June 2022

Great Futures Start HERE.

Gratitude Overflows at BGCG

Dear BGCG Friends & Families,

Certain people impact your life in ways you will remember forever. Rebecca Breed was one of those people for Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. A long-time Board Member, she was a devoted and generous volunteer at the Club, giving her time and resources to our College Scholarship program, assisting in our after-school tutoring, and hosting our annual Valentine’s Day Ice Cream Social for our kids. She touched the lives of so many young people through her dedication to children and making their lives rich with opportunity, kindness, and possibility. Early this month, Rebecca passed away at age 85 and will be deeply missed here at the Club.

This month’s newsletter highlights endless possibilities and limitless opportunities at BGCG, made possible because of incredible friends like Rebecca. Our College and Vocational Scholarship program awarded 46 students over $300,000, forever changing the trajectory of young people and ensuring access to education that might otherwise be unattainable.

Here at BGCG, we strive to provide opportunities to BE GREAT for all children. Rebecca’s spirit and commitment to our mission will live on at the Club and inspire our work for years to come.

Happy summer, and enjoy this issue of BGCG Connections!

Sincerely,

Cristina Vittoria

CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich

Senior Spotlight

Congratulations to all of our graduates! BGCG teens are hard-working, good-natured, and caring young people who strive to make a difference in their Club and the community. At BGCG, a strong emphasis is placed on college preparedness with SAT test preparation courses, local and regional college campus visits, as well as behind-the-scenes visits to local corporations for exposure to the business world.

Take a look at some of our graduating Seniors as they prepare for the next phase in their academic career.

Sally Lawrence, Michael Rincon, Alyzah Rumbaoa, and Chris Winham

$310,350 Awarded in College and Vocational Scholarships

The Club's Scholarship Committee recently reviewed applications from 46 members, then met with each applicant to learn about the individuals' dedication to higher education, involvement with the Club, and future aspirations. For the group of high school seniors and college students, good grades, commitment to character development, volunteerism, and community leadership, has led to a combined reward of $310,350 in scholarship funds, made possible through our BGCG Scholarship endowment.

Two Club alumni received the prestigious Torch Award, which is given to rising college seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA who represent the Club's values: Michael Rincon, who will graduate from the University of Rhode Island next year with a degree in accounting, and Alyzah Rumbaoa, who will graduate from the University of Connecticut with a degree in nursing. Both students were awarded a $10,000 scholarship.

Consider a Year-end Gift to Support our Youth

Over 100,000 kids in Connecticut go home to empty houses. The cost of after-school care is not accessible to many families in Greenwich. Our annual membership fee of $75 ensures out-of-school care and enrichment opportunities for all youth in our community.

Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich enriches the lives of 6 to 18-year-olds by providing safe activity spaces, caring mentors, and essential skill-building programs for more than 300 youth every day after school and for over 700 youth during the summer.

Please consider supporting our youth by donating to our Annual Fund today.

Tax-Smart Ways to Give to BGCG

As the 2021-2022 fiscal year nears its end, consider a gift to Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich that may help you save on your taxes. Contributions to the Annual Fund are tax-deductible! Thank you very much to all who donated to BGCG in 2022. Here are some ways to both give and save:

Donate Cryptocurrency

Join the Star Society

Engage in Planned Giving

Participate in Corporate Engagement

Donate Gifts of Stock

Please consult your tax advisor before making your gift. All gifts will count toward the 2021-2022 Annual Fund, which runs from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Please contact the Development Office with questions. Thank you very much again for your support!

Contemplating the Legacies of our Lives

The Legacy of each human life is a unique expression of compelling relationships – relationships with values, ideas and other experiences.

Planned Giving has many benefits for you and for Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Several options are available to structure charitable gifts that maximize personal, financial, and tax benefits for donors, while simultaneously providing meaningful gifts to Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Planned gifts can provide:

Increased income - Provision for loved ones - Tax benefits - Preservation of assets

Individuals with significant appreciated property or retirement-plan assets may also realize substantial income-tax benefits. Planned gifts can include:

Appreciated stock - Bequests - Charitable trusts - Gift annuities - Life insurance - Real estate

Please contact Emily Wakeling, Vice President of Development, for more information.

*Please be sure to consult with your financial advisor or estate planner before finalizing any estate plans

Board Report

BGCG Welcomes New Members to 2022-2023 Board of Directors

At the final Board meeting of the year, BGCG Board Chair, Eileen Tang, and our organization welcomed six new members to the organization’s Board of Directors. The new members are Julie Futch, Andrew Krumholz, Sarah Osnoss, Ana Ojea Quintana, Heeyoon Slater, and Steve Valan. Welcome to the Board!

2022-2023 Board of Directors

Highlighting our Members

Awards Night Highlights Outstanding Youth

Family and friends gathered in the game room at the Clubhouse for the 54th Annual Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich’s Awards Night. The event honors Club members who are outstanding in their areas of choice.

“Awards Night is my favorite Club event,” said Don Palmer, Vice President of Programs & Youth Development. “It brings together extraordinary club members, parents, families, and community leaders in celebration of great futures. It is the resounding ‘why’ as to why Boys & Girls Clubs are needed in every community giving kids positive outlets during out-of-school time.”

BGCG Youth Among Community Service Award Recipients

When Greenwich Public Schools announced the 2022 Community Service Awards on April 25, 13 out of 27 recipients were Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich youth! A 36-year tradition, the awards honor students’ commitments to their schools and the community.

According to the Greenwich Time, Ernest Fleishman, who served as Greenwich’s superintendent of schools from 1976 to 1989, established the awards after seeing rows of trophies for athletics. He told Greenwich Time that he wanted the district to commend other student contributions as well.

STEM to Stern Program Introduces Youth to the Sport of Rowing

Through a partnership with Greenwich Crew, a group of BGCG middle school youth had the incredible opportunity this spring to participate in a 12-week rowing program called STEM to Stern.

Following two introductory lessons at Boys & Girls Club with coaches from Greenwich Crew, 12 Boys & Girls Club members joined the program. Over the course of the spring, the youth met on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Greenwich Water Club, and for the first seven weeks, a STEM lesson was incorporated into the offering.

BGCG Events

Annual Benefit

September 9

Please join us for an elegant tribute to the 1960s highlighting iconic art and music with fabulous specialty cocktails and cuisine from the era. Pick out your glamorous 60s attire and put on your dancing shoes!

Tickets

Annual Benefit Launch Party

It was a beautiful spring night in a fabulous venue on the rooftop of Samuel Owen Gallery with delicious food and great company with over 70 committee members in attendance! BGCG and event co-chairs, Claiborne Swanson Frank, Louise Oram-Cho, Katerina Pergola, are extremely grateful for the support of the committee and to Veronica Beard for generously sponsoring the launch party.

Party Photos

Muddy Up

October 2

This fun-filled family event is for runners and walkers who enjoy a competitive adventure on our rugged, 3.1 mile wooded course with natural and man-made obstacles and plenty of MUD! This mud-tastic event is held at Camp Simmons, BGCG’s 77-acre wilderness property on Lake Avenue.

Find Out More

Summer Camp 2022

Great outdoor adventures and indoor fun await all Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich campers. Our Clubhouse Camp, Camp Simmons and Teen Camp provide creative, fun and supportive camping experience for youth ages 6 to 15. We surround our kids with positive role models to provide the encouragement they need to realize their full potential, all while in a relaxed and inspiring camp setting.

Find Out More

Dodge for a Cause

There’s nothing like a friendly competition of dodgeball to bring people together. At BGCG’s 6th Annual Dodgeball Tournament in April, teams of police officers, firefighters, teachers, Club alumni and community members had the chance to relive their childhoods in a game of dodgeball for a good cause. Funds raised were donated to Greenwich Hospital and Stamford Hospital's Pediatric Centers.

Find Out More

Paige Pray Named 2022 Youth of the Year

A National Honor Society student with stellar grades, and recent recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens award, Paige looks forward to attending Quinnipiac University in the fall where she’s enrolled in their 3+3 Law Accelerated Dual-Degree.

Find Out More