Friends, I am excited to enter 2016 as the new Board President for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County. Our organization has seen significant growth for a second straight year, growing from 1,100 members in 2013, to more than 1,600 in 2015. We’ve had some great success recently, from Justice Lively being selected as the first teen from Skagit County to earn the title of Washington State Youth of the Year, to opening two additional Club sites in Mount Vernon to ease overcrowding and serve more teens. Kids vote with their feet. They attend our Clubs not only because they are safe, fun, and positive places to go when school is out, but also because of our engaging, professional staff who provide them with the highest quality of activities and programs —carefully utilized to elicit three priority outcomes in the youth we serve: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Good Character & Citizenship. While I believe we have done a better job sharing about our mission and outcomes with the community, especially recently, it is our Programs that really make the difference and set us apart as the premier provider for youth development services in Skagit County. Beginning with this, our Campaign for GREAT Kids, 2016 is being dedicated to informing our donor-investors more about the details that make the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County so special. The Campaign for GREAT Kids is the single greatest way to invest in the lives of the youth, ages 6-18. With virtually no overhead cost associated with our Annual Campaign, it ensures that more dollars go directly to serve those kids who need us most, in the communities of Anacortes, La Conner, Mount Vernon, and Sedro-Woolley. Our Board of Directors is committed to the highest levels of transparency and accountability as a non-profit corporation, and are proud to have achieved Gold status on the Guidestar Exchange. We hope that you enjoy this unique publication, provided at no-cost by our friends at K&H Printing, and individually decorated by a Club member. Thank you for considering an investment in our Campaign for GREAT Kids, Mark Lawrence, 2016 Board Chair
Board of Directors President – Mark Lawrence Simply Yards Landscaping and Design 1st Vice President – Mike Gubrud Mike Gubrud Farmers Insurance Agency
Mission
2nd Vice President – Kelly Tuohig
The mission of the Boys
Treasurer – Becky Taft
& Girls Clubs of Skagit County is to enable all
Tesoro Corporation
Skagit Bank Secretary – Carrie Wallace Skagit Bank
young people, especially
Past President – Annette Booth
those who need us
Booth Insurance/Allstate Insurance Co.
most, to reach their full
Past President – Stephanie Hooper
potential as productive,
Bayside Specialties
caring, responsible
Member – Pat Barrett
citizens.
Values
Barrett Financial, LTD Member – Dr. Carl Bruner MVSD Superintendent Member – Mark Lione Cap Sante Inn
FUN • COMMUNITY
Member – Karen Ray
INTEGRITY • RESPECT
Angel of the Winds Casino
ACCEPTANCE
Member – Tom Pasma Tom L. Pasma Auctioneers Co-Owner Double S Quarter Horses, Inc
What is Paws to Read? Found throughout our Clubs, Paws To Read gives many of our younger members the weekly opportunity to read to certified therapy dogs and cats, in a relaxed and positive environment. Providing a fun, and stress-free opportunity to practice reading skills, Paws To Read introduces an innovative method of companionship to facilitate the important act of reading. And who doesn’t want to share 10 minutes of Dr. Seuss with a feline friend?
What it does “If kids can read, they can succeed.” This quip highlights the whole purpose of Paws To Read. With much emphasis placed on literacy and at-gradelevel development, given the strong correlation to later academic success, we work hard to support our members’ efforts to rise to the challenge. Tied in closely with our goals for a well-rounded Clubhouse experience, Paws To Read exemplifies our efforts to ensure academic success.
Academic Success We want our members to graduate from high school, prepared to face their future, whether it is college, trade school, certificate program, military or employment. Our programs and opportunities encourage life-long learning, goal setting and access to tools, mentors and resources that encourage academic success.
LEARN
What is Healthy Habits? Designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club experience, Healthy Habits emphasizes good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being. All the activities, whether in the kitchen, garden, or outside, focus on building the knowledge base for young people to acquire healthy habits, such as making smart food choices, understanding appropriate portion sizes, and creating fun and balanced meals.
What it does Far beyond just acquainting kids with a food pyramid, Healthy Habits helps build an understanding of choices and outcomes that affects all the other areas of youth development. In highlighting why the choice of healthy vegetables over junk food has longterm effects on health & well-being, the considerations of all actions comes into question, and helps spur a deep conversation about what it means to live a Healthy Lifestyle.
Healthy Lifestyles We help members adopt a healthy diet, practice healthy lifestyle choices, and make a lifelong commitment to fitness. Understanding that when young people engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being, and set personal goals, we see them prepared to live successfully as self-sufficient adults, and make sure that this is achieved.
LIVE
What is Keystone? Keystone is the Clubs’ service learning program for teens. Designed to promote character and leadership growth among Club teens, adult mentors provide guidance and opportunities for teens to make leadership decisions, engage in academic and career experiences and serve others to provide impact in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation and community service.
What it does The cultivation of good character and effective leadership, beyond its intrinsic value, supports the Clubs’ goal of ensuring that each member become a productive, caring, and responsible citizens. With the focus placed on successful high school graduation, broader employment opportunities, and lifelong civic engagement, Keystone Club provides a fun and practical understanding of how this plays out in our community.
Good Character & Citizenship As Club youth mature into adulthood they continue to model the habits they formed in the Clubs, furthering their education, staying involved in their community, participating in selfless service, practicing a determined work ethic, and remaining dedicated to civic duties.
LEAD
Administrative Office PO Box 947 1605 William Way, Ste B Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Name:
360-419-3723 (phone/fax) Anacortes Club 904 6th St. Anacortes, WA 98221 360-588-9045 La Conner Club 305 N. Sixth St.
Age:
La Conner, WA 9825 360-466-3672 Mount Vernon Club 1100 N. LaVenture Rd. Mount Vernon, WA 9827 360-428-6995
Club:
Sedro-Woolley Club 915 McGarigle Rd. Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 360-856-1830
www.skagitclubs.org Free Printing provided by K&H Integrated Print Solutions. Drawings by Noah Bannister Each of these booklets was hand colored by a Club youth
School:
Use this space to draw a picture of your Favorite Program at the Club
OUR MISSION TO ENABLE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED US MOST, TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS PRODUCTIVE, CARING, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.
OUR VALUES
LIF THY ESTY AL
S LE
AC
HE
S
ACTER & CI AR
ENSHIP TIZ
GOOD CH
EMIC SUCC D A
ES
OUR OUTCOMES
FUN, COMMUNITY, INTEGRITY, RESPECT, ACCEPTANCE
Graduate from high school ready for college, trade school, military or employment
Adopt a healthy diet, practice healthy lifestyle choices and make a lifelong commitment to fitness
Be an engaged citizen involved int he community, register to vote and model strong character