Club to participate in B.A.A. Marathon Charity Program

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row, the Club is an official charity as designated by the Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon Charity Program to participate in the 117th running of the Boston Marathon, one of the most prestigious races in the world. Through this program, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester has been awarded 15 official entries for the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.  Each selected runner will raise a minimum of $4,000 for the Club and will have access to team practice runs, meetings, fundraising support, clinics and will be given a discount to a local sports store. To apply for a spot to run the Boston Marathon on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester’s Marathon Team, visit bgcdorchester.org, Applications will be available beginning on September 10, 2012. Qualified entrants who have already secured their entry with the B.A.A are welcome and encouraged to apply to be added to the team in addition to the 15 charity program runners. Qualified runners will be asked to raise a minimum $1,000 and will have access to the same benefits as the charity program runners. “We are so honored to have been selected by the B.A.A. to join this elite group of charities,” said Bob Scannell, President & CEO. “The Boston Marathon is a world-class event and those chosen to run on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester will make a big impact on the lives of our members.” The B.A.A. Charity Program raises more than $10 million dollars each year and over the course of 24 years, has raised more than $122 million for local charities including The American Liver Foundation, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Children’s Hospital Boston, Alzheimer’s Association and others. Over the three-year partnership, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester has set a goal to raise more than $200,000 through the marathon program.  Funds raised will help the Club’s Triple Play Program, a national program strategy from Boys & Girls Clubs of America that challenges kids to lead healthier lives by learning new ways to eat healthily, be physically active, manage stress, and make other healthy choices.  The Club has customized this successful program on a local level by offering an array of wellness-focused activities that take into account the economic, social and environmental factors that place Dorchester youth at high risk for childhood obesity. These funds will also help with the new “Learn To” programs starting in September for children ages 3-5. For more information on the marathon program, please visit marathon@bgcdorchester.org or contact Heather Brigham at ext. 1132. 

September Events
After re-opening for the school-year program on 9/10, a variety of registered activities and special events will highlight our first month of after-school programming. In the Fine Arts/Film programs our weekly classes (photography, painting, sculpture, claymation, t-shirt design, recycled art and creative drawing) will begin the week of 9/10. We will also host the Fresh Films program the week of 9/10 who will be working with our new Film/Video Club to create a P.S.A. In our Education program Homework Help will be offered on a Monday to Thursday schedule from 2:00-6:00 p.m. We will also begin our I.S.E.E. Test Prep Class (9/10) and host a Mock Interview session for teens (9/26). All of our “Learn To” Classes (swim, athletics, art, education and music) for members ages 3-5 began the week of 9/10 with some spots still available. In our Social Recreation program our small group clubs (Torch Club, Girl Scouts, Passport to Manhood and Fencing) will begin the week of 9/17. We will also host a trip with the Outdoor Adventure Club (9/29). Our Patriot’s Kids Café program is back up and running, offering a hot, nutritious meal to members ages 5 to 12 weekday afternoons at 4:45 p.m. and Teens at 6:00 p.m. in the Teen Center. In the Athletic program we will hold try-outs for our two All-Star Floor Hockey teams on 9/25 (Girls 14&U) and 9/26 (Boys 13&U). We will also begin the Fall session of the Beginner Gymnastics program (9/24), the Girls High School Basketball Clinic (9/27) and the Boys High School Basketball Clinic (9/30). In our Aquatics program the Marr-lin Swim Team will hold try-outs (50 yd. swim) for new swimmers on 9/13, 9/15 & 9/17, a parents meeting on 9/18 and new swimmers will begin team practices on 9/20. Meanwhile the Swim Lesson program will begin the week of 9/10 with some openings still available. At our Denney Center Unit located in Harbor Point we will host a weekend retreat for teens to Cape Cod (9/14 to 9/16) and a trip to the Movies (9/28). In our Music program we will host a Friday Night Live Movie Night (9/19), a Performance Workshop (919), Open Mic Night (9/21) and a Drum Clinic (9/24). Lastly, in our Teen program the Keystone Club will be inducting new members (9/27) and volunteering at the Rodman Ride for Kids (9/29). We will also begin accepting applications for the Boston Youth Fund After-School Jobs program. For more information on our Fall program please contact VP of Programming, Mike Joyce at 617-288-7120, ext. 2110.