Stories about the kids and families you have helped Save our clubs SPRING 2024
Derrick, 13, loves his Boys & Girls Club. He would feel lost without it.
“I would be upset, really sad,” he says. “The Club is where I get to see my friends and do a lot of fun stuff. My mom works, so coming here every day is good for our family. I love the Club.”
Today, Derrick and hundreds of other Club members are at risk of losing the safe, nurturing places they go to after school each day. Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio stands to lose $3 million in federal funding during the 2024-2025 school year, and unless we can find the money to bridge this gap, we will be forced to close an undetermined number of Clubs across the region.
getting into trouble. That is when we open our doors.
Please consider taking one or more of the following steps:
• Give a gift to BGCNEO and encourage others to donate. You can scan the QR code on this page to give.
• Let your local school principals, superintendents and school boards know how important it is to have Club programming in school buildings after class lets out each day.
We know you do not want this to happen. Nor do we. But the peril is real.
The good thing is you can help.
You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t care about giving kids a positive place to go after school. We’ve seen the statistics time and time again: The weekday 3-6 p.m. period is when kids are most at risk of becoming victims of crime or
• Ask your employer to consider supporting the Save Our Clubs corporate campaign. Clubs benefit companies because parents can continue working with the knowledge that their kids are in a safe place – and there is no cost. Contact Erin Turner at eturner@bgcneo.org for more information on the corporate campaign.
• Urge local, state and federal officials to support afterschool programming in general and Boys & Girls Clubs specifically.
We are so grateful for your support. Together, we can keep more kids in our Clubs.
Federal funding loss puts hundreds of our kids at risk.
Jayde Gowitzka is Youth of the Year
Jayde Gowitzka,18, a senior at Sandusky High School and a six-year member of our Sandusky Teen Center, was named the BGCNEO 2024 Youth of the Year and was first runner-up in the state competition.
Jayde, who joined the Club after moving to Sandusky from Bellevue, is a four-year high school varsity swimmer who captured state titles in the girls para division 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events at the recent state swim meet. She has cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects her ability to use and control the muscles on the right side of her body. She started swimming at age 7.
“It is great to win, but it is even greater to inspire people,” Jayde said.
At the teen center, Jayde is president of Keystone Club, a leadership group, and part of the SMART Girls healthy lifestyles initiative. Teen Center Director Allysa Powell said Jayde “has overcome many obstacles to get where she is today and has allowed nothing to stop her.”
At SHS, Jayde has been on the honor roll, student council member, the softball team and the swim team. School counselor Babe Sidoti-Palmer called her “a one-of-a-kind leader.” After high school, Jayde plans to attend the University of Akron and study psychology. She received a $5,000 scholarship from Cleveland Guardians Charities in the local competition and a $10,000 scholarship for her showing in the state event.
Sign up for the June 22 Race for Kids
Join us on Saturday, June 22 for the annual Race for Kids at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
The event includes a 5K run, a 1-mile walk, kids activities and all-day zoo admission. All runners and walkers receive an official race T-shirt. Early Bird registration pricing runs through May 31. Cost is $25 for the 5K run, $22 for the 1-mile walk and $20 for the virtual 5K or walk. To register, go to www.bgcneo.org or scan the code on this page.
Gojo Industries, Inc., Credit First National Association, Swagelok, Cleveland Cliffs, Heinen’s, SherwinWilliams, Anthem, Grant Thornton, Vitamix, Regency Construction, Redstone Equity, Charles Schwab. Mark and Carol Bachmann, 7Brew, Cohen & Co., Legacy Roofing, KeyBank, Third Federal, Brookfield Properties, GE Lighting and Premier Bank have already signed on as sponsors, with additional sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Grace Marras at gmarras@bgcneo.org for sponsorship information.
Teen voices are heard in Columbus, D.C.
Our teen members became advocates for their Clubs, their communities and themselves during visits to Washington, D.C. and Columbus.
Club teens from Cleveland, Akron and New London attended BGCA’s 10th Annual National Days of Advocacy in Washington, D.C., talking to legislative aides, meeting with the U.S. EPA and discussing the importance of clean water in their communities. Teens met with representatives from the offices of Rep. Shontel Brown, Sen. J.D. Vance, Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Bob Latta.
Teens from Lorain, Sandusky and Akron traveled to the State House in Columbus to meet with members of the legislature and practice using their voice. They talked about how BGCNEO has positively impacted them and how their lives would be different if they weren’t able to go to the Club.
They addressed mental health issues with an aide of Rep. Darnell Brewer, the Ranking Minority member of the Behavioral Health Committee. The teens also met with Senate Minority leader Nickie Antonio and Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, the Ranking Minority member of the House Finance Committee.
Alumnus
says Boys & Girls Club
‘saved my life’
You may know Semeka Randall Lay as a former Trinity High School, University of Tennessee and WNBA basketball star. Or as the head women’s basketball coach at Winthrop University, her current role.
You may not know that Semeka was a Club kid. She returned to her old stomping grounds in April when she was part of a Tall Girls United panel discussion at BGCNEO’s Broadway Club. At the event, which was held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four, she talked about her Club experience.
“(The Club experience) saved my life, that’s the way I look at it,” she says.
To view the full interview, scan the code on this page.
donors like you help kids grow
Every day, Club members across our region discover new things about themselves, experience life-changing opportunities, eat a free meal and receive help from caring adult mentors.
That is only possible because of you. Thank you so much.
Here is a sampling of activities you helped provide at our Clubs this year:
• Members of the Keystone and Torch Club leadership groups from Cleveland’s Broadway, Mound, John Adams and Miles Park Clubs served meals to community members alongside volunteers from Sacred Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.
• Vermilion Elementary Club members turned one of their Fun Fridays into a celebration of pro football and its history.
• STEM activities at our Palm Elementary Club in Lorain included building a hydraulic crane, growing plants from seed, exploring static electricity and examining fingerprints.
We thank you for your continuing support of these and other positive activities.
Wish us a Happy
Birthday.
We’re turning 5.
In 2019, Boys & Girls Clubs in Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain and Erie counties merged to create Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio. It was one of the largest BGCA mergers in the United States
We’ll celebrate the five-year anniversary of our founding on July 1 and throughout the month.
We will be marking this important milestone with several initiatives and celebrating the number of opportunities it has created for kids across Northeast Ohio. We’ll roll out a new website, highlight the anniversary in our Opening Doors social media campaign, debut alumni video testimonials from alumni and share the impact your support has on our kids.
EVENTS
Keystone and Torch Clubs from five of our sites each received $250 toward a service project in a competition coordinated by Bigger Than Basketball, a program offered by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland-Cliffs. Thirty Clubs competed. Winning Clubs were Toni Morrison, Westview Terrace, King Kennedy, Elyria and Stepstone Academy. Cavs Manager Community Outreach & Impact George Hill stopped by the King Kennedy Club to chat with one of the winning groups.
Cavs point guard Darius Garland met with 10 Ashtabula Club members at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Mentor. The gathering included a pop-a-shot basketball competition, vertical jump competition and a Q & A with Darius. Members also received new New Balance shoes and a Klutch athletics shirt, courtesy of Darius.
Former NFL and Ohio State University defensive back Doran Grant, now head football coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, visited our LeBron James Club in Akron and joined kids in a few fun, heart-rateraising games. The event, coordinated by Local Legends in Training, promoted physical fitness and heart health awareness among youth during Heart Health Month.
About 30 members of our Steve Wise, LeBron James and Elyria South Clubs took part in Epic for Everyone, a skiing and snowboarding program that introduces winter sports to youth who otherwise may not have access. The program is underwritten by the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and Vail Resorts. Skiing took place at Boston Mills Ski Resort, and the season ended with a party at Scene 75 in Brunswick.
Volunteers make a difference at BGCNEO. In 2023, more than 560 volunteers spent more than 2,100 hours doing everything from providing homework help to refurbishing playgrounds to helping with events. We welcomed them at our first Volunteer Social at Cleveland’s Broadway Club.
HIGHLIGHTS
New Balance donated more than 600 pairs shoes to kids at our Steve Wise, Helen Arnold, LeBron James, Barberton, Lincoln, Ashtabula, New Boston and Portsmouth Clubs. To say the kids were excited is an understatement. We thank New Balance, for thinking of our kids.
The Bridge Board of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, a young professionals group, spent an afternoon at the King Kennedy Club, serving food to members and parents during the Family Engagement Night. In addition to the food and games, parents were gifted a bucket full of cleaning supplies.
Club kids were well-prepared for the solar eclipse, thanks to our friends at UnitedHealthcare. The company supplied special viewing glasses for our members and gave safety tips. The presentation was made at the Broadway Club, where members correctly answered questions about the eclipse.
Howard University’s Alternative Spring Break group spent time at our Maple Leaf, Euclid Park and Elmwood Clubs, enjoying many activities with the kids, including kickball, dancing, cooking and arts and crafts. We thank the students for their commitment to our mission and for their service to the community over spring break.
WHY I GIVE
WHY I BELONG
“I want to be able to change the lives of young people like the Boys & Girls Club changed mine. The opportunities I’ve been given, the love I feel every time I walk in, the unlimited motivation I receive without even asking is unmatched. I’ve learned that you can accomplish anything if you work hard and put your mind to it.”
Airyonah Steve Wise Club member
“For me, donating to Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio is an easy decision. As a board member, I understand the necessity for continuous funding in order to provide the services and investment in our next generation. The programming at BGCNEO is steeped in empowering and educating our youth to reach their full potential. I was taught to give my time, talents and treasures to organizations impacting our community, and that is what I choose to do for BGCNEO.”
Lakisha Barclay, Fairlawn
WHY I VOLUNTEER
“Volunteering at the Clubs is such an amazing experience! Kids will come up and hug me, having never met me, and they are just so glad I’m there to spend time with them. I also love bringing out my inner child when we get to run around and play games. Volunteering is such a wonderful break to the norms of the work week and has helped me to step back and prioritize the things most important to me.”
Rachel Wojtkun, Westlake
6114 Broadway Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44127
June 19: All Clubs closed for Juneteenth holiday
June 22: Race for Kids at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
June 24: Taco Bell Charity Golf Classic at Barrington Golf Club in Aurora
July 1: Five-year anniversary of the founding of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio
