2015 Mid-Year Report

2015 MID-YEAR REPORT1

THANK YOU
TO OUR MANY
EVENT SPONSORS
2015 YOUTH OF THE YEAR:
• Dinner with Friends Keystone $5000
Hendricks Family Foundation
• YOY Sponsor $500
Trident Seafood
2015 SEDRO-WOOLLEY WINTER
FUNDRAISER:
Title Sponsor $2500
Dwayne Lane’s North Cascade Ford
Event Sponsor $1000
Carl’s Towing
2015 ANNUAL BREAKFAST:
• Title Sponsor $7500
BNSF Railway
• Keystone Sponsors $5000
Mike & Dianne Crawford
• Audio/Video Sponsor $3000
K & H Integrated Print Solutions
• Torch Sponsors $2,500
Comcast
Skagit Transportation
• Meal Sponsor $2000
• Table Sponsors $1000
Barrett Financial Community Giving Project
Mike Gubrud – Farmers Insurance
Stiles & Stiles Inc., PS
Annette Booth – Allstate Insurance
Williams & Nulle, PLLC
R. W. Baird & Co. – Carter & Ryberg
Pat Rimmer’s Les Schwab
Skagit Aggregates
Sims Honda
Skagit Bank
Columbia Bank
Windermere Skagit
2015 ANACORTES BREAKFAST:
• Title Sponsor $2000
Kiwanis Sunrisers Anacortes
• Event Sponsor $1000
Strandberg Construction
Ris Insurance Services
Cap Sante Inn
2

LEARN. LIVE. LEAD. A recipe for success and that’s exactly what we have been
experiencing the first half of 2015. Recently we learned that among well over 4100
Club sites in the United States we are ranked in the top 40 for growth in average
daily attendance over last year with an increase of 26.7%. This is a direct result of
the dedicated work of Staff, Board, Volunteers, and proven programs in each one
of our Clubs. Increased attendance is evidence we are providing opportunity for
engagement and growth.
Through the leadership of Executive Director, Ron McHenry, we have seen many
positive changes throughout the organization. With measurable successes in growth,
mentoring, programs, community collaboration, sustainability and expanded opportunities
- the Boys & Girls Clubs are leaving a long lasting, positive impact on our youth,
their families and the community.
One major highlight has been our Skagit County Youth of the Year, Justice Lively,
moving forward to be our first Youth of the Year for the State of Washington. Justice
continues to reflect the positive attributes he has developed through all his years as
a Club Kid, and we are excited to send him to the upcoming Regional program in
California this summer, where we know he will represent us all with panache.
We are proud of the quality summer programs being offered at our Clubs this summer, and that our successes are being modeled
throughout the Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, especially in Marketing, Data Integration and Analysis.
The Board continues to strive for excellence in commitment and transparency along with responsible stewardship of the
Clubs in our community. We pledge to continue to exceed the goals set before us providing a high yield return on your investment
in our Skagit youth.
Thank you for your continued commitment to this organization, enabling us to enrich the experience and reach in changing
young lives in Skagit County. We welcome any conversations you would like to have regarding volunteering and supporting
our organization. Please feel free to contact us.
Stephanie Hooper
Bayside Specialties
2015 Board President
Friends,
With so many great things happening in our organization in 2014, I didn’t think we
could top it, but the first half of 2015 has certainly continued the trend.
We crowned Justice Lively as our organizational Youth of the Year in front of our biggest
crowd ever, and then witnessed the transformational development of his preparation for
the Washington State program when he spoke again at our Annual Breakfast, in front of
a large and very generous audience who not only broke, but shattered records in Philanthropy,
with more than $125,000 being raised to support operations.
Just a week later, and we would be in Seattle witnessing with enthusiasm as our very
own Don Wick was inducted into the Boys & Girls Club Washington State Hall of
Fame, and then simultaneously shocked and proud when Justice became the first
member from Skagit County to earn the honor of being named the Washington State
Youth of the Year, earning a $5,000 scholarship in the process.
Our kids continued to vote with their feet, and in May, it was announced that our
organization was amongst the top 10% nationally for growth, with a rate of 26.7%.
Followed by an investment by the Tesoro Corporation of $50,000 a year for three
years, announced at what would become an incredibly successful Keys for Kids event, and
it’s hard to imagine topping all this moving forward. But we must.
There are kids and families who need us now more than ever, and because of your increased support, we can serve them
effectively, efficiently and with love.
In service,
Ron McHenry
Executive Director
3

4
Thank you to Cloud9 Photography & Design, Jon
Kull, & Azota Photography for donating photography
for this report.
• Table Sponsors $500
The Walk-In Clinic at Island Hospital
Chief Bonnie Bowers & Officer Emerson Nordmark
(Anacortes Police Department)
Alice Bohnker Insurance
Representative Jeff Morris
John L. Scott
Remax
CPI Plumbing
Curt Oppel - John L. Scott
Cap Sante Court Retirement
Anacortes Pizza Factory
Soroptimist International of Anacortes
Anacortes Community Health Council
Barrett Financial Community Giving Project
2015 KEYS FOR KIDS:
• Baby Grand Sponsor $4400
Jerry H Walton Foundation
• Full Staff Sponsor $2000
Tesoro Corp
• Octave Sponsor $800
Pacific Party Canopies
• Major Chord Sponsor $300
Maggie Potter
SB&C, Ltd.
• Key Sponsor $100
Gentleman Gene’s
Highland Animal Clinic
Josh Anderson Insurance
2015 GOLF TOURNAMENT:
• Title Sponsor $5000
Blade Chevrolet
• Swag Sponsor $3000
Annette Booth – Allstate Insurance
• Dinner Sponsor $3000
Judd & Black
• Driving Range Sponsor $2000
Skagit Ford Mazda Subaru
• Contest Sponsor $1000
Skagit Transportation
Mike Gubrud – Farmers Insurance
Heritage Bank
• Beverage Cart Sponsor $1000
Barrett Financial – Community Giving Project
Associated Petroleum Products, Inc.
• Snack Cart Sponsor $750
CPI Plumbing/SaviBank
Louis Auto Glass
• Hole Sponsor $750
Angel of the Winds Casino

Safelite AutoGlass
Wells Fargo
• Green/Tee Sponsor $400
Just Peachy Yogurt
Cook Road Shell
Conover Insurance
LarsonGross, PLLC
Gateway Transmission
Central Moving & Storage
Smiley Insurance
Bob’s Burger & Brew
Kamb & Kamb
Rallye Auto
Skagit River Steel
SEMRAU Engineering & Surveying
ServiceMaster Clean
Keith Sorestad, Carol Lawson, Brad Methner
(State Farm Insurance)
2014 ANNUAL GALA:
• TA DA! Title Sponsor $10,000
HRC
• ABRACADABRA $5,000
Jerry H Walton Foundation
K&H Print Solutions
Avenue Catering
Mike & Dianne Crawford
• HOCUS POCUS $2500
Judd & Black
Alaska Airlines
Samish Indian Nation
Barrett Financial
• OPEN SESAME $1500
Valley Electric
Annette Booth – Allstate Insurance
CPI Plumbing & Heating
Strandberg Construction
Columbia Distributing
RIS Insurance Services
Ashley Home Furniture
PRINTING
The printing and mailing of
this Semi-Annual Report was
generously donated by K&H
Integrated Printing Solutions.
Thank you for helping us provide
GREAT FUTURES for our youth.
IN THIS REPORT...
Thank You Event Sponsors ...2, 4, 5
Letter from our Board President ...3
Letter from Executive Director ...3
Keys for Kids ...6-7
By the Numbers ...8-9
Targeted Programs ...10
Upcoming Events ...11
Outdoor Summer Fun ...12-13
Annual Breakfast a Success ...14-15
Healthy Meals for Kids ...19
Board of Directors ...19
Youth of the Year ...20-23
5

6KEYS FOR KIDS; OUTDOOR SUMMER FUN
KEYS FOR KIDS
The singing carried out into the night,
and the smiles were plentiful, as the
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County presented
“Keys for Kids”, a unique event
at La Conner Flats that featured Dueling
Pianos, great food, and an opportunity
to invest in the lives of more than 1,500
youth. The evening, purposefully designed
as an intimate gathering, filled a
tent with just over a hundred guests on
the picturesque grounds, raising more
than $30,000 to support the operations
of Clubs in Anacortes, La Conner, Mount
Vernon, and Sedro-Woolley.
A kaleidoscope of musical genres, from
rock to country, patriotic to pop, kept
guests entertained as they bid to have
their favorite songs played, or in some
instances to stop the performing of another
song, by the incredibly talented
duo of Kirk Garrett and Rich Wyman
who traveled from Salt Lake City for
the night. As the night came to an end,
participants expressed enthusiasm and
excitement, “As one guest who never
attended one of our events before was
leaving, she stopped to tell me that it
was the single best fundraiser she has
ever attended,” said Ron McHenry,
CEO and Executive Director for the organization.
“This was exactly what we
had hoped for, an ability to reach a new
audience to increase awareness about
our mission and outcomes, raise money
for our Clubhouses as they continue to
see record numbers of kids, and have a
whole lot of fun in the process.”
During intermission, the crowd leapt to
their feet in a standing ovation, but there
was no music playing. Instead, it was
James Tangaro and Matthew Gill from
the Tesoro Corporation who caused the
excitement. They were there to surprise
the staff and Board of Directors of the
Boys & Girls Clubs with a $50,000 check,
and then announce that it was the first
of a three-year commitment to the organization.
The funds will create a Tesoro

Learning Academy at each Clubhouse,
allowing for the purchase of two dozen
computers that will be used for STEM
Education enrichment and support activities
to ensure the Academic Success
of Club members, additional training
and professional development for staff,
an increase in staffing to provide more
one-on-one educational assistance, and
an incentive-based field trip for teens
next summer. More than 45 youth will
travel to Universities, Colleges, and
Trade Schools in Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, and Montana to become inspired
to take their post-secondary future into
their own hands. The week long trip will
also feature a stop in Yellowstone National
Park, a once-in-a-lifetime experience
for Club members, many of whom
have never left Western Washington or
Skagit County.
“In our meeting at Tesoro, James and
Matt never asked how Tesoro had been
recognized for their previous investment
of $40,000 in 2014,” says McHenry. “Instead,
they focused on the results and
wanted to know how kids lives had been
impacted with the money. Their values
and commitment to the community align
with those of the Boys & Girls Club, and
we appreciate their support, investment,
and confidence in our ability to make a
positive change in the lives of the youth
we serve.”
With such an outstanding evening just
having come to an end, plans are already
underway for next year, and include
adding a second night because of the
feedback and desire of guests to return
and bring more friends. To get involved
on the planning committee, become a
sponsor, or simply book your table in
advance for either the family-friendly
evening planned for the Friday night, or
the more raucous adult version on Saturday,
contact Ian Faley at the Boys & Girls
Club at 360-419-3723. Only 16 tables are
available each night, and some have already
been reserved.
Jay & Terry Ackley
and K&H
are proud to support
Boys & Girls Clubs
of Skagit County
Believe in Abundance
Live in Abundance
Give in Abundance
7
BGC Skagit Co 2015.indd 1
3/9/15 2:06 PM

8
WHY ARE THESE NUMBERS
IMPORTANT?
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County certainly
has had a lot to celebrate over the last
year. New records in attendance, membership,
and service hours, combined with state
and national level recognition, as well as
significantly exceeding benchmarks in many
measurable indicator categories has elevated
our status amongst Clubs throughout the
United States, as well as other Youth Development
organizations in the area. However,
the true measure of a highly-functioning
non-profit agency that is mission-driven and
data-informed is the response to less than
stellar results.
While still beating the averages across state,
regional, and national lines, the margin is
much narrower than other successes in
three important categories: Sense of Belonging,
Physical Safety, and Adult Connections.
These indicators represent some of the most
core beliefs of Boys & Girls Clubs that go
back more than 150 years to our beginnings.
When three women came together in Hartford,
Connecticut in response to a growing
problem of children wandering the streets
during the day, and began what would
quickly become a national movement with
53 Clubs established within ten years,
they did so with intention and purpose.
They wanted to provide a safe place, dedicated
specifically to youth so they could
experience what it was like to belong to
something of their own, that engaged them
through staff members that would be professionally
trained so that the highest level
of expectations for the children could be
maintained in a supportive environment.
Our Clubs are doing fine in these areas, but
we must do better in these fundamental core
areas so our impact is as deep as it is wide.
Sometimes it is not about winning, but instead
reflecting and reengaging in the basics
so each win is more meaningful.

BY THE NUMBERS
SENSE OF BELONGING
SKAGIT COUNTY
WA STATE
REGION
NATIONAL
12%
17%
16%
15%
47%
41%
37%
46%
39%
46%
41%
44%
ROOM TO GROW
DOING FINE
DOING GREAT
SKAGIT COUNTY
PHYSICAL SAFETY
WA STATE
REGION
NATIONAL
28%
34%
34%
33%
61%
11%
56%
10%
56%
10%
57%
10%
ROOM TO GROW
DOING FINE
DOING GREAT
SKAGIT COUNTY
ADULT CONNECTIONS
WA STATE
REGION
NATIONAL
19%
23%
25%
21%
56%
25%
53%
25%
50%
25%
55%
24%
ROOM TO GROW
DOING FINE
DOING GREAT
9

10TARGETED PROGRAMS AT OUR CLUBS
ANACORTES READING CORP
Heading into the 2014-15 school year
the Anacortes School District and the
Anacortes Boys & Girls Club forged a
trial partnership, thanks to an OSPI
education grant, they were able to
hire three AmeriCorps/ReadingCorps
Reading Specialists. These specialists
spend the first part of their day at Elementary
schools in Anacortes, working
with students in the classrooms then
afterschool they come to the Club and
continue that work in more advanced
tutoring sessions. Those participating
in the program have seen increased
reading and writing skills as well as
boosted confidence and better self-image.
This program has been a huge
success and we’re excited for it to not
only continue in Anacortes but expand
to our Mount Vernon Club.
POSITIVE SPROUTS:
Positive Sprouts is a program focusing
on improving habits of health and nutrition.
One aspect of this program focuses
on community gardening. Gardening
provides the ideal mechanism to teach
youth about nutrition; not only do members/children
become engaged in the
process of growing food for themselves,
but they also appreciate the improvement
in taste and texture detectable in
their own homegrown fruits and vegetables.
Members at all four of our Clubs
get to participate in their own community
gardens at the Club.
Sarah Nevares, from Sierra-Pacific
Industries visited the Mount Vernon
Clubhouse this last June to present
Club members with a grant to enhance
Healthy Lifestyle programs this summer
for youth in Skagit County. The $2,500
investment will be utilized to support
Positive Sprouts. The funds will also allow
all Clubhouses in Skagit County an
opportunity to add an educational field
trip centered around conservation and
stewardship.

20TH ANNUAL GOLF
TOURNAMENT
Marking its 20th Anniversary, our signature
Golf Tournament is a time to come
and enjoy the links, on behalf of the Clubs.
With business partners from all over the
Valley represented, visit with your friends,
and celebrate beautiful course at Avalon
Golf Links. Hosting great games, and fun
competitions throughout the course, come
and shoot par for the kids.
“WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS”
ANNUAL GALA
This year, our Gala celebrates the incredible
work that sets our Clubs apart, both
as a youth development agency, and as
a non-profit operating in Skagit County.
As it came time to start planning for this
year’s event, we reflected on what has
been accomplished recently, and what the
increase in support from our community
has allowed us to do in positively affecting
the lives of more than 1,400 youth, and the
theme seemed to just develop on its own.
On Friday, November 6th, we will present
our “We are the Champions” Gala to the
community. 2015 will go down as quite
historic for our young organization, just
nearing our twentieth anniversary. With
each week seemingly setting a new record
or achievement, the word ‘Champion’
has taken on a new meaning for our
staff, board, and volunteers. Not only do
we work hard to champion the youth who
need us most, we are doing so in ways
that are receiving recognition in state, regional,
and national ways.
We hope that you will consider joining us
in supporting “We are the Champions”
through sponsorship and attendance,
helping us to reach new heights in philanthropy,
and demonstrating to our kids
in Skagit County that there is a legion
of Champions engaged in ensuring they
reach Great Futures!
Register at skagitclubs.org
or contact Ian Faley
at 360-419-3723 x7 or
ifaley@skagitclubs.org
DON’T MISS OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
11

THANKS TO YOU, OUR
SEDRO-WOOLLEY
Twelve kids from the Sedro-Woolley Boys
& Girls Club loaded into the van and headed
out to Rosario State Park for a day at the
beach. When they pulled into the park they
were met with new friends, Brandon Boyle,
a representative from Gone Diving, a Scuba
Diving Shop in Bellingham and fellow diver
Renee Buchanan, who volunteers regularly
at the Club. Renee and Brandon had collected
some sea critters for the kids to observe
in touch tanks. The favorites among the
kids were the sea cucumbers, starfish, nudibranchs,
and crabs. Then everyone enjoyed a
short hike around the bluff. After lunch, all of
the kids took a guided tour of the tide pools
on “Urchin Rocks” at low tide.
LA CONNER
Even though the La Conner Club has been
closed this Summer, their Club members
were still able to enjoy their planned field
trip to Brooks Running Corporate Headquarters
and participate in the 2015 Washington
Future Stars Elite Track Meet. They
were even surprised with an impromptu
Ride the Ducks Tour.
MOUNT VERNON
Mount Vernon Club kids enjoyed a great trip
to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard
Locks) in Seattle. Club kids explored
the fish ladder and watched the boats pass
through the locks between the Puget Sound
and Lake Washington. They also visited the
Fremont troll and ended the day with a visit
to the Wallingford Club, part of Boys &
Girls Clubs of King County.
ANACORTES
Members of the Anacortes Boys & Girls Club
took to the ferry on and visited the Boys &
Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula - Carroll
C Kendall Unit in Sequim, WA. Anacortes
members were quickly taken by the
size of the facility, friendly staff, and most
importantly, the new friends they made.
Thank you Executive Director Mary Budke,
Unit Director Dave Miller, and all the staff
for sharing your Club with us. It was a blast.
12

SUMMER LOOKS BRIGHT
13

ANNUAL BREAKFAST A SUCCESS!
Just a year after the community helped to
break philanthropy records at the Annual
Breakfast offered by the Boys & Girls
Clubs of Skagit County, donor-investors
responded en force upon learning that
the organization has seen an increase in
attendance of more than 30%, with the
Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club operating
at 176% of capacity. The previous
record for funds raised was set just last
year, with just over $97,000 generated
to provide programs and services to
youth ages 6-18 in Anacortes, La Conner,
Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley - up
significantly from the $57,000 that was
raised in 2013.
When creating the budget for 2015, Club
officials held income projections to those
received in 2014, simply because the event
had already seen a significant increase. “It
would’ve been irresponsible for us to do
otherwise,” says Executive Director, Ron
McHenry. “We look toward sustainability
in practice, but nonetheless, this year
we prepared our case statement to the
community the best we could, and our
all-stars - our kids - really delivered their
message on behalf of all kids.”
The youth speakers, including Karen
Gallardo from Anacortes, Ariana Harting
from La Conner, Madisen Cork from
Sedro-Woolley, and 2014 Youth of the
Year Justice Lively from Mount Vernon,
spoke of their personal story, impacting
everyone in attendance. “Our youth and
teens are the outcomes of our staff and
program delivery, and the best testament
we can provide about a return on investment,”
McHenry said, beaming with
pride over the results his cadre of Club
kids managed to generate.
When the last guest left the building and
results began being tabulated, the excitement
in the air grew. With a tinge of
emotion, McHenry addressed the volunteers
assembled to send out postcards to
attendees informing them of the success;
“we’re just over $125,000.” And so the
celebration continued.
“With these funds, we can look to increase
our staffing ability to better meet
the needs of our Clubs in Skagit County!”,
exclaimed a rather excited Stephanie
Hooper, recently installed Board
14

President of the organization. “We are so
thankful for the support from our community,
and the confidence they have
shown in our ability to deliver results in
an ongoing manner. We can now work to
alleviate our capacity issues relating to
space, and serve more youth.”
BNSF Railways served as the Title Sponsor,
increasing their own commitment
by 50% from previous years, and underwriting
the cost of the event completely,
ensuring that all donations would go
directly to make a change in the life of
a child. With nearly 250 attending the
Breakfast for GREAT Kids, the community
voted with its feet, and because of
the generosity, the Club will also be able
to look at increasing capacity, specifically
through a partnership with the Mount
Vernon School District to respond to the
needs of the youth who attend the facility
co-located on the LaVenture Middle
School Campus.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County
has celebrated many successes in the last
year, and they expect to continue to lead
the way when possible, so a great change
is affected in the community.
TOURS
To learn more about the
Clubs or to tour a Club,
please contact Ron
McHenry or Ian Faley at
360-419-3723. Staff are
proud to show our Clubs
and programs off to the
community that supports
us so strongly, and
welcome the opportunity
to share with you about
how lives are being
changed each day.
MEMBERSHIP
OUR MISSION:
To enable all young people,
especially those who need us most,
to reach their full potential as
productive, caring, responsible citizens.
OUR VALUES:
FUN • RESPECT • INTEGRITY
COMMUNITY • ACCEPTANCE
CLUB HOURS
During the school year all of our Clubs operate from 2pm to 6pm
Monday thru Friday, except for the Sedro-Woolley Club, which
operates from 2:00pm to 6:30pm Monday thru Friday.
WHO CAN ATTEND THE CLUB?
Youth ages 6 (or in First Grade) to 18
TEEN CENTER HOURS & TEEN NIGHTS
Teen Center Hours are designated hours for teens with an area
and programs designated just for them. Teen Nights are for teens
only without other Members present. These are generally held
on Friday Nights.
Anacortes Teen Nights: Fridays, 6pm to 10pm
La Conner Teen Nights: One Friday a month
Mount Vernon: Teen Center Monday-Fridays: 2pm to 3:30pm.
Teen Nights: 2nd & 4th Fridays of each month, 6 to 10pm.
Sedro-Woolley: Teen Center Monday – Thursday, 2pm to
6:30pm. Teen Night Fridays 2pm to 10pm.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS & REGISTRATION
Each Club has their own hours for Registration and Renewals.
Please consult our website were you can view hours and
download forms: www.skagitclubs.org.
HOLIDAYS & EARLY RELEASE DAYS
The Clubs make every effort to accommodate the needs of Youth
during holiday breaks or on weekdays for which there is no
school. Each Club will have their own schedule based on their
corresponding school district. We usually offer a morning and
afternoon program. Clubs need at least 15 participants to be
open. There is an additional fee for the Morning Program.
15

Administrative Office
PO Box 947
1605 William Way, Ste B
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
360-419-3723 (phone/fax)
Anacortes Club
904 6th St.
Anacortes, WA 98221
360-588-9045
La Conner Club
305 N. Sixth St.
La Conner, WA 9825
360-466-3672
Mount Vernon Club
1100 N. LaVenture Rd.
Mount Vernon, WA 9827
360-428-6995
Sedro-Woolley Club
915 McGarigle Rd.
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
360-856-1830
16

NEW INITIATIVES:
HEALTHY MEALS FOR KIDS
More than 15% of children are considered food insecure; they
simply do not know when or where their next meal will be. In
today’s world, this is simply unacceptable, and this year, the
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County has stepped-up to make
sure kids have access to quality, nutritious meals throughout
the day. Providing youth in our summer programs with a
full Breakfast, Lunch, and hearty afternoon snack, the Clubs
are now a lead agency in the Summer Food Service Program.
Through a partnership with the Office of the Superintendent for
Public Instruction and United States Department of Agriculture,
Clubs will ensure our kids grow their bodies in the same healthy
way that we’ve worked to grow their minds for years.
9,625
NUMBER OF YOUTH IN SKAGIT COUNTY
WHO DEPEND ON FREE/REDUCED LUNCH
30,000
NUMBER OF MEALS CLUBS WILL
PROVIDE THIS SUMMER
In Anacortes, we have been able to leverage resources that
deepen our impact out of our Clubhouse as well. Through a
partnership with the Learning & Lunches program, the Club is
serving as the central kitchen, preparing meals for our own kids,
and those being served at two satellite locations. This creates
a scale of efficiency that benefits both our own operations, and
that of our partner, allowing us both the opportunity to increase
the level of service provided. The results have been significant
and immediate, with the Club seeing 66% more youth than last
year, while participation in Learning & Lunches has increased
an astonishing 233%! This means more than 100 additional
youth are being served in Anacortes, at no additional cost to
the community.
We are excited that we will be able to carry this initiative forward
this fall in new ways as well, with our Clubhouses in La
Conner, Mount Vernon, and Sedro-Woolley not only providing
snack, but adding dinner as well. When combined with breakfast
and lunch at school, we can help eliminate food insecurity
in kids throughout our communities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stephanie Hooper – President
Bayside Specialties
Mark Lawrence – Vice President
Simply Yards Landscaping and Design
Mike Gubrud – Vice President
Mike Gubrud Farmers Insurance Agency
Becky Taft – Treasurer
Skagit Bank
Carrie Wallace – Secretary
Skagit Bank
Annette Booth – Past President
Booth Insurance/Allstate Insurance Co.
Pat Barrett – Member
Barrett Financial, LTD
Dr. Carl Bruner – Member
MVSD Superintendent
Kelly Kutchick – Member
Heritage Bank
Kelly Tuohig – Member
Tesoro Corporation
Tom Pasma – Member
Tom L. Pasma Auctioneers
Co-Owner Double S Quarter Horses, Inc
Karen Ray – Member
Angel of the Winds Casino
Mark Lione – Member
Cap Sante Inn
Thank you to longtime
Champions Maggie Potter
& Mike Crawford, for your
dedication, support, and
service to the youth in
Skagit County as past Board
Members. You have established
a legacy for our Clubs.
19

WASHINGTON STATE
Tremendous Honors Received for Boys &
Girls Clubs of Skagit County at State Event
Wednesday, March 26th was a day to celebrate,
and in quite a big way. For the first
time in the history of our young organization,
a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs
of Skagit County was named Washington
State Youth of the Year. In a year that
saw tremendous growth in candidates
from the fifteen organizations represented,
our very own Justice Lively earned the
honor, and with it, an additional $5,000 in
College scholarships. Justice Lively wasn’t
the only honoree from Skagit County at the
2015 Washington State Youth of the Year
Gala. Our very own Don Wick, Executive
Director of EDASC, was inducted into
the Washington State Boys & Girls Clubs
Alumni Hall of Fame.
Starting in 5th Grade, and for six years,
Don Wick was an avid member of the Ballard
Boys Club. Don first encountered the
Boys Club through using their sports fields
for P.E. Class, and got hooked through the
after-school activities. Don says, “We first
went to play pool, and it was fun. But the
people there made all the difference. The
Club was about a lot more than just hanging
out. Character, community, and caring were
what you learned. It was great.”
Justice’s journey began last fall, as each of
our four Clubhouses entered the Youth of
the Year process. Candidates composed essays,
collected letters of recommendation,
gained interview skills, and had to develop
and deliver a three-minute speech. For three
days in March, Mr. Lively joined peers from
other organizations, representing more than
75,000 Boys & Girls Club members across
the State, once again going through a significant
judging process, while also attending
workshops and sessions for personal development
and growth. In a packed ballroom
at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in
Seattle, representatives from Skagit County
shrieked with glee as Justice’s name was
announced as the Washington State Youth
of the Year.
Things now turn to preparations for a Regional
Program in Los Angeles this July,
where Justice will join his peers from the
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YOUTH OF THE YEAR
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Continued from page 20
other Pacific Region states, with the process
starting all over to determine who travels to
Washington, DC this fall as the Regional
candidate and join five others in the Oval
Office for a meeting with the President and
a Congressional Breakfast in their honor.
Skagit County Club Members Score Sounders
FC Experience
On Saturday, April 4th, eighteen members
from the Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley
Boys & Girls Clubs left Skagit County in the
early afternoon destined for CenturyLink
Field in Seattle. The youth, ages 10-17,
knew they would be attending a Sounders
FC match at the Clink, and some knew they
would have a special pre-game experience,
but nothing prepared them for an afternoon
that is sure to last in their memories long after
their days at the Club end.
Upon arrival, the Skagit County Club representatives
were ushered into a VIP Parking
area and entered the underbelly of CenturyLink
field, getting a unique opportunity
to witness first-hand what happens behind
the scenes on any given game day. When
they entered a special locker room, they
were briefed a bit more on what the next
couple of hours had in-store for them. The
youngest eleven would become members
of the Dream Team, and walk the starting
eleven for each side on to the field, and our
older members and some volunteers and
staff would handle the flags, all during the
pre-game festivities. It was time for preparation
and run-throughs, after which, some
excited fans, some of them quite new to
join the Sounders FC phenomena, returned
to their temporary base of operations, the
locker room. Upon arrival, they found full
Sounders FC kits waiting for them; a pin
drop could be heard, with only the breathing
of the shocked youth registering on ears.
That lasted about ten seconds, and then it
was bedlam when they were told that they
not only would get to wear these authentic
Sounders FC uniforms on to the field, they
got to take them home after.
When their duties were done, the group was
broken into three, with Washington State
Youth of the Year Justice Lively, from Mount
Vernon, earning a cherished seat at a private
table pitch-side where he was announced
with his military counterpart, enjoyed the
coverage on the big screen, and even had
the privilege of a visit from Sounders FC
legend Roger Levesque who had arranged
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everything. Sedro-Woolley members were escorted to their seats at
the Hawk’s Nest, and our Mount Vernon Club kids, representing the
home Club of Justice, were taken up to private VIP Suite where they
watched the game in style.
“While this was an amazing opportunity for our Club kids, my favorite
part was seeing how well they behaved and represented Skagit County,”
says Executive Director Ron McHenry. “Their smiles and excited
commentary said a lot about what they got out of the day, but how they
acted told the story of the difference our Clubs, staff, and volunteers
make in their lives.” By the time the convoy reached Skagit County
that night, it was well past bedtime, but you wouldn’t have known it.
All of the kids involved continued their conversations about their experience,
and will likely do so for a long time to come. Photos of the Club
kids and their special experience can be found on the Club’s Facebook
page by searching Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County.
Our Clubs are looking for members ages 14 to 18 to participate in the
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County Youth of the Year program. Club
winners earn scholarship money with a chance to compete at a State
level, with the possibility of moving on to the regional and national
competitions as well.
The program begins in the fall with Club Staff mentoring participating
Club Members in essay preparation and development and continues
with participants gaining important experience in interview and
public speaking skills.
Club winners are announced at events in November and December
and earn at least $250 in Scholarships. Additional program elements,
including a weekend retreat, ensure that our youth receive strong
preparation and skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
In January, the four Skagit County Club winners will participate in a
culminating experience that will result in one being named the Youth
of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County, earning at least
$500 toward their post-secondary education and representing the organization
at the Washington State event in March.
The process continues at the State level where winners earn an additional
$2,500 in scholarships and move on to the regional and national
stages. The National Youth of the Year receives up to an additional
$50,000 in scholarships and is awarded the honor by the President of
the United States. Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor
a Club member can achieve, and the process has proven time and
again to benefit participants far beyond the scholarships associated
with the program.
In addition, a Junior Youth of the Year competition will be held. This
gives younger youth, ages 10-13, an opportunity to practice and learn
about the larger competition. The county wide winner will get to travel
the State Youth of the Year Competition.
Each Club will have a dinner, starting in November (dates TBA),
where each Club winner will be judged and selected. Tickets to the
dinner will be available for sale through each Club. If you are interested
in judging the competition, want tickets, or would like to learn
more, please contact the Club Director in your area.
Join us this November as we celebrate
our selected Youth of the Year
at the Club level, culminating in
the County-wide event in January.
Hear their first person accounts of
their experience of growing up in
the Club while enjoying a delicious
dinner. There is no cost to attend
these events.
Selected participants earn at least
$250 in scholarships. The Skagit
County youth will earn at least
$500 in additional scholarships
and will move on to the State level,
with the possibility of regional and
national as well.
DINNER
WITH
FRIENDS
DATES
SEDRO-WOOLLEY
THURS, NOV 12
LA CONNER
MON, NOV 16
ANACORTES
WED, NOV 18
MOUNT VERNON
FRI, NOV 19
YOUTH
OF THE
YEAR
JANUARY 27, 2016
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PO Box 947
Mt. Vernon, WA 98273
THIS PUBLICATION PRINTING WAS
GENEROUSLY DONATED BY K&H PRINTING
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