Forty plus San Gabriel Valley professionals gathered for lunch at the Sheraton Pasadena for a discussion about societal problems facing youth today and how the Boys & Girls Clubs are helping to combat some of those issues. “We engage at-risk youth early on and wrap them into structured programming that helps them overcome their obstacles and succeed. In doing so, we prevent a number of young people from juvenile crime, gang involvement, teen pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, or dropping out,” says Executive Director John Wilson. He told the story of “Earl,” whose father was killed in a gang shooting when he was eight years old. Earl got involved with the Club as a last ditch effort on the part of his mother, who saw him heading down a negative path. A Club staff person took him under his wing and mentored him, getting him to become more active in Club life, turn his grades around, set goals for the future, and even come on board as a junior staff member. Earl is now in his second year of college at the University of New Mexico. He says the Club saved his life.
Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills serves 300 youth daily and more than 1,000 each year through two sites in the Monrovia/Arcadia area. They are opening up a third site this fall, dedicated to the teen population, which has grown significantly at the Club over the past four years. “Teens with nothing to do” was a top priority area identified by area residents in the Kaiser Permanente Community Needs Assessment and was an issue that was also discussed at the luncheon. “By giving teens a positive place to spend their out-of-school hours, we can start them thinking about college, which is something many of them would never even dream of, and give them the tools and resources to make that a reality. All of the Club’s graduating seniors last year are headed off to college next month. According to Wilson, “They would all tell you that would not be the case if it had not been for our Club.”
AmericanWest Bank sponsored the lunch. Nathan Kirschenbaum, Vice President and Business Banking Officer, shared his own story about growing up as a member of his local Boys & Girls Club and the impact it made in his life. “We are pleased to be able to support the great work of Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills in this way. They are truly making a difference in our community.”
Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills, 600 S. Shamrock Avenue, Monrovia, (626) 305 5353 or visit www.foothillsbgc.com.
