2009-2010 Annual Report - Boys and Girls Club | of Harrisonburg ...

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Club Boys Enjoy Elks’ Summer Camp
Last spring, BGCHR received an
invitation from Harrisonburg Elks
Lodge member Barbara Monger for our boys
and girls to attend the Elks’ summer camp
program in nearby Bath County. Five La
Casita boys accepted the offer to attend the
all-expenses paid camp and had the time of
their lives.
For a week, the
boys experienced summer
in an altogether different
way for them. The hiked,
swam, fished, played
games, canoed, ate smores
and enjoyed sports at the allexpenses
paid camp.
La Casita leader Geo
Bonilla had to do his due
diligence with the boys’
parents in order to attain
permission for them to
attend the camp. Parents
with children served through
La Casita rarely allow their
children to sleep anywhere but
in their own homes. So, the
parents were slow to trust the
idea of entrusting their children
to strangers and sending them
into an unfamiliar mountainous
region miles from home… for a
solid week. Through Geo’s efforts
and the trust he has established with the
children and their families,
the parents allowed their
kids to go. None of these
kids had ever been to
summer camp.
Geo and Courtney,
his wife, picked up the boys
early Sunday morning, July 4
and delivered them to the Elks
Lodge where they boarded a
motor coach for the trip to the
mountains and their summer
adventure.
Shortly after they
returned to Harrisonburg,
Barbara advised BGCHR that
the boys did so well at camp
that they have been invited back
for next year. The La Casita boys
scored between 98 and 100% on
the camp counselors’ camper evaluations.
The boys’ leadership, manners, initiative,
and personal growth during the week earned
them the high scores on their evaluations.
“Scoring so high on the evaluations
is something that doesn’t happen so often.
Some kids go to camp and forget to obey the
rules and do things just to cause problems.
Overall all these campers did very well this
year. I’m so proud of these five kids. I was a
little anxious about them being away from
their parents and getting homesick, but they
all did well.
Makes me feel proud and glad I do
what I do to get the kids to go to camp… so
often people forget that kids need structure
in their lives. If they don’t get it at home,
organizations geared to the needs of low
income kids need to be able to assist. That
helps to save young lives,” said Ms. Monger.
“This is a great story about collaboration,
and hope and opportunity for young people
– which is our product,” said BGCHR
executive director, Todd Bale.
“Barbara and her husband, Roger,
parents of our very own board member and
Club parent, Dixie Garber, expend tireless
effort to help enrich our community and
improve the lives of its people. We are truly
thankful for the work they spearhead for the
Clubs.”
Boys from La Casita prepare for a camping trip
in the mountains. The Elks Lodge kindly provided
funds to make this trip possible.
Club
1996- 1998
Don Kohlenstein
1998-2000
Todd Rhea
2000
Larry Rogers
2001-2004
Vicki Westlake
2005-2007
Karl Waizecker
2008-2010
Andy Huggins
2010-Present
Derrick Whetzel