In The News
ACK FLAHERTY DONATES MASKS TO BGCSTL
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS PITCHER JACK FLAHERTY
DONATES MASKS TO
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS
DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
St. Louis, MO, September 2020 – Special thanks to St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Jack Flaherty, Dennis Chang and SDL Synergy for donating a 1,000 masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis youth and employees to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jack mentioned growing up with a single working mother who gave him access to after-school care so he understands the importance of the programs that Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis offers and wanted to give back. Jack says of the donation, which is the beginning of what he hopes will be a long term partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs, “We wanted to donate the masks to a place where we knew they would go to good use and while I was never a part of the Boys & Girls Club, we knew this would be the right place. The Boys & Girls Club seeks to enable children to reach their fullest potential across the country and also stresses inclusion of all children which is something we need at this time in our country. We just feel lucky to be able to be involved with such a great organization and I’m honored to help in any way possible. I look forward to spending time with everyone at the Boys & Girls Club in the future.”
BGCSTL President, Dr. Flint Fowler says of the donation, “We are so thankful to Jack who thought of and remembered our youth, especially during these challenging times. This partnership also reflects the great relationship we have with the St. Louis Cardinals that started our founding.”
For more information on how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is helping our community, visit www.bgcstl.org.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) 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. For over 50 years, BGCSTL has been providing after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth in the St. Louis area while also providing a safe place for them to learn and grow. The Clubs serve youth across St. Louis City & County including Adams Park Club, Hazelwood Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, O’Fallon Park Club, Riverview Gardens Club, Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Club and the Teen Center of Excellence. We also operate dropout prevention programs within two High Schools (Normandy and Roosevelt High School); as well as the Mentor St. Louis and St. Louis Internship programs.
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Great Futures Moments – Enews from BGCSTL Fall 2020
Click here to view.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis
Annual Great Futures Gala Converted to Outdoor Tailgate
Park & Party with a Purpose
St. Louis, MO – September 2020 – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) annual Great Futures Gala, will be held on Thursday, October 29 in the upper Muny Lot in Forest Park, tailgate and outdoor movie style.
The now outdoor gala will include all of the favorite elements of our past Galas, but under the stars. We’re transforming the upper Muny lot in Forest Park to a 70’s themed tailgate gala that will consist of a center stage with large outdoor movie screens, an emcee, dueling DJ’s, musical entertainment and dinner. Within this enclosed area, people will enjoy our 2020 gala from the privacy and comfort of their cars allowing for more distancing in a safer social environment. Guests will hear the dreams and aspirations of these young leaders and stories of how Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis has influenced their lives.
The “Great Futures Gala is the largest fundraiser benefitting youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis and showcases the youth who embody the ideals of the Club’s mission to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens! Club teens and Youth of the Year candidates will share their stories of how the Club has impacted their lives throughout the evening followed by the selection of the 2021 Youth of the Year!
Event proceeds are used to send teens to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Keystone Leadership Conference as well as provided support for the Diplomas to Degrees program, Mentor St. Louis, Keystone Clubs, Money Matters, and Career Launch programs. Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Emerson Foundation.
Event Co-chairs: Lorenzo & Sheila Boyd, Matt & Linda Renner and Brad & Michele Sowers
If you’ll be missing the celebration, we invite you to volunteer, donate, mentor or register your youth for membership. For ticket information, visit www.bgcstl.org.
Calendar Format
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis
Great Futures Gala – Party & Park with a Purpose
Thursday, October 29, 2020
5 pm
Muny Lot, Forest Park
www.bgcstl.org
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) 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. For over 50 years, BGCSTL has been providing after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth in the St. Louis area while also providing a safe place for them to learn and grow. The Clubs serve youth across St. Louis City & County including Adams Park Club, Hazelwood Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, O’Fallon Park Club, Riverview Gardens Club, Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Club and the Teen Center of Excellence. We also operate dropout prevention programs within two High Schools (Normandy and Roosevelt High School); as well as the Mentor St. Louis and St. Louis Internship programs.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS MERGES WITH BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF BETHALTO, IL
EXCLUSIVE: BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS MERGES WITH
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF BETHALTO, IL
St. Louis, MO, October, 2020: After years of exploration and discussions, the Boards of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) and the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto unanimously voted to merge. All parties agreed that a merger would strengthen the organizations, impact the lives of more children and families, and provide more youth access to low-cost, life changing programs and services. Integration activities are currently underway and should be completed by year’s end.
The combined organization is now one of the region’s largest youth development agencies serving more than 8,856 (BGCSTL 7575 + Bethalto 1281) kids and teens annually. In addition, the merger will expand opportunities for staff, enhance fundraising and produce better outcomes for kids.
The Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto will operate under the banner of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, while retaining their local identity and relationships. Members of all organizations will continue to attend their home Clubs.
“Collectively these organizations have provided young people safe places, positive mentors and life-enhancing programs for nearly 105 years. By coming together, they will create an even stronger and more efficient organization, positioned to meet the needs of youth in their communities for decades to come. I look forward to seeing the organization grow its reach and increase its positive impact through expanded programming, especially in essential areas like workforce readiness. Under the leadership of Flint Fowler and through the efforts of dedicated staff, volunteers, and community members, the expanded BGC of Greater St Louis will shape a brighter future for thousands of kids and teens in Missouri and Illinois,” stated Jim Clark, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The merger will be accomplished over a period of time. An integration committee has been named and over the next year the details of operating a single entity will be finalized. In the short term, Club operations will continue as they always have. In the long term, operations will likely not change significantly but new programs will be added and new measurements put into place to ensure positive outcomes in priority areas that include Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.
Both organizations are chartered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The national office provides a wide array of resources – from program best practices to professional development opportunities – to help local member organizations achieve priority outcomes of Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles and Good Character & Citizenship.
Dr. Flint Fowler, President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis says of the merger, “I’m excited about this unique opportunity to combine efforts with the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto. We have a shared goal to provide the best possible services to our youth members and believe our collective efforts will produce powerful results for the Greater St. Louis community. This decision was made following months of exploration, benchmarking and analysis. The unanimous conclusion is to merge our organizations to create a more effective, efficient and results oriented enterprise for members as well as staff.”
Kathleen A. Wilson, Executive Director for Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto said of the merger, “Our desire to serve more youth and the growing need in our community far exceeds our capacity. This partnership/merger will increase our resources and allow us to provide more opportunities to current members, while increasing our ability to add youth from our waiting list and in the future, expand to surrounding areas of need. With this investment we can easily double our impact on those we serve.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (the combined organizations) will now operate nine locations across the Greater St. Louis region (MO/IL) serving over 8,856 (BGCSTL 7575 + Bethalto 1281) youth. At our Clubs, youth participate in afterschool, teen, and summer camp programming geared towards academic success; healthy lifestyles; and good character and citizenship development. The organizations are also focused on providing an optimal Club experience for all members.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) 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. BGCSTL provides after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth across the Bi-State Region while also providing a safe place for them to learn and grow. The Clubs serve youth across the region at nine locations, including (Adams Park Club, Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto, Boys & Girls Club of Lovejoy, Hazelwood Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, O’Fallon Park Club, Riverview Gardens Club, Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Club and the Teen Center of Excellence). We also operate dropout prevention programs within two High Schools (Normandy and Roosevelt High School); as well as Mentor St. Louis and St. Louis Internship Program.
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WE STAND FOR EQUITY & JUSTICE
The Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis continues to demand an end to dehumanization, prejudice, bigotry, hatred and injustice in all their forms. The senseless deaths of black people at the hands of some police officers cannot be tolerated and requires new measures of accountability.
For nearly 60 years the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis has provided hope and opportunity for all youth, particularly those who need us most. We’ve promised to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential, preparing them for a world where they can participate as full and equal citizens. Unfortunately, because of institutionalized and systemic racism and bigotry, that reality has not been available to all.
We take a stand for social justice, equity and inclusion, and against dehumanization, bigotry, discrimination, oppression and hate. We have avoided the term “races” intentionally, because we are all part of the same race – the HUMAN RACE. We pledge to use our influence, affluence, access and privilege to help make sure that the words of the U.S Constitution ring true for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, culture, creed or color. We pledge to work towards eliminating disparities and demanding accountability on behalf of our youth so that success is within reach of all the children.
Today we each pledge in the memory of George Floyd, to listen, learn and act in order to rid our communities of all vestiges of dehumanization, bigotry, prejudice and hatred, which are now so deeply woven into the fabric of our nation. Our support will be used to foster civic engagement, accountability and leadership skills so that Club members can safely become agents of and allies for change. Download the full document, here.
PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA SUPPORTS BGCSTL YOUTH DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
Special thanks to Papa John’s Pizza for giving Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis members access to digital coupons for FREE medium one topping pizzas. The coupons are to recognize members for their engagement in our virtual programming. Virtual programming for Club and regional families launched on March 30, 2020 in an effort to continue to serve members during the Club closure. BGCSTL President Dr. Flint Fowler says, “We’re proud to be a national partner of Papa John’s, especially during these challenging times for our communities.”
For more information on how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is helping our community, visit www.bgcstl.org.
Teen Honored with Joan Silber Volunteerism & Leadership Award
Congratulations to O’Fallon Park Club teen Lailah Green who was honored with the Joan Ellyn Silber Volunteerism & Leadership award and a $1,000 scholarship! Dr. Silber’s brother and sister-in-law established the award and endowment to celebrate her being one of the organization’s most dedicated board members and supporters.
Lailah is an 8th grade scholar at McKinley Classical Middle School with thirty hours of volunteering as a Peer Tutor and Keystone Club participant. Her favorite volunteer experience was a Keystone holiday community service activity at a local nursing home where she helped residents participate in making arts & crafts. She is currently the Secretary of Keystone at her Club. During her interview she spoke HIGHLY of how much Club Manager Kersten Mixon has impacted her life.
Great Futures Moment E-news March 2020
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BGCSTL Welcomes New Board Members 2020
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) welcomes new board members Deborah Massingill, Nick Ragone, Matthias Renner, Megan Ridgeway and Amadou Yattassaye.
Deborah Massingill is the Package Operations Manager for UPS, Central Plains District that includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and part of Illinois. She has responsibility for 9 divisions and more than 9,300 employees.
Nick Ragone serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Ascension. In this role, he oversees the creation and execution of brand strategy and experience, marketing and advertising, public relations and thought leadership, social media strategy, internal communications, and consumer access for Ascension and its subsidiaries.
Matthias Renner is the President of National Real Estate Management Corp. and responsible for the overall operation of a $600,000,000 commercial real estate business.
Megan Ridgeway is Principal of Arcturis where she sets the strategic direction of the firm while also overseeing the day-to-day operations of the practice.
And, Amadou Yattassaye serves as the Plan President of the Missouri Commercial & Specialty Business Division (CSBD) for Anthem, Inc. where he is responsible for Anthem’s commercial business.
For more information on how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is helping our community, visit www.bgcstl.org.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) 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. For over 50 years, BGCSTL has been providing after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth in the St. Louis area while also providing a safe place for them to learn and grow. The Clubs serve youth across St. Louis City & County including Adams Park Club, Hazelwood Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, O’Fallon Park Club, Riverview Gardens Club, Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Club and the Teen Center of Excellence. We also operate dropout prevention programs within two High Schools (Normandy and Roosevelt High School); as well as the Mentor St. Louis and St. Louis Internship programs.
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2020 Youth of the Year, Danielle Kain!
YOUTH OF THE YEAR WINNER ANNOUNCED AT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS GREAT FUTURES GALA
Danielle Kain Wins Youth of the Year, $9,000 in Scholarships & A NEW CAR
Nearly 700 guests and $525,000 raised for Club kids!
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) is proud to announce the 2020 Youth of the Year winner is Danielle Kain! Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive and a signature national youth recognition program that celebrates the recipient’s contributions to their family, school, community, and their Boys & Girls Club. The winner was announced at the Great Futures Gala, the largest fundraising event for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis which raised $525,000 for Club youth!
Photo: Check presentation to 2020 BGCSTL Youth of the Year Danielle Kain of the Michael and Wanda DeHaven $5000 Scholarship presented by Abby & Travis Sarich Daughter and son-in law of Michael and Wanda DeHaven
Danielle, age 16, is a junior at MICDS and has been a member of BGCSTL Ferguson Club for eight years. In addition to winning the Youth of the Year title and honor to represent the Club as a Teen Ambassador, she received the Michael & Wanda DeHaven $5,000 Scholarship, the Missouri State University Youth of the Year $4,000 scholarship, a celebratory dinner courtesy of the Saint Louis Club and a car provided by Frank Leta Honda! Danielle plans to become an Aerospace Engineer post college.
Most days at the Club you can find Danielle engaged in the Music Studio or Robotics/STEM programs. She says the Club has been a constant source of support throughout her journey. During her eight years at the Club Danielle has won the BGCA Hank Aaron Scholarship Award, allowing her to purchase STEM materials and equipment to provide sessions for elementary, middle, and high school club members; she participated as a teen panelist at Harris Stowe State University’s Spark the Mind Advancing the Agenda for African Americans in STEM event, which led to her unforgettable personal meeting of Aprille Ericsson, current aerospace engineer for NASA; she competed for the nationwide 2019 STEP Ahead Awards and won 1st Place in the high school division, which included an all-inclusive trip to Washington, D.C; and, spoke at several events sharing how the Boys & Girls Clubs has impacted her life. She also received the Joan Ellyn Silber Award for Volunteerism and Leadership!
“The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. All of the honorees are shining examples and living proof that great futures start at the Boys & Girls Clubs. We are so proud of all of this year’s participants who took the time to complete a challenging yet worthwhile process. All possess the ability and ambition to be successful, and should be recognized for their leadership, service, academic achievements and commitment to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Flint Fowler, President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.
Congratulations to all of the Youth of the Year top finishers listed below (left to right):
2nd Place winner receiving the $2,500 Emerson Scholarship is Herbert Hoover Club member, Kahalia Adams!
3rd Place winner receiving a $1,000 Scholarship is Be Great: Graduate Roosevelt High School Club member, Alex Mugisha!
2020 Youth of the Year Danielle Kain
4th Place winner receiving a $500 Scholarship is Be Great: Graduate Roosevelt High School Club member, Fatuma Euli! Congratulations!
Special thanks to the Great Futures Gala committee including Co-chairs – Keith & Andrea Lueking, Rufus & Mercia Moore and Jim & Mindy Watson. And, to the following sponsors for their support: Lead Sponsor, Emerson Foundation; Presenting Sponsors, Centene Charitable Foundation, Dowd Bennett, LLP and Midwest BankCentre; Great Futures Sponsors, Argent Capital Management LLC, Express Scripts and Stifel Nicolaus; Youth of the Year Sponsors, Ameren, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ascension, Bayer, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLC, Enterprise Holdings, EY, Greensfelder Hemker & Gale, P.C., Laborers’ Local 110, Paul & Laura Miller, Spire Energy, St. Louis Cardinals, Thompson Coburn LLP and U.S. Bank. And, a host of table sponsors.
To view photos from the evening, click here.
Event co-chairs, L to R
Rufus & Mercia Moore, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis president Dr. Flint Fowler, Jim & Mindy Watson and Keith & Andrea Lueking
