Discover the Magic: National Boys & Girls Club Week

Disclosure: Mom Central staffers Jessica Hogan and Amy Turner attended a tour of The John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton on behalf of Mom Central…

This week, April 15-21 is National Boys & Girls Club Week! Throughout the week, thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs are opening their doors and inviting the local community in to a catch a first-hand glimpse into all of the activities and opportunities that exist at their Boys & Girls Club. Clubs across the country are holding celebrations by offering picnics, open houses, sporting events and more.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America strive to enable young people to reach their potential as productive, caring citizens. Every day this week correlates to a different Boys & Girls Club theme, from Monday’s “open the door to academic success” to Thursday’s “open the door to healthy lifestyles”.

The Boys and Girls Club offers an after school alternative for latchkey kids and provides a safe, fun, and educational environment for children. The clubs provide children with a loving environment, giving them a sense of belonging to a community. Supported by enthusiastic staff members, children gain both confidence and lasting friendships through their experiences at the Boys & Girls Club.

This past Wednesday, my colleague Amy and I were lucky enough to get a tour around our local Boys & Girls Club, The John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton. We were greeted by two of the employees of the Club who couldn’t have been more passionate and enthusiastic about their work. They gave us a tour around the Club, and we got to see everything from the computer center where kids can work on school projects, to the kitchen where they hold cooking classes and the exercise room where dance classes are held.

It was great to see the extent of activities kids can participate in at Boys & Girls Clubs like this one, along with the amazingly supportive staff who works there. I encourage you to visit your local Boys & Girls Club this week to see what it has to offer, and to find out how you can benefit from (or even contribute to!) their services.

Mom Central