Season's Greetings from the Kids!Se
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This Month in a Minute...
- Fall Update from Ms. Elizabeth
- Join Us at the Fellsmere Club Ribbon Cutting
- Destinations Update: Teens Learn About Careers in Forensic Pathology
- New Cooking Program Serves Up Healthy Meals, Life Lessons
- Kids and Families Have a Scary Good Time at Fall Festivals
- Club Members Star in Video
- More than 270 Golfers Tee off in Support of Club Members
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The fall season is officially here and the Clubs are bustling with activity! Here are some highlights from October and November:
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-
3
Fall Festivals, one at each of our Clubs, were held for the kids and their families!
- 220
kids played sports at the Clubs, including soccer, swimming, flag football, rowing, and tennis.
- 50
girls participated in our
SMART Girls
program, which taught them how to eat healthy, stay physically fit, get good health care, and develop positive relationships with peers and adults.
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Our fundraising events got off to a great start with our 18th Annual Golf Tournaments! Thank you to all our golfers and sponsors this year. Next up is the Ribbon Cutting at our New Fellsmere Club on November 21st. We hope you will join us.
Also please mark your calendars for our Angels Dinner, to be held
Monday, March 2nd
at the Moorings Yacht & Country Club.
The children are tremendously grateful for your support of the Clubs. If you would like to see your investment in action, please call
772-299-7449
to schedule a tour of any of our three Club facilities, located in Vero Beach, Sebastian and Fellsmere.
On behalf of everyone at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving and holiday season.
Thank You,
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Elizabeth Thomason
Executive Director
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County
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Destinations Update: Teens Learn About Careers in Forensic Pathology
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Our teens are captivated by popular television shows like Criminal Minds and Crime Scene Investigation, which portray forensic science in a dramatic light. Actors in pristine suit jackets chase down bad guys and assess crime scenes with pinpoint precision.
As these types of shows continue to rise in popularity, we are finding that more of our teens are seriously considering a career path in forensics.
And so, on November 7th, we brought in Medical Examiner Investigator Merv Waldron, to speak to the teens about what it really takes to become a professional in the field. Mr. Waldron works for District 19, which encompasses a 4-county area along the Treasure Coast.
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The teens listened attentively as Mr. Waldron described how he approaches and assesses a crime scene, making sure to keep all potential evidence from being compromised.
After discussing the education level and skills necessary to become a medical examiner investigator, Mr. Waldron gave the teens an idea of what situations they would expect on the job.
He said that most of the 1,000 cases he sees each year across the Treasure Coast involve drug overdoses, particularly with counterfeit drugs laden with
fentanyl
. Suicides are also an increasing concern.
Mr. Waldron advised our teens to make healthy decisions, avoid drugs and alcohol and to always keep their honesty and integrity intact. "Doing this will serve you well in whatever career path you decide on," he said.
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Little Chefs Make Big Meals: Cooking Class Now Offered at BGCIRC!
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On any given day, nearly a dozen volunteers work at our three Clubs, helping out with tutoring, technology, coaching, etiquette and so much more. Volunteers bring their time and talents to create even more opportunities for the children.
This fall, we commend Alicia Cost, a dedicated volunteer who is taking her passion for cooking and sharing it with the Club members.
In October, Ms. Cost started offering a healthy cooking class for our seventh and eighth graders in the kitchen of our Vero Beach Club. So far, the kids have learned how to make pesto sauce, skillet mac & cheese, and their own waffles from scratch. Next week, Ms. Cost will teach the kids how to use knives to properly cut food, and they will prepare sesame chicken and vegetable fried rice.
Ms. Cost is a registered dietitian. She and her husband moved to Vero Beach from Charleston, Virginia, in 2017. While living in Charleston, Ms. Cost worked as a school nutritionist and piloted an after-school cooking program that involved children attending the local Boys & Girls Club. She now operates her own dietitian practice here in town but still finds time every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. to host her cooking class at the Club!
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"We know that healthy habits start at a young age," she said. "If the kids learn how to cook now, they are going to have that skillset when they become adults. They are developing the confidence to try new things and are less likely to shy away from certain foods if they are the ones preparing it," she said.
Ms. Cost brings an assortment of recipes, and the kids choose which ones they want to prepare. In addition to learning about measurements and using the proper utensils, Club members are developing teamwork, social skills and leadership.
"One of the highlights so far was when we made waffles," Ms. Cost said. "There was batter everywhere, and the kids went around in teams of two and made sure everything was cleaned up. They helped each other do the dishes. Overall, I'm very impressed with the kids. I am amazed at how helpful they are without a lot of nudging. I have to commend the Clubs for teaching them."
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Club member Ethan measures just the right amount water needed for the pasta
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Fall Festivals Were a Graveyard Smash for Kids and Families
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All three Clubs hosted thrilling Fall Festivals for the children and their families. Bounce houses, dunk tanks, sweet treats, and haunted houses were just a few of the
spook-tacular spectacles to be found.
Thank you to our sponsors: Christi's Fitness, Billy's Bounce House, Durfee's Heating & Cooling, LLC, and the Indian River County Sheriff's Office!
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Assistant Teen Director Mr. Doolin was the DJ for our Vero Beach Fall festival!
He kept the energy high by announcing our costume contest, limbo competition,
raffle and more -- a man of many talents!
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Kids line up for a chance to dunk Operations Director, Mr. Austin, in the dunk tank!
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The Indian River County Sheriff's Office generously donated bikes that we raffled off
to a few lucky Club members.
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The face painting and pumpkin decorating were a huge hit with the kids and families!
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Teens in our
Keytstone Club
helped the staff put up this bounce house, which was a central attraction at our Vero Club!
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Art Director Mr. Will in Sebastian transformed the Art Room into a
Haunted Laboratory for the kids.
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A park ranger, a leopard and a few characters from Dr. Seuss make their way into the Sebastian Club for a night full of festivities!
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Program Director Ms. Allie poses for a picture with her little Flintstone
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Happy Halloween from Fellsmere Club members!
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Club Members Star in Boys & Girls Club Video
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Interested in learning more about what we do at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County? Watch the video below to hear from the kids about what goes on in the Clubs on a daily basis and learn more about how you can get involved in our mission.
Thank you to Matt Fulcher with Sunrise Multimedia Productions for helping us put together this video. The kids enjoyed being part of it!
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Golfers Tee Off in Support of the Clubs
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More than
270
golfers participated in our 18th Annual Golf Tournaments! This year's tournaments were our most successful to date with a record number of players and sponsors.
Our Pro Am Tournament was held November 4th at John's Island West and our Nine Hole and Amateur Tournaments were held November 11th at Bent Pine Golf Club.
Please stay tuned for the final amount of support we raised for the kids. In the meantime, enjoy some of the photos and fun from this year's events!
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Thank you to our amazing sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor:
Coastal Hyundai
Drive Sponsors:
Publix Super Markets Charities, John Phillips, Paul and Kathy Severino
Pitch Sponsors:
Kim and Gloria Anderson, George and Georgia Davala, George E. Warren Corporation, Leyda Group at Morgan Stanley, and Bill and Judy Munn
Chip Sponsors:
Eric and Fuzzy Billings, John and Jeanette Corbett, Roger and Nancy Lynch, and Sebastian Insurance
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Sandy Johnson (Nine & Shine Chair), Muffe Metcalfe, Barbara Hathaway, Emilie Hinman
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Tee Sponsors:
1st Fire & Security, Inc, ABC Printing, All-Rite Water Purification, Ted & Debbie Berghorst, Jerry & Anne Blatherwick, Bobby's Restaurant, Campione, Campione & Leonard, P.A., Collins Brown Barkett Chartered, Custom Air and Heat, Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Ned & Sherry Ann Dayton, Marcy & Dick DeWolfe, Sue & John Dobbs, Steve & Edie Dubord, East Coast Lumber & Supply Co., Edlund, Dritenbas, Binkley Architects, Bill & Susan Friesell, Shelli Gordon in Memory of Bob, Bill & Anne Grealis, HBS Inc., Sherm & Barb Hotchkiss,
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Image 360, Jim & Sandy Johnson, Kmetz, Elwell, Graham & Assoc., Karol & Jerry Lynch, Roger & Nancy Lynch, Mills & Partners, Inc., Nelson Morgan Wealth Management, Noteworthy By Design, Jenny Pettinga, Precision Maintenance & Property Management, Proctor Construction, Nancy Puff, Premier Estate Properties, Trudie Rainone In Loving Memory of Don Rainone, Sailshade Structures, Dan & Mary Jane Somers, John & Karla Spooner, Star Suites by Riverside Theatre, Chris & Henry Talbot, Jean & Jim Ueltschi, The UPS Store #3214 at Miracle Mile Family Owned by Ben & Del Saltz, Vero Glass & Mirror, Vero Beach Global Advisors, Vero Insurance, WINJAC
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Winners of the Pro Am Tournament: John Hendricks, Maureen Hendricks,
Jonas DeWitte (Pro), Steve Lees, Patsy Lees
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John Bils, Bob Baggot, Chad Morrison, Trent Leyda (Golf Committee Chairman),
Darren Smith (Pro)
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Winners of our Third Annual Ladies Nine & Shine: Susan Lawrence, Louise Huber,
Judy Zern, Kate Freeman
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Winners of our Amateur Tournament: Steve Warhover, Bob Gibb, Dick Paulsen, Steve Dubord (BGCIRC Board Member)
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Golfers meet the Club members after the Amateur Tournament!
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See What's Up at the Clubs!
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Vero Beach
The
Power Hour
homework help program is a cornerstone at all three of our Clubs. Members must complete their homework before enjoying sports, art, games, and all the other fun activities we offer for the children.
Staff and tutors are always on hand to assist the kids. Here, Ms. Maria helps a Vero Beach Club member with his math homework!
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Fellsmere
The kids are improving their hand-eye coordination, building social skills, and getting some much needed physical activity after the school day.
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Sebastian
Sebastian Club members in our
SMART Moves
program are learning about gangs and the negative effect they have on individuals and the community.
In a small group activity, children in grades 6 and 7 researched articles written about gangs and presented their findings to peers!
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You Can Help! Here's How:
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Donate
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit. Because of the generosity of our local community, we are able to serve more than
1,200
Club members each year.
If you are interested in providing sustainable support for the Club, please contact Director of Resource Development, Phil Barnes, at
772-299-7449.
You can make a difference in the lives of our members in a variety of ways, including donating supplies, becoming a Business Booster, providing scholarship support, and much more. To make a difference today click
here.
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Attend
Participate in our special events!
Save the Date:
January 14th
- Chairman's Circle Reception
March 2nd
- Angels Dinner
April 24th
- Eighth Annual Bridge Tournament
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Volunteer
We are always seeking tutors, mentors, reading coaches, and caring adults to spend time in one of our three Clubs.
Need more information?
Email
or call Director of Resource Development, Phil Barnes, at
772-299-7449.
To view the banner used for this
e-newsletter, please click
here
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We appreciate your support!
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
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