Latest news with #BoysandGirlsClubs
CBS News
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Weekend To Do List: Events for school vacation week in Massachusetts
There's a lot going on this weekend in Massachusetts, including Marathon Monday, Easter and school vacation week kicking off! There is plenty of activities and events to attend this weekend! The Revere Hotel in Boston is being transformed to honor the man himself, Paul Revere, and his historic ride. On Friday night, get in on a free colonial celebration with live music, specially curated drinks, hands-on activities and even reenactors on site to guide guests through the historical moments that shaped our country. Take pictures with a 10-foot Paul Revere sculpture and wear your best colonial outfit! It's an educational and fun to celebrate from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. When: Friday, April 18 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: The Revere Hotel, 200 Stuart Street, Boston Cost: Free admission Click here for more information It's officially April school vacation week and the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting special events all week long to keep kids busy. The Franklin Farm and Petting Zoo will make its return, experts will host daily educational chats and Tuesday will feature an array of celebrations for World Tapir Day, including prizes and giveaways. It all starts at 9 a.m. each day! When: Saturday, April 19 through Sunday, April 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston Cost: Members $70, non-members $80 Click here for more information and to register The Masters may be over but how about a kid-friendly Mini Masters event in Lynnfield? MarketStreet's green has been transformed into a mini golf mecca for school vacation week, decked out for the littlest pros. The whole family can put their skills to the test from April 21 to 27 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Play costs $7 and the proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro North. When: Monday, April 21 through Sunday, April 27, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: MarketStreet, 600 Market Street, Lynnfield Cost: $7 to play, proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro North Click here for more information
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Van donated to Boys and Girls Clubs
Mar. 6—MOSES LAKE — The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin received some new wheels last week, thanks to Group14 and the Moses Lake Elks Lodge. "I swear, it was like the stars aligned," said Kim Pope, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club. In years past, students could take a school bus from their school to a Boys and Girls Club clubhouse. But with the cutbacks the Moses Lake School District had to make this year, that option hasn't been available, Pope explained. The club moved its teen center to Vanguard Academy in January, she said, because there were so many teens, but students at Endeavor had a long trek to get there and the club's two vans were already committed at other schools. Enter the Elks Lodge. "We felt that was really important to keep those kids engaged in a positive environment," said Debbie Doran-Martinez, a trustee with the lodge. "Group14 made a donation, but it wasn't enough for the van. And the $6,000 in grant money that we had available was enough to finish off that project." The grant was actually two grants that the Elks make to local causes, Doran-Martinez explained: a Beacon Grant for $4,000 and a Spotlight Grant for $2,000. Because the lodge was chartered mid-year, it missed out on most of the grants the greater Elks organization makes available in April. The lodge expects to be able to donate more this year when grants become available, she said. The van is a 2020 Ford 14-passenger vehicle, which means it can take 12 students at a time. Bud Clary made sure the club got a good deal, and the graphics on the side were wrapped by Signs Now. "My club kids have named it the Nice Van because it has heated seats and it has tinted windows," Pope said. The Nice Van joins the Old Van, the New Van and the Small Van, she added. When the Elks handed over the van, it had an additional surprise in it: It was loaded with nonperishable, kid-friendly food. "We did a food drive to kind of stock their pantry," Doran-Martinez said. "We had applesauce and cups of fruit; we had fruit snacks. We had granola bars, mac and cheese, Spaghettios, all kinds of food. Not only for snacks at the clubhouse, but also shelf-stable food, if they knew they had a kid that may not get a meal during spring break unless they send food home with them." Besides the daily transportation, the vans will also be used for educational field trips, Pope said. "During spring break, they are going to take that van and take some of our teens on a college tour," she said. "And we've actually taken one of our vans to (a farm) to teach the kids about processing potatoes." The Boys and Girls Clubs has had a difficult year, mostly due to school district cutbacks. A $175,000 donation in July enabled the club to keep its school clubhouses running through December, and the annual auction in October raised about $250,000. The club not only gives students a place to go after school but makes sure they're fed every day, which some children can't always count on at home. "(Community support) is making a difference, especially last year and this coming year ... with some of the cutbacks that the schools have had to have," Pope said. "We're always happy to try to fill in the gaps and provide whatever we can, but we can't do that without the community helping. This is just a prime example of how wonderful the community is."
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boys & Girls Clubs, Ross Stores partner for homework support
Feb. 18—MOSES LAKE — The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin is getting an annual boost this month from a local retailer. Ross in Moses Lake is raising money for the children's resource in a special event called "Help Local Kids Thrive." This is the seventh year the store has supported the program in Moses Lake, according to BGCCB Resource Development Director Anastasia Carpenter. "This program sponsors our Power Hour, academic support for our club members," Carpenter said. The fundraiser is part of a nationwide program Ross has held annually nationwide for 11 years, according to a statement from Ross Stores Group Senior Vice President Matt Young. Cashiers at the Moses Lake and Wenatchee stores will accept donations from customers, and the company will match up to $500,000. Eighty percent of that money goes to the local club, Carpenter said, and the rest to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. "People can leave $1, $2, $3, $5 donations ... at the checkout," Carpenter said. "Usually there are also some marketing materials at the store so when people come in, they can read about this campaign and their results (for) the Boys and Girls Club." The store provides the marketing materials, Carpenter said, and coordinates with the club. A few times during the month-long campaign, some children from the Boys and Girls Club will stop by to visit the store. "We went to the local store and we did some arts and crafts, and kids had a chance to have a tour of the store, and they were able to announce the donations people (made) at the checkout," Carpenter said. "That was an amazing experience." "Ross is proud of our long-standing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs, and we are excited to host our 11th annual in-store fundraiser to 'Help Local Kids Thrive,'" Young wrote in his statement. "Each year, Ross Stores, the Ross Stores Foundation, our Associates, and our generous Customers join forces to raise funds for Clubs nationwide and their Power Hour homework help program. Together, we are committed to providing kids in communities across the country with the academic support they need to achieve big goals." The Power Hour program, which offers structured homework help for club members after school, is one of the club's oldest and most popular programs, Carpenter said. There are helpers at all the club's sites at local schools, as well as the McGraw Clubhouse. "We have our youth development professionals and a designated area in the clubs for the homework, so they can sit down and they provide them some help with math, for example, or other things they are struggling with. Or maybe sometimes kids just don't have this opportunity, or nobody can help them at home with their homework. We also have our behavior support specialist, so if kids are struggling or they can't focus, we help them with that too." The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin has more than 1,500 registered members, Carpenter said, and every day more than 600 students attend the school-based sites at Larson, North, Longview and Midway elementary schools. "This program is incredibly important as we have seen club members face academic challenges in recent years, particularly after COVID, along with difficulties in social interaction," Carpenter wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. "This program aims to address these issues, enhance learning, and build essential skills for their future. We are deeply grateful to Ross for supporting these programs nationwide."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A DOGE shoutout and a Democratic walkout: Takeaways from Lee's State of the State
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee touted his administration's innovative policy approaches as he presented his state spending plan and legislative priorities during his annual State of the State address on Monday evening. In response, spectators yelled out their dissent, nearly a dozen Democrats walked out, and the Republican majority legislature thunderously applauded. Here are takeaways from Lee's speech: Innovation was a central theme as Lee presented his vision for the year, but while the governor touted policy changes his administration has championed, he outlined few details for major innovative changes for the future. Throughout the 38-minute speech, Lee touted his policy innovations, citing work to secure Tennessee's unique state Medicaid block grant, funding grant programs to incentivize nuclear energy development, and rethinking the state's funding approach for K-12 education by establishing a statewide private school choice program. 'Tennessee has led the nation as a beacon of opportunity, security and freedom,' he said. 'Why can't we be the nation's capital of innovation, too?' He proposed a few new changes. For example, in an effort to address the state's teacher shortage, Lee is proposing to establish a 'limited occupational teaching license' to allow 'experienced tradesmen and women to teach their craft without having to jump through all the hoops of extra coursework.' 'Sometimes the most innovative solution is the obvious one,' he said. 'For example, why not allow an expert welder to teach a welding class?' He's also proposing $72.6 million toward nuclear energy initiatives and called on the complete of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Clinch River side for a new small modular nuclear reactor. Lee outlined a plan to create 'tens of thousands of new day care spots across rural and urban Tennessee' to create 'one of the most family friendly workforces in the nation." But his proposals do little for parents of infants and toddlers that exceed the state income limits of $76,600 per year for a family of four. 'Today, infant care in Tennessee carries virtually the same price tag as in-state tuition at a four-year public college,' Lee said. 'That is an insurmountable cost for the vast majority of moms and dads who want to be in the workforce.' Lee's solution is an $11 million state grant for Boys and Girls Clubs – a child care provider that serves children ages 5-18 in before and after school care settings. He's also proposing to 'ease the benefits cliff' of the state's Smart Steps Child Care Program, which provides low-income families with assistance for child care payments, and boosting child care worker pay through the state's existing WAGES program, which offers supplemental pay for DHS-licensed childcare workers. Lee hinted at an effort 'to streamline child care facility licensing and permitting' but offered no details at what regulations may be changed. Hecklers shouted objections early in Lee's speech, as Lee touted his recent efforts to establish a state immigration enforcement division. In response, spectators in the West Gallery shouted, 'Immigrants are welcome here! Immigrants are welcome here!' On the floor, around a dozen Democrats stood up and walked out. The Democrats later said it was in particular protest of Lee's special session legislation that included a private school voucher program and an immigration enforcement plan that Democrats have criticized as anti-democratic. Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, criticized Republicans for starting every House session off with a prayer before doing "some of the most unChristian-like things in that chamber." "Jesus would do none of the things that they're doing. We're here to protect the least among us, the unhouses, the people who are the most vulnerable," Dixie said. Democratic leadership did not join the walk-out during Lee's speech, though they said they were still united as a caucus. "Our Democratic caucus is united in opposition to this governor and his misplaced priorities," House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons said. Since taking office, Lee has cut just over 1% of cabinet agency employees, repeating the refrain that "government is not the answer" to the state's challenges. Entering his seventh year in office, Lee is proposing to cut 324 vacant positions at state agencies, continuing his administration's quest to shrink the size of state government. 'Limited government is knowing how to do more with less," Lee said. "More bureaucracy does not mean better service. Businesses already know this – government should do the same.' Lee specifically acknowledged the new federal Department of Government Efficiency, created by the new Trump administration and led by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. "With the new federal Department of Government Efficiency, Washington is finally seeing a revival of our nation's founding principles, aligning with Tennessee's commitment to limited government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty," Lee said. Lee in recent weeks has been effusive in his public praise of Trump, perhaps seeking to smooth over any ruffled feathers that led Trump to publicly refer to the governor as "RINO" after the two endorsed competing candidates in a heated state Senate primary race this summer. In 2022, lawmakers approved establishment of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, to strengthen civics education while underscoring civility and respect in public exchange. 'One way we strengthen tradition is by teaching civics and American exceptionalism,' Lee said. This year, Lee is proposing funding to expand the institute's reach to 'make sure Tennessee children – from Kindergarten to 12th grade – learn about the founding principles that make America the greatest country on earth.' Less than three weeks after a school shooting at Antioch High School, gun safety initiatives that Lee has championed in the past did not get a mention in his speech. In the wake of the Covenant School shooting in 2023, Lee called a special legislative session backing legislation seeking to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, said Monday the governor's office didn't even respond to his request in January to expand the scope of the special session to include gun initiatives. While his budget includes some new funding for school resource officers, Lee made no mention of any other gun safety initiatives on Monday. Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said the issue of gun safety was 'glaringly omitted.' 'We just had a shooting in Antioch not that long ago. We all remember what happened at Covenant. I represent Memphis, and we have several instances of gun violence there,' Akbari said. 'Several years ago, one of our members pointed out how easy it is to purchase a weapon second-hand in Tennessee. We have to make sure that people feel safe. It's really simple.' This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bill Lee State of the State address: DOGE shoutout and a Dem walkout
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Syracuse Winter Fair comes to the Expo Center at the Fairgrounds this weekend
(WSYR-TV) — During the winter, it can be difficult to find activities to enjoy due to the cold weather, but we have some good news! The Syracuse Winter Fair is back! Steve Becker, Winter Fair promoter, and Matt Masur, owner of Growth Mode Content, joined the show for a preview. The is the sixth edition of Winter Fair where we bring summer fun into winter inside the Expo Center at the New York State Fairgrounds. There is a variety of food, midway rides and games. There is plenty of entertainment on and by the Amazon Stage, with vendors, non-profits and special features. There's the Winter Fair Hoops where attendees will shoot free throws to win prizes. Donations are raised to support the Boys and Girls Clubs of Syracuse. Speaking basketball, some of the legends from Syracuse University Athletics including Gene Waldon, Rob Drummond, Lawrence Moten and Roosevelt Bouie will be there. The Le Moyne Men's college basketball team will be in attendance as well. Outside there are Ice Sculptures with the theme of Summer Fun, sponsored by A-Verdi Storage Containers, DOT Foods and Woodford Brothers. Perhaps the most exciting feature will be the live reindeer, which attendees can take pictures with for no charge. The reindeer is from Hanggi's Tree Farm and is sponsored by Your Local IT Dept. There will be fireworks each night on Friday and Saturday at 8:45 p.m. to really make it feel like summer. Free parking will also be provided from AmeriCU right by the Expo Center. The Winter Fair comes to the Fairgrounds Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. Learn more and get tickets at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
