Boys and Girls Club celebrates national club week – Lincoln Parish Journal

By Hanna Singh

The Boys and Girls Clubs of North Louisiana joined in the statewide celebration of Boys and Girls Club Week with a variety of fun activities each day. From career information days to pool parties, youth participated in exciting events that promoted wellness, physical health and positive impact.

Since 1941, National Boys and Girls Club Week has celebrated the dedicated service the clubs provide to local communities and guide youth toward great futures. This year’s BGC Week theme was “Level Up” and was designed to encourage kids to get involved in their clubs, explore future opportunities and celebrate the positive impact BGC has had on their lives.

Regional Director Vanessa Brown acknowledged the success of BGC Week across the region.

“The week was incredible. The kids enjoyed every activity,” said Brown. “We are always so excited to celebrate each National BGC Week.”

Throughout the week, the children participated in numerous activities with a different theme each day. On Monday, they took a BGC history tour and learned about the Ruston club’s past. On Tuesday, there was a “Blue Out” color party where the children enjoyed blue snacks and wore blue shirts in honor of the BGC’s official color. On Wednesday, there was “Stop, Drop and Play Day,” an exciting day focused on staying active. The children participated in a “Stop, Drop and Get Fit” challenge where they did random exercises throughout the day and had a friendly competition in group exercises at the end. And finally, Thursday was Career Information Day where local fire departments came by to talk to the youth about their careers.

The exciting week ended on Friday at the Louisiana Tech Lambright Center with a pool party. The children spent the afternoon swimming and enjoyed their last day together. Department Head Lajuan Calton praised the success of the week and expressed his anticipation for the upcoming semester.

“We ended the week at Tech’s Pool where all of our groups got together, ate pizza and had a good time,” said Calton. “It was a great way to end our first session and we are really looking forward to starting our second session for the Boys and Girls Clubs next week.”

The Boys and Girls Clubs of North Louisiana provide a safe place where children can participate in fun programs to improve their skills for school, career and life. For parents, the club provides a support system with mentors, meals and life experiences for their children. For more information on your local Boys and Girls Club, visit http://www.bgcofnl.org