The Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the election of Richard E. Wegryn, Jr. of Philadelphia as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2008.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the election of Brett Matteo and Chelsea Badeau to the board of directors, effective July 1, 2008.

On June 26, Jungle Joe of Animal Junction came to the Bridesburg Club to teach 36 preschoolers from the lil' Clubhouse program about animals. He brought different animals with him, telling the kids where it came from, what it eats, how it survives and other fun facts. The Bridesburg kids also learned about the importance of protecting animals and animal safety.

Lady Ashley Byrd, a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia, has been named the 2008 Youth of the Year and received a $1,000 scholarship for college.

On Friday, June 20, Phillies pitcher JC Romero hosted 25 kids from the Officer Lauretha Vaird Boys & Girls Club at Citizen Bank Park as part of his "Romero's Rookies" program. The kids were treated to tickets, food coupons, and invited to batting practice to meet Romero. Thank you to JC Romero and the Philadelphia Phillies!

On Monday, June 9 BGCP's Summer Camp 2008 began, which will run until September 5th. The Boys and Girls Clubs Summer Camp will host approximately 2,500 children each day. Our camp is divided into two programs Pre-school and school age. They attend age appropriate trips such as Sesame Place, Garden State Discovery Museum, Storybook Land, Longwood Gardens, Mountain Creek Waterpark, and Adventure Aquarium. Some of the activities that our school age children participate in are dance, computers, tennis, golf, swimming, science, art and much more.

The Gala on the Green charity auction held on June 1 as part of the 10^th Annual Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk raised nearly $300,000 to support Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. The Exelon Invitational is the Philadelphia region’s only professional golf event.  The live auction, emceed by CBS 3’s Beasley Reece, alone raised over $120,000.  Thank you to Jim & Tabitha Furyk, EFK Group, Exelon, CBIZ, Susquehanna Bank and Wealth Management, Barclay Prime and all of the donors for making this year's event the best ever.

On Wednesday, May 21^st the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia hosted its’ annual media luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We recognized the police department for their continued support, received a donation of $40,000 from University of Pennsylvania Wharton students, and honored Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett for his commitment to the community.

Children from the Germantown & Nicetown Boys & Girls Clubs participated in the First Bloom Project, a new environmental program of the National Park Foundation that teaches children about nature through planting and gardening projects. The program is designed to teach youth about protecting fragile eco-systems and raising gardens in their own neighborhoods. The group planted marigolds, hydrangeas, and other plants behind Carpenters Hall on Chestnut Street.

Fighting for Philly Kids, a non-profit organization established by Wharton MBA students, has raised $40,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia during its Philly Fight Night. Wharton student, Chris King-Sidney, is presenting a check to Jeffrey Waldron, Chief Professional Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia.

On April 5, the Boys & Girls Clubs hosted the 26th annual "Touching A Life Gala" at the Ritz Carlton, honoring former BGCP Chairman Michael Pollack.  We would like to thank Mr. Pollack, our sponsors, EFK group and everyone that contributed to the evening.  The Latin-themed event was a huge success and over $190,000 was raised!

A senior at Philadelphia High School for Girls, Lady Ashley Byrd, has been a member at the Nicetown Boys & Girls Club for 3 years. Lady Ashley is an aspiring journalist and wants to travel the world. She expresses herself through poetry and has been published in her school's newspaper.

Congratulations Lady Ashley!

On April 22, ACE Cash Express District Manager, Scott Garber, donated $2,000 to the NE Frankford Boys & Girls Club. The ACE Community Fund is dedicated to support charities that help children, support education and promote financial literacy.

Thank you ACE!

A two-year member of the Germantown Boys & Girls Club, Elliot Mason has won a scholarship from the Hank Aaron Chasing The Dream Program. Elliot joins Boys & Girls Club of America members from across the country selected because of their talent in fields such as music, dance, art, science, literature, and athletics.  Elliot is an avid saxophone player and has been practicing since he was five years old.

Congratulations Elliot!

From the beginning, with hilarious entourages, until the very end, with a brutal knock-out, the students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the Penn Law School came together to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. A full house of energized students kept the crowd going all night. The event is expected to raise close to $40,000.00! The Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia would like to thank the fighters, the organizers, especially Chris King-Sydney, the Legendary Blue Horizon and everyone else involved with making Philly Fight Night a fantastic event.

We are excited to announce the Gala on the Green charity auction as part of the 10^th Annual Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk. The Exelon Invitational is the Philadelphia region’s only professional golf event. Top-Ten PGA Tour Professional, Jim Furyk, hosts this annual event to give back to the community in which he grew up.  The Gala, part of a weekend of golf festivities, will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at The ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, just a few minutes outside of Center City Philadelphia.

We are pleased to announce that the Philadelphia Foundation and the Non Profit Finance Fund have approved grant requests from BGCP to provide funds to underwrite the cost of a comprehensive market study for the agency. The prestigious Philadelphia-based consulting firm, Schultz and Williams, has been hired to conduct the study, which will assess the organization’s impact currently on children and youth in the city, and what needs must be met in the future if we are to continue to be this area’s premier youth development organization. The results of the market study will be used by the BGCP Board of Directors as the springboard for a comprehensive capital fundraising campaign that will be initiated in the next two years.

Al Mollica began on January 7, 2008 as the new Chief Development Officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Al comes to BGCP with over thirty years experience in the nonprofit sector with a variety of organizations, including Cabrini College in Radnor, >PA and the American Red Cross in Wilmington, DE. Al was born and raised in the Norristown, PA area, so he also brings an understanding of the "Philadelphia culture" to the position. On behalf of the Board, staff and the children that we serve, all of us wish Al the best of luck in his efforts to secure funding to support BGCP’s important youth development programs.

Another new face at the Boys & Girls Clubs is the Development Assistant, Melissa Ali. Melissa is a graduate of Rosemont College. She has over six years of experience working directly with children and has a passion for helping in needy communities. She hopes that her work with the agency will provide a happy, healthy, and positive place for the youth in Philadelphia.

It is our responsibility to provide a setting that is both supportive and challenging, where youth feel safe to explore their talents and preferences, learn to develop social skills and maintain friendships. In order to keep this positive atmosphere, the buildings in which our clubs operate must be in good condition. Environments for our children must be clean, safe, and encouraging. If proper funding is granted, the kids at the Northeast Frankford Unit can utilize more space in the building and not worry about an unstable roof. We have reached out to Connelly Foundation and others for funding assistance for this vitally important capital improvement project.

StubHub Donates 4 tickets to the Upcoming Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana Concert to Deserving Youth

Striving for success, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia - West Kensington Unit is one of 30 Clubs nationwide to receive a grant from MetLife Foundation to execute the Goals for Graduation Best Practices School-Site Program, a national initiative of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) designed to help students improve academically and reach their full potential.

On Tuesday, November 6, Villanova University Men's Basketball Team opened its season with an exhibition game against Bloomsburg University.  To help benefit the community, Head Basketball Coach Jay Wright and the Villanova Athletic Department arranged for half-price tickets for sponsors who would then donate the seats to a community organization.  Peter Armstrong, a Villanova Alumni and Board Member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, spearheaded an effort to get BGC youths to the game.

As many as 200 low-income children now have a great new place to learn and have fun after school, thanks to a historic partnership between the Philadelphia Housing Authority and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. With excited, newly enrolled children at their side, leaders of both agencies officially opened Boys & Girls Clubs at two PHA sites, with plans to do even more.

Hurricane Noel recently wreaked havoc on the small island of Hispaniola, killing at least 122 people and leaving over 65,000 people without homes. This disaster hit very close to home at BGCP's P/O Lauretha Vaird Unit where a large number of club members have ties to the small island. The Vaird Unit services a large Hispanic population, many of whose family and friends have been displaced by Hurricane Noel.

Keystone Club teens from various area clubs attended this dynamic event for food, fun and discussion. Volunteers from the Urban League of Philadelphia helped organize and run the event.

Mr. Jarred Fogle spokesperson for the Subway Food Chain, visited the Germantown Boys & Girls Club to discuss healthy eating & living habits with the summer campers. He reminded the campers of the importance of eating healthy foods and making healthy decisions. The kids were amazed at the size of Jarred’s old pants, as he told the story of how he overcame obesity, noting that he once weighed over 400 lbs. Today he is slim and trim, but most importantly he is in good health.

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (www.iKeepSafe.org), a national non-profit organization committed to Internet safety, and Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC), the leader in Internet security, today presented Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett with the Internet Keep Safe Award for his efforts in keeping kids safe online. Corbett was honored during a Connected and Protected kids’ assembly on Internet safety at the Germantown Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia celebrated BGC Day for Kids. Created as a day to foster stronger relationships between adults and children, the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids is to establish a nationally recognized day to celebrate and honor American children through the gift of shared time. In addition to celebrating Day for Kids, a recently completed mural, created in partnership with the Mural Arts Program, the Fairmount Park Commission and the Philadelphia Police Department, was dedicated. The mural features fallen Police Offcer Luaretha Vaird, for whom the club was renamed, PO Vaird Club staff, children and local officers.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia sent 2,000 kids to Citizens Bank Park for Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia Day for the game between the Phillies and the Washington Nationals. Thanks to Deloitte’s generous donation and the dedicated efforts of Boys & Girls Club Board Chairman John Rooney, Principal & Managing Director of Deloitte Consulting in Philadelphia, 2,000 children packed the stands to cheer on the Phillies. Rooney observed, "Deloitte is proud to work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia and the Phillies to help make a positive contribution to the lives of Philadelphia's youth.  Bringing 2,000 youth to a Phillies game gives these young people a positive experience and shows them that people and organizations in Philadelphia do care about them and want to see them succeed.  When non profits, businesses and our sports teams join together for our kids...the entire community is the beneficiary,"

Included were Bob Aretz: Principal and Creative Director of Paragraph, a highly successful and award winning brand agency; Jeffrey Gilmore: President of GFO Consulting, a premier Financial Support Services firm; Lisa Ndiaye, an arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD"), a national securities regulatory body; Forrest Patterson: Senior Vice President in the Corporate Bank within PNC Bank; Sandra Romaszewski, a longtime supporter of BGCP and soon to be graduate of Cooley Law School in Lansing MI. Ms. Romaszewski will join DL Piper LLP as an associate in 2008; Wanda James-Speight: Relationship Manager, Commercial Real Estate Division, Sovereign Bank is returning to the BGCP Board after a short hiatus; and Stephen Varenhorst, AIA is founder of Stephen Varenhorst Architects, an acclaimed architectural firm, Mr. Varenhorst's designs are fairly well known throughout the region.

Monday June 18, 2007 was a busy day at Boys & Girls Club Units throughout the city! Children arrived, excited and ready for summer camp to kick off awaiting trips to Clementon Park, Phillies Games, the Jersey Shore, and various area museums and parks! Read on...

A charity boxing exhibition, Philly Fight Night features students from the various graduate schools at the University of Pennsylvania, including The Wharton School and Penn Law School. The event has celebrated its third year at the Blue Horizon, a legendary boxing venue known throughout the country. Thank you to Matthew Kaye, Wes Kaupinen, Mike Viola and Fighting for Philly Kids as well as all sponsors and supporters of this great event!

The Excelon Invitational Golf Tournament, hosted by Jim Furyk, was a great weekend of recreational and professional golf, plus a golf clinic performed by the PGA tour stars, an expo area with national and local companies, and the $10,000 putting contest open to the public. Americans Jim Furyk and Charles Howell III challenged Irishman Padraig Harrington and South African Retief Goosen to an 18 hole better ball match.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Police Department and the Fairmount Park Commission announced today that Feltonville Boys & Girls Club, located at 4800 Whitaker Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, will be renamed as Police Officer Lauretha Vaird Boys & Girls Club in honor of Officer Vaird, who lost her life in the line of duty.

Friday, March 23, 2007, Club members anxiously waited at Germantown BGC for the arrival of the XBox 360 Family Safety Tour Bus. The Xbox 360 Tour bus, sponsored by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Best Buy and Microsoft, launched a campaign entitled, "Safety is No Game. Is Your Family Set?" The campaign is intended to reach parents and children through Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s dedication to the safety of young people. The goal of the campaign is to equip parents with the information and tools they need to make suitable content choices for their children for both online and offline entertainment.

The Philadelphia Firebirds and Stampede Hockey Clubs, member teams of the Hockey North America League, recently raised $1,500 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia! Team players held a ticket sale, organized by team co-captain Phil Caiazzo of the Firebirds and team captain Todd Gunerman of the Stampede, for the March 2^nd Phantoms game against the Binghamton Senators. Donating all the proceeds to our agency, the Firebirds and Stampede played in a post-Phantoms game on the historic Spectrum ice!

Thank you to Phil Caiazzo, Todd Gunerman and all the players on both teams (including BGCP Board member, Mark Weiss, and BGCP webmaster, Chris Frey), who made this fundraiser happen!

Elliot Mason of Germantown Boys & Girls Club earned third place at the Northeast regional level, ages 6 through 10, of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America/Kimberly-Clark sponsored essay contest.

On January 21, 2007, Wissahickon, Nicetown, and Germantown Boys & Girls Clubs attended a special Philadelphia 76ers event and game at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

BGCP supporter State Representative Rosita C. Youngblood visited our Germantown Club for "Jump Start the New Year," a holiday fair and community awareness event. Youth, parents and friends from Germantown and Nicetown BGCs enjoyed activities and refreshments before BGCP Chief Operations Officer Jack Law welcomed all in attendance.

Local companies and organizations honored Dr. King's legacy with a Day of Caring, supplying our historic Boys & Girls Clubs with capable volunteers who cleaned, painted, and repaired our Club facilities and grounds.
Thank you to all the volunteers from Frankford Defense Supply Center, Berean Baptist Church, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Pennsylvania, Healthcare Leaders Network of Delaware Valley, and Girard College.