THE UPDATE - Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater ...
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THE UPDATE
January 2021
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE GREAER SANTIAM
Issue 1 INVESTOR'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
SNEAK PEEK OF
WHAT'S INSIDE: thanks to you we're still here!
BY KRIS LATIMER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IN PERSON
PROGRAMS Last March, when the Governor locked down the State due to the pandemic,
CONTINUE, PAGE 2 I was beside myself. This organization that serves hundreds of children
every day was in peril. Our cash reserves were depleted and we realized our
THE LITTLE ONES biggest fundraiser of the year would have to be delayed if not all together
ARE GETTING A cancelled (spring auction was ultimately cancelled). With no way to generate
JUMP START, revenue, I turned to you for help and you came through.
PAGE 3
Because of you, we were able to move quickly and open COVID Emergency
Childcare, providing a place for the children of healthcare workers, first
HEALTH AND
responders, and essential workers to be cared for and supported through
SAFETY - JOB ONE,
spring, summer, fall, and now winter. We were one of the first programs in
PAGE 4 Oregon to do so and it would have been impossible without you.
LOOKING GOOD, Families have been able to carry on their work and hundreds of children have
PAGE 4 been kept safe, and received the assistance, enrichment, and nutrition they
need five days a week.
This month's UPDATE, the first ever, is designed to provide you with
information about how you're making a difference, here at the Club,
everyday. You can expect to see this UPDATE on a "monthly" basis. I want
you to look forward to receiving it, therefore please don't hesitate to let me
know what you'd like to see less OR more of!
in person programs January's program theme was
safari. Fun safari activities included
continue building their own snakes, escaping
the tiger in the gym, engineering
BY TYLER REECE, DIRECTOR huts with marshmallows, and
FOR PROGRAMS making "lava lamps" (photo above).
The month is wrapping up with a fun
With in person school still on hold,
BGCGS Spirit week. Kids and staff
the Club's elementary programs are
are all taking part - dressing for
more important than ever.
themed days including super
Scholarships supported by you are
heroes, neon, blue-out, and as their
allowing the children who need us
favorite characters.
most to participate and receive the
support they need.
Once school and homework are
completed, members shift to
Staff and kids jumped right back
into distance learning after winter
programs supported by our 21st Engineering a jungle hut with
Century Community Learning Center
break. Facilitating and supporting pretzels and marshmallows.
Grant. For two hours each day the
distance learning for over 120
focus is on enrichment and fun
children every day isn't easy. It's
learning activities - including STEM.
made more difficult when it's time
The program also offers a monthly
to do things like STAR testing
family engagement activity for
(earlier this month) and the need to
children to take on at home with
constantly adapt to individual
their families. This month's take
student's evolving and changing
home activity was "I Have A Dream"
schedules. Through it all, our staff
poster creation. Youth learned
have been rock stars, navigating the
about Martin Luther King Jr. and his
needs of our members, and
activism with the Civil Rights
remaining flexible, and creative.
movement during the 1950s and
1960s.
the little ones are that dinosaurs were the biggest
animals to ever to have walked on
PARTICIPATING IN getting a jump start! earth?
STIMULATING, WARM
AND RESPONSIVE BY LORI ROMEO, EARLY We aren't afraid though because
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS DIRECTOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD we learned they are extinct!
EDUCATION Did you know your support helps
the Club continue to operate the We had some fun while learning
PROGRAMS SUPPORTS
Kids Club Child Development Center about the dinosaurs. We cracked
CHILDREN’S open dinosaur eggs, made
(a full day, licensed center serving
EXCITEMENT AND dinosaur shirts and even touched
children ages 3-5), Punkin Seed
PLEASURE IN Pre-School, and a Pre-K Club which some fossilized dinosaur poop!
LEARNING AND is funded in partnership with the
ENCOURAGES Early Learning Hub and free to low The support the Club receives
from the community helps keep
ONGOING income families? Well it does! Isn't
that amazing? fees low - providing opportunities
ENGAGEMENT IN
for participation to many children
LEARNING ACTIVITIES. who otherwise would go without.
-THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EARLY Though Pre-K Club has been on-
CHILDHOOD EDUCTION hold since March due to the
pandemic, the rest of our early We look forward to the world
learning programs have continued getting back to some sort of
to operate at maximum capacity. normal when we can get focused
again on expanding these
This month preschoolers have been extremely important programs and
learning about dinosaurs. T-rex is engaging even more East Linn
always a favorite. Did you know T- County children in early learning!
rex is as tall as the light pole outside
the Punkin Seed Classroom or
"Cracking open
dinosaur eggs"
"We love our new dinosaur t-shirts!"
looking good!
BY DEVIN PECKFELDER,
ATHLETICS AND
FACILITIES DIRECTOR
The 11 hour program days have
been taking a toll on the 5th St.
building which is well over 30
years old. We took advantage of
the holiday break and thanks to
donations from the Lowe's
Distribution Center, were able to
update several spaces that were
really showing their age! Updates
included fresh paint, new flooring,
and new faucets!
Speaking of Lowe's, be sure to
health and safety - the direction of the Office of
Childcare and the Early Learning
stop by the home improvement
warehouse clearance sale we'll be
job one Division, the Club has developed a
hosting next month - Feb. 27th 9
comprehensive COVID-19 Health
am to 4 pm and Feb. 28th 10 am to
BY MADISON YOCK, DIRECTOR and Safety Plan. This plan outlines
1 pm. 100% of proceeds go to the
FOR OPERATIONS
the Club’s policies and procedures
EMERGENCY CHLIDCARE
Serving over 150 children a day in as it relates to keeping our kids,
SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
and staff, safe and well during the
multiple buildings with over 60 staff
COVID-19 Pandemic. Our board
requires a lot of coordination and A complete inventory list of the
lead safety committee continues
work on the back side, especially more than $20,000 in inventory is
to meet regularly to discuss safety
during a pandemic. Your faith in us available at
procedures and areas for
has helped us move forward to https://www.bgcgreatersantiam.org
improvement – from daily health
continue our mission driven work
screenings, to hourly cleaning and
while keeping everyone safe.
sanitization, our staff are making
safety THE number one priority.
As one of the first facilities in the
state to open up after the onset of If you'd like to review our COVID-
the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Club 19 Health and Safety Plan, please
has worked tirelessly to ensure the visit
health and safety of the children in https://bgcgreatersantiam.org/wha
our care, as well as the staff who t-we-do/programs-services/our-
continue to show up every day to response-to-covid19.html
perform this important work. Under
New flooring, paint and lighting
in the Imagination Station
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