Harford Awards
The Night the Stars Come Out

A huge congratulations to all the recipients this year of the prestigious 2015 Harford Award. Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County was honored to receive the highly competitive Non-Profit Award last year. 

The recipients of 2015 include:
Leidos

View our video from 2014


Girls Go Global

"Oh gross! I'm not doing that!" 

But some of the girls at our Havre de Grace and Aberdeen Clubs changed their mind and tried LifeStraw, an innovative water filtration system that makes H2O contaminated with bacteria and protozoa safe to drink (we just used a little dirt).

The activity is a part of Girls Go Global, a new STEM program at our Clubs that allows female members to explore the challenges faced by people around the world as they meet their basic needs of food, shelter, and water. A lack of clean water is a huge problem--with one child a minute dying from water borne diseases. The LifeStraw is one example of a solution that creative engineers have invented. We're building our skills so we can find others!

These ladies are from the Aberdeen Boys & Girls Club testing the LifeStraw.

See more photos from our Havre de Grace Club  here . Be sure to check our Facebook page for more updates on Girls Go Global!



Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County has Partnered with United Way of Central Maryland for Read Learn Succeed.  

57% of 3rd graders in Maryland can't read at grade level.
 
In Maryland alone, over 50% of our 3rd grade elementary students cannot read. It's easy to believe they can catch up--it's only 3rd grade, but these poor readers in 3rd grade alone are 4 times more likely to drop out of high school. When they enter 4th grade they will be behind their peers in all subject matters. Simply because they cannot read the material. 
 
How can we prevent illiteracy? 
At the Clubs, we strive to have every Club member reading on a third grade level by 3rd grade. Read Learn Succeed, in partnership with United Way of Central Maryland, encourages our youth to read an hour a day, with a friend, a parent, or at the Boys & Girls Clubs. Just one way we Inspire Great Futures.

Pictured at the right are youth at the Edgewood Boys & Girls Club, each reading a good book. At all the Clubs, we promote reading and discovery everyday. 


Read Learn Succeed
Read Learn Succeed

CASTING CALL

Feeling Scary? Volunteers needed...



We're Building a Community Garden
COMING SOON! The Aberdeen Harvest of Hope Garden- a new community garden project in Aberdeen. Located within a food desert- an area that lacks access to healthy affordable foods- the field behind our Aberdeen Club site will be transformed into a flourishing community garden and outdoor learning lab, providing community members with access to land and affordable fresh healthy produce. The garden will consist of individual/ family plots utilized for the purpose of food production, teaching gardens, and an outdoor learning for our Club members. The mission of Aberdeen Harvest of Hope is to increase access to local and affordable healthy food choices in the community. In the long-term, we expect improved health outcomes and increased community engagement. Our plans call for construction of the garden in Fall 2015 to be open in early Spring 2016, and we can use your support.

There are many ways to get involved, from volunteering in the garden to Eagle Scout project opportunities. For more information contact our AmeriCorps VISTA, Anne Otih, vista@bgcharfordco.org or 410.272.0010x15  

GARDEN WISH LIST ITEMS 

To See Our Full Club Wish List CLICK HERE