January 2018

A new year of GREA T fulness!

This Month In a Minute

New basketball league a slam dunk for Club members.

Club members display their artwork at National Fine Arts exhibit.
Youth of the Year finalists wow judges.
Two teens receive ACE Awards from Vero Beach Exchange Club.
President's Circle members receive top honors at special reception.
Alex MacWilliam Real Estate helps Club members dress for success.

Basketball Gets Kids Moving, Having Fun!

 This winter, Club members are
passing, dribbling, and
shooting their way to a healthy
lifestyle. Nearly 140 kids in
grades 2-8 are playing in our
first-ever intra-Club basketball
league!

"The majority of the kids like

sports, and they're open to
trying anything that has to do
with athletics. They are excited
about participating," said Boys
& Girls Clubs of Indian River
County Athletic Director and
Head Coach Jordan Adams.

Our first game was held at the Vero Beach Boys & Girls Club on Tuesday,
January 24th. Parents as well as peers showed up in droves to support our young
players! "The bleachers were packed," Adams said. "The support from the
parents and families has been huge so far."

Adams and his team of staff and dedicated

volunteers are teaching the kids basketball
fundamentals as well as the importance
of teamwork, sportsmanship, and physical
fitness. Each team is named after a
college, a professional team, or a FIBA
team (such as Canada, Croatia, or France).

As of 2017, nearly 30% of children in Indian

River County over the age of 2 are
overweight or obese, according to the Florida Department of Health. Our All-Stars
Basketball League is just one piece of a larger initiative taking place at the Boys &
Girls Club that aims to ensure all kids stay healthy, get adequate exercise, and
have fun while doing it!

For information on scheduling, practices, and games, please visit the Athletics
Page on our website. We hope to see you soon on the basketball court!

Club Members Channel Inner Picasso

A colored pencil drawing of an antique red car parked under an auburn sunset. A
menacing alligator brought to life from scraps of green paper. A quilt with dozens of
recycled fabric panels, each depicting a child's interpretation of "Starry Night" by Vincent
van Gogh.

These stunning art pieces and many, many more were created by none other than our
Club members! On January 5th, they put their art on display for all to see at our National
Fine Arts Exhibit, held at the Sebastian Club.

Parents and others marveled at the kids' artistic talent and enjoyed light refreshments.
Ms. Ella, a former art teacher at the Boys & Girls Clubs for more than 7 years, was
honored for helping our kids tap their creative potential. She was presented with flowers
from Sebastian Club Director Kellyjean Hills and Director of Operations Phyllis
Schneider.

Community members Deborah Meeker and Sara Bumgarner graciously volunteered to

judge our members' artwork and the winning pieces were submitted to West Palm
Beach for an opportunity to be displayed in the Norton Museum of Art!

If members' artwork is selected to advance to the national competition, it will be sent to

Boys & Girls Clubs of America's headquarters in Atlanta with the possibility of being
showcased in the BGCA Headquarters Gallery and displayed at regional and national
conferences across the country.
 Club member Noah stands proudly in front of her pencil sketch, titled
"Antique Car."

Youth of the Year Finalists Wow Judges with

Public Speaking, Outstanding Achievements
It's a long road to become the Youth of the Year of Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River
County. Candidates must fill out an application, secure letters of recommendation,
complete community service, achieve academic success, write three essays, AND
conquer America's greatest fear: Public speaking.

Three young ladies, each representing a different Club, have risen to the challenge and
exceeded expectations.

On January 9th, our Youth of the Year Finalists -- Janely, Destiny, and Shimea --
delivered their speeches in front of a panel of judges. They were scored on their public
speaking, essays, interview, and overall application quality. All three made a terrific
impression!

"We think this is the best group you've had yet," said Michael Kint, Executive Director of
United Way of Indian River County and 2018 Youth of the Year judge.
 Youth of the Year Finalists Janely, Destiny, and Shimea

Each Youth of the Year Finalist will present their speech again February 1st at our Annual
Dinner, which will be held at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College. Then
the winner will be crowned!

Established nationally in 1947, Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River
County's signature effort to foster a new generation of leaders, fully prepared to live and
lead in a diverse, global and integrated world economy.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County's Youth of the Year winner, if qualified, will
compete against other Boys & Girls Clubs members for the Youth of the Year title for the
state of Florida and a $1,000 scholarship. If the local finalist wins at the state level, then
she will compete for the title of South East Region Youth of the Year and a $10,000
scholarship.

Five regional winners will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete for the title of Boys &
Girls Clubs of America's National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year
receives an additional $15,000 college scholarship and is installed by the President in an
Oval Office ceremony.

Youth of the Year Judges Daniel Fourmont,

Kathleen LaCroix, and Michael Kint

Club Members Brittany and Reynaldo Win

Award from Exchange Club of Vero Beach
Language barriers. Poverty. Bullying. Risk of academic failure. These are
just a few of the steep challenges our Club members face on their journey to
success in school and in life.

But oftentimes, all it takes to help a child in need is the presence a caring
mentor, words of encouragement, or, in this case, recognition for
overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

Two of our Club members, Brittany and Reynaldo, recently received

Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (ACE) awards from the Exchange
Club in Vero Beach. The ACE award recognizes high school students who
have had to overcome great physical, emotional, or social obstacles and are
now eligible for high school graduation.

During the awards presentation, Rasheedah Ahmad, Teen Director of our

Vero Beach Club, spoke about Brittany and Reynaldo's remarkable success
 stories.

See her comments below:

"Brittany's newfound appreciation for life has given her a soft, caring and
sweet spirit. She is always willing to lead a helping hand and cares about the
well-being of others. Brittany plans to graduate this year and attend Indian
River State College. Her aspiration is to get a doctorate degree in
pharmacy."

"Reynaldo has proven to everyone around him that if he puts his mind to it,
he can accomplish anything. He no longer struggles in school and receives
A/B Honor Roll on every report card. He is very studeous with his head
always in a book!"

Scott Wallace, Brittany, Reynaldo, and Rasheedah Ahmad

President's Circle Honored

at Annual Reception
January 16th marked the date of our annual President's Circle reception, honoring
our President's Circle members and recognizing their tremendous support of the
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County.

More than 70 Attendees came out to our Vero Beach Boys & Girls Club to
celebrate. They sipped on cocktails, enjoyed hors d'oeuvres from Elizabeth
Kennedy Catering, viewed artwork on display from Club members, and witnessed
impressive musical performances by our Jake Owen Players!
 Co-Chairman Bill Munn thanks Jake Owen Players perform for attendees.
President's Circle for their support.

Alex MacWilliam Real Estate Purchases

New School Uniforms for Club Members
Our Club members are going to be dressed for success this year with brand new
school uniforms thanks to the team at Alex MacWilliam Real Estate!

The Realtors Association of Indian River County is hosting a clothing drive, and
Alex MacWilliam Real Estate chose to purchase 45 uniform shirts and 60 pairs of
trousers for the kids attending our Clubs!

Thank you Alex MacWilliam Real Estate -- we are incredibly grateful for your
support!
 Camille Yates and Alex Buzz MacWilliam
What's Up at the Clubs?
Vero Beach
Sgt. Justin L. Morris, a
Marine Corps recruiter,
spoke to our teens about
the qualifications,
expectations, and
responsibility associated
with being in the United
States military.
Many of our teens are
considering a career in the
military, and Sgt. Morris'
presentation will go a long
way in helping them make
an informed decision!
How Can You Help?
Fellsmere
Fellsmere Club members
were hoppy to volunteer at
this year's Frog Leg Festival!
The kids had their own booth
and sold coffee, hot
chocolate, lemonade, and
iced tea so that the many
festival-goers could have a
refreshing drink to pair with
their tasty frog legs!
"Involving our kids in the
event helps us foster great
community involvement and
support," said Boys & Girls
Clubs of Indian River County
Executive Director Elizabeth
Thomason.
Sebastian
The middle schoolers in
Sebastian are learning all
about Internet Safety!
This month, they started
the NetSmartz program, a
Boys & Girls Clubs of
America curriculum that
teaches kids how to be
safe and responsible users
of the World Wide Web!
They also learn how to
appropriately deal with
cyberbullying and
cyberthreats. Learning
these skills is crucial, as
over 25% of adolescents
and teens have been
bullied repeatedly through
their cell phones or the
Internet.
Donate
Join the President's
Circle, our core group of
donors who invest a
cumulative $1,000 or more
in the Clubs each year.
Attend
Participate in our awesome
events! Save the Date:
February 1 - Youth of the
Year Dinner
Volunteer
We are always seeking
tutors, mentors, reading
coaches, and caring adults
to spend time in one of our
three Clubs.

Become a Business March 7 - 17th Annual

Booster or Partner, and Angels Dinner
showcase your business
while helping the kids. April 13 - 6th Annual Need more
Donation levels start at an Duplicate and Party Bridge information?
affordable $100. Tournament
Email or call Phil at
Provide a scholarship for a 772-299-7449.
child in need to attend our
after-school or summer
program. No child is turned
away for an inability to pay.

Donate supplies.

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.

DONATE NOW

St ay C o nnect ed
1729 17th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32960 I 772-299-7449