Members had a "sweet" time on our field trip to Four Leaf Honey Farm! Ms. Maria taught our members all about honey bees and the honey making process, and they got to try bee pollen, creamed honey, and honey candies. Members even were able to observe honey bees in honey-making action!

Spring Break at the Club is off to a great start! Members made their own hats for Crazy Hat Day and enjoyed a special custom hopscotch course! Join us tomorrow for Crazy Sock Day! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thanks to BGCWC Board Member Eldon Harzman for giving our Club members a sweet treat! We appreciated the gift of caramels! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC members have been participating in ILEARN Tutoring sessions through Exact Path by Edmentum where they can try out a specialized tutoring program that caters specifically to their needs and creates an ever-evolving learning path just for them! Members who completed their Diagnostic pre-tests received wireless headphones and members who completed half of their tutoring sessions were rewarded with $25 gift cards! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our #IndianaKids are learning about aerodynamics! Members applied their knowledge to create boomerangs from folded paper. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Special Tween Nights at our Clubs celebrate our members ages 10-12 with activities just for them! Check with your Club for schedule information. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to Howard & Patty Lamson and our friends at Amigos, Richmond Latino Center for gifting t-shirts to our Club members! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

The CLUB Teen Center members are getting out and having a blast! Last month they gathered for a bowling night, and this month you can join them Monday, March 25th for a teens-only picnic at Glen Miller Park! The picnic runs from 12:00-3:00pm and is sponsored by our Keystone program. Email Larry at lyoung@bgcrichmond.org for more information.

Club members in the Art Studio used crayons and acrylic paint to create their own scratch art cards! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

How was your St Patrick's Day? BGCWC members celebrated with DIY Leprechauns and magic gold nuggets! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Did you celebrate #NationalPieDay yesterday? Our members visited Strengthening Families Family Resource Center to enjoy mini pies and a pick up bag of supplies to make chicken pot pie with their families! Members also each received a book thanks to Every Child Can Read. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

TEENS! Join us Monday, March 25th for a teens-only picnic at Glen Miller Park! The picnic runs from 12:00-3:00pm and is sponsored by our Keystone program. Email Larry at lyoung@bgcrichmond.org for more information.

Wondering what led to today's stormy weather? Ask a Club kid! BGCWC members recently experimented with clouds and weather formation during their Thinking Like a Scientist program. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

If there's one game that unites all Club members, it's cherry pool! Members from our Richmond Units put their skills to the test during our Club vs. Club tournament! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Education Coordinator Alexus visited Western Wayne Schools' Literacy Night to represent the Club. Alexus helped families with membership applications, connected them to community resources, and gave out over 50 books! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Spring Family Night last week! Our Club Staff rolled out the red carpet with special games, activities, and even a pot luck to help our families understand their importance in the Club Experience! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

This #InternationalWomensDay we're grateful for all the partnerships we have that help us empower and inspire our youth. Indiana University East Women's Volleyball Team who recently donated jerseys to our Club members! Thank you for helping us build Great Futures.

During our Thinking Like a Scientist activity, BGCWC members made invisible ink with baking soda and water, then used a solution with turmeric (a pH indicator) to reveal their invisible messages! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our Club members were so excited to have Primex's Eclipse Countdown Clock visit the Club this week! Where will you be on Eclipse Day? Our Jeffers Unit will be open on April 8th from 7:30am-5:30pm FREE for current members. Don't delay, join the Club today and spend this historic event with us!

We're eclipsing membership fees! Register for a new membership or renew an expiring one now through April 12th at NO COST to you thanks to our friends Indiana University East Professor Tim Scales, the BOSS CEO Fund, & the Action Fund of Wayne County, Indiana, Foundation! Call (765) 962-6922 or stop by any Club's front desk for more information.

Reid EMT Josh T. visited the Club to share about his job as a first responder. He brought equipment that he must carry at all times in the ambulance and showed our members what each item in the kits were for. Members had lots of questions and learned a lot about this important career path. A huge Club thank you to Josh and his team for helping keep us safe and healthy! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to everyone who attended our Spring Spotlight and helped us celebrate some exceptional teen members. A special thanks to our sponsors, including Title Sponsor VanVleet Insurance Agency and Food Sponsor Warm Glow Candle Company.

Congratulations to Carly, our 2024 Jack Reed Memorial Scholarship recipient! Carly hopes the scholarship will help her continue her education and eventually enter into a career in ultrasound technology, saying, “I want to be in this field because I want to be able to have an impact on people, and I love being able to be there for people through sensitive moments of their lives and being able to provide comfort through what I enjoy doing.” #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Meet Khalia, our 2024 Youth of the Year! Unit Director Gari Quiroz-Santis says, “Khalia embodies the core values of our community, demonstrating respect, empathy, and compassion in all her endeavors. Her commitment to serving others goes beyond mere obligation; it’s a genuine passion that drives her to make a positive difference in the lives of those around her.” #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC members celebrated Black History Month in the Art Studio by studying a different black artist each week for “Artist of the Week”. Members recreated artworks from Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kara Walker, Alma Thomas, and Bob Thompson. Support from Wayne County, Indiana, Foundation is providing new areas of art exploration for kids in 2024 and we couldn't be more excited!. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to our friends at Primex for our Easter Egg! We're excited to have our Jeffers Unit (1717 S L Street, Richmond) as a location for Main Street Richmond IN's Community Egg Hunt! #egghuntwc24

Our Torch Club members have been lending a hand in the community! Members dropped off items they have been collecting for H.E.L.P. the Animals, and several pitched in to clean-up the areas outside our Clubs! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Spring Break is around the corner! Spend it with the Club! Our First Bank Unit will be open March 25-29 for A.M. Powerup (7:30 am-5:30pm, $35/week or $10/day) and Club Fun (Noon-5:30pm, FREE for current members).

Our Healthy Habits programs are off to a delicious start with cinnamon-raisin "sushi" and yogurt parfaits! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

TEENS! There's still time to register for our WIN: Workforce Initiative Network. Our spring cohort begins on March 6th and teaches valuable workforce skills, connects youth with local businesses, and pays youth for completing the program! For more information and to register, contact Larry Young at (765) 962-0325 or lyoung@bgcrichmond.org. WIN is presented in partnership with Future Achievers.

How do you remember the important things that happen in your life? Our #IndianaKids learned about Neolithic cave paintings depicting ancient life and recreated daily life drawings on our own "cave wall" with charcoal. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC members took a field trip to Family Resource Center Wayne County, Indiana with Strengthening Families to “Meet the Minis” from Brighter Path! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to our friends at Miller's Wood Specialties, Inc. for their gift to purchase our Wayne Bank Unit Wish list items! Their gift provides art supplies, education supplies, new board games, an inflatable gaga pit, and so much more.

Science can be groovy! Our Thinking Like a Scientist members learned about density while making their own lava lamps. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Huge thank you to BGCWC Board Members Tracie Robinson and Richard Peterson for joining us in Chicago to kickoff Operation Impact with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. We are excited to be a part of the Midwest region which will lead the charge focused around five main goals for the Boys and Girls Clubs Movement!

Meet our 2024 Youth of the Year Candidates! These exemplary members competed for BGC's highest honor last night with preparation support from BGCWC Board Member Tracie Robinson and Former Mayor Dave Snow. Who did Board Member Judges Jera Schwer, Roger Golden, and Brandi Jackson ultimately select to represent the Club? Find out at our Spring Spotlight on 2/29! RSVP at 2024SpringSpotlight.eventbrite.com.

Our Club members are prepping already for next year's Richmond Meltdown! Members honed their carving skills with ice-sculpture inspired soap carvings. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

We love Stamm Koechlein Family Foundation! In 2023, SKFF committed $35,000 in operational support to the Club, and over the last fifteen years they have gifted approximately $500,000 in unrestricted funds which has been a major factor in our ability to sustain and grow. Thank you, Stamm Koechlein Family Foundation, for doing whatever it takes for the youth of Wayne County.

There's so much love in our Clubs! Members celebrated back-to-back holidays with dress-up parties and a Valentine's glow-dance sponsored by Keystone Club. Our Torch Clubs members spread the love to our community by facilitating a Mardi Gras bingo party at Brickyard Healthcare - Richmond Care Center! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our classroom members tried their hand at city planning and designed the town of New Clubsberg! This activity is part of Project Learn, an high-yield learning program supported by United Way of Whitewater Valley.

BGCWC members are visualizing #GreatFutures! Gamesroom Club members recently drew what they wanted to be when they grow up for our drawing contest. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our #IndianaKids celebrated a successful month of homework sessions with a snack party! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our Youth of the Year candidates met with BGCWC Board Members Tracie Robinson, Monica Koechlein, Andy Stover and Joe Backmeyer to practice their speeches and interview questions. Candidates will compete on February 20th and our 2024 Youth of the Year will be announced at the Spring Spotlight on February 29th. RSVP on Eventbrite today to see them in action! 2024SpringSpotlight.eventbrite.com

Our Richmond members recently gathered for a friendly Club vs. Club checkers tournament. Congratulations to our winners! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC members attended IU East Red Wolves's men's basketball last weekend and stood in support of Paul and Pat Lingle during half-time. Thank you to Coach Hester, Professor Tim Scales, and Chancellor Rome for including us in this special honor. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

What goes up must come down...in style! Our classroom members experimented with gravity by making parachute people during a Thinking Like a Scientist activity! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our #IndianaKids took a trip back to ancient Egypt with ancient "eyeliner" made by crushing charcoal into a powder and mixing it with oil to create a consistency similar to the kohl used to line the pharaohs eyes! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

We were so excited to take Club members along with youth from Girls Inc. of Wayne County, Richmond Family YMCA, Townsend Community Center, Inc., Future Achievers, and Christian Connectors to another Indiana Pacers vs Memphis Grizzlies game to experience professional sports and visit with Club Alum Desmond Bane. Multiple individuals and businesses gave over $23,000 to make this trip possible, helping provide two charter buses, pregame shootaround, and suite tickets. Christian Evans from Pacers was also instrumental to coordinating the special activities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse prior to the game. Thank you to everyone who made this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity possible for our youth.

Our #IndianaKids learned about careers in ice craving during a career exploration field trip to Richmond Meltdown! Thanks to ice-carver Sammy and Melty the Moose for hosting our members. Make sure you get out this weekend for all the festivities!

There's a new Club kid in town: Richmond Meltdown's own Melty the Moose stopped by our Clubs and had so much fun he became a member! If you want to be as "cool" as Melty, visit https://www.bgcrichmond.org/membership or visit any of our Club locations to sign up today!

Our art room is an active place with upside-down drawing contests, still-life studies, and peer critiques! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our classroom members are practicing their spy skills with secret message art! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our Torch Club members are giving back by packing diaper bags for Wayne County Diaper project at the Dwyer Community Center! Torch Club is our program for tweens through which they develop and strengthen their 21st Century leadership skills. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Seniors! The Jack Reed Memorial Scholarship is available to a high school senior wishing to further their education beyond high school. Each year a minimum of $2000 is awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. Visit https://www.bgcrichmond.org/scholarships to download your application today! Applications are due by February 16, 2024.

Snowy days can be inspiring! Members made snow scenes using paint, tissue paper bleeds, and sharpies in the warmth of the art room. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

The Jack Reed Memorial Scholarship is available to a high school senior wishing to further their education beyond high school. Each year a minimum of $2000 is awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. Visit https://www.bgcrichmond.org/scholarships to download your application today! Applications are due by February 16, 2024. Jack Reed was a Board Member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County and advocate for youth development. After relocating to northern Indiana, Reed was instrumental in helping to open a new Boys & Girls Club in the Fort Wayne area. His dedication to youth and service to his community was remembered by his family when they created the Jack Reed Memorial Scholarship in his honor.

When it's too cold for outdoor fun, the Club brings it indoors! Our classroom members learned about the effect salt has on the melting point of ice in our indoor "ice fishing" activity! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our classroom members experimented with molecules and bonds with DIY lava lamps! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

We still have coats available thanks to our friends Club Alum Desmond Bane and Operation Warm! Coats are available in boys sizes 4-12 and girls sizes 4-16. Stop by our Jeffers Unit (1717 S L Street, Richmond) from 10am-6:30pm and let our front desk staff know the size and type (boy or girl) of coat you would like.

Does a child in your life need a warm coat? We have several available for FREE while supplies last thanks to Club Alum Desmond Bane and our friends at Operation Warm! Stop by our Jeffers Unit (1717 S L Street, Richmond) TODAY by 5:30 to pick one up.

Our 2024 Art Show was themed "The Joy in our Stories." Organized by Education Coordinators Ila and Alexus, the show featured 127 pieces from all five of our Clubs. Four pieces, one per age group, will move on to compete in the national BGCA art show. Thank you to guest judges BGCWC Board Member Melissa Vance of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce, BGCWC Board Member Amy Dillon of Brewer Broadcasting, and Visiting Art Instructor Michael Tyner for lending your your time and discerning eyes!

Looking for a fun way to spend the rest of break? Our Jeffers Unit is open for A.M. Powerup (7:30am-5:30pm, $10/day) and Club Fun (Noon-5:30pm, FREE) and full of activities like human hungry-hungry hippos!

Happy New Year from BGCWC! Reminder that all Clubs are CLOSED 1/1/2024. We hope you have a safe and fun celebration.

Staying active can be festive, too! Members of all ages get moving for an hour every day during ClubFit, and this December they did so with an indoor "snowball" fight! ClubFit is made possible with support from DICK'S Sporting Goods. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Did you receive a thoughtful gift this holiday? Our #IndianaKids planted spider plant starters in natural pots to gift to people in a local senior living facility! Members loved filling the pots, picking their plants, & making holiday magic happen. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

The Club is the coziest place to be during Holiday Break! Congratulations to our festive pajama contest winners. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

When it comes to supporting today's youth, the simplest thing is often the greatest gift. This holiday season and always, thank you for giving kids the simple things that make a world of difference. The Club wishes you a safe holiday season full of joy and hope.

Our Clubs are celebrating the season! Units hosted celebrations featuring fun activities like festive dressups and hot cocoa bars. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Workforce development doesn't have to start with teens. Our youngest members recently learned about taking orders accurately and quickly making 'food' to order while playing kitchen in our cadet room! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our Torch Club members hosted a fundraiser where members could gain access to the senior games room (usually reserved for tweens) to watch holiday movies and play games. Safe to say it was a popular event! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Science, art, and a little holiday magic combine in our secret-reveal pictures! STEAM activities like these are supported by Henny Penny Employee Foundation Fund: A component of the Dayton Foundation. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

At the Club, we know you can never be too big for holiday fun. Our senior gamesroom members got into the holiday spirit making snowflake ornaments! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

We had several Club members participate in the Victorian Holiday Children's Choir at The Reid Center this weekend. Thank you to Alisa Clapp-Itnyre for her continued efforts to break down barriers to youth arts participation! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our #IndianaKids are working on their Three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Members recently collected broken crayons throughout the Club to melt down and create new ones! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our annual Christmas Shop, where Club members can “purchase” presents for their families using Santa Bucks they earn for good behavior, was another resounding success thanks to the efforts of our Christmas Shop Committee, generous donors, and many, many volunteers! We were able to send 2,521 wrapped presents home with 554 Club members, an average of 4.5 gifts per child! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Minor Staff at the Club recently received an unexpected thank-you: a $500 gift card from Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs! As part of the Alliance’s work-based learning and workforce development program 3E, minor employees who served over 50 hours were rewarded for their service. Check out a few of their reactions!

Club members opened a time capsule from 6/28/2011 and found some really cool notes and advice for what members at the time thought the future held, including a note from Club Staff Tammie! After opening it, the group created their own time capsule to leave behind for another group of Club kids. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Blast off! Our classroom members learned about speed and flight paths during a balloon rocket race! This activity is part of Project Learn, an high-yield learning program supported by CenterPoint Energy. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

This #GivingTuesday, give kids the simple things that make their world less complicated. Gifts to BGCWC at bgcrichmond.org/donate help provide safe places, leadership, and support for the youth of Wayne County.

Did you know that BGCWC members have access to MyOn, a digital library that operates like a Netflix for books? Our #IndianaKids utilize MyOn to work on improving their literacy and reading comprehension skills. Club Members Addisyn, Penelope, and Sawyer recently scored 92% or higher on their reading comprehension quizzes and received Top Reader awards! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Last week our classroom members explored the field of cosmetology! Members studied hair, makeup, nails, shaving, and more. At the end of the week, #IndianaKids got to participate in an exclusive hair-cutting workshop featuring a special guest: Beauty Student Teresa Davis from @PJ's College of Cosmetology! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Teens! Check out this scholarship opportunity from The Taco Bell Foundation! The Live Más Scholarship is more than just a check – winners will join a community of passionate changemakers and gain access to career development opportunities, professional connections, and a nationwide mentorship network. Learn more about how to apply at www.LiveMasScholarship.com.

Learning can be delicious! During a "Thinking Like a Scientist" activity, BGCWC members learned how to make their own whipped cream! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Raylee loves to do art at the Club. Did you know that a $12 donation can provide one week of art supplies for Raylee's Club? When you give to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County now through November 10th, your gift can have double the impact thanks to funds from our Match Partners! Donate today at bgcrichmond.org.

Preslee loves to draw and spend time with others at the Club. Did you know that a $50 donation can provide one month of art supplies for Preslee's Club? When you give to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County now through November 10th, your gift can have double the impact thanks to funds from our Match Partners! Donate today at bgcrichmond.org.

Our Education Staff does so much more than help with homework afterschool--they craft fun, hands-on learning experiences that make learning relevant and timely like apple volcanoes and pumpkin slime! Your gift to the Club helps them be able to do #WhateverItTakes for the youth of Wayne County. Donate today at bgcrichmond.org!

Ty'Zaiah loves playing pool at the Club. Did you know that a gift of $15 can sponsor Club members like Ty'Zaiah for a whole YEAR of BGCWC membership? When you give to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County now through November 10th, your gift of $15 can sponsor TWO BGCWC members and have double the impact thanks to funds from our Match Partners! Donate today at bgcrichmond.org.

Congratulations to our latest WIN: Workforce Initiative Network cohort! These teens learned valuable workplace readiness skills, job shadowed with local business partners, and received a $250 gift card for their efforts! WIN is a partnership between the Club, Hogg Helps, and @Future Achievers funded by United Way of Whitewater Valley. Your gift to the Club also supports important programs like WIN for the youth of Wayne County. Donate today at bgcrichmond.org!

Our Keystone members traveled to see Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne and toured their Career Center and Club. Thanks to Nicholas, Twana, and Jason for being gracious hosts and sharing your Club with us! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Thank you to our friends at Cope Environmental Center for hosting us for another amazing Fall Break field trip. Members touched a snake and turtle, learned about their natural habitats, made some nature inspired crafts, hikes, and played on "nature's playscape"! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC staff are always looking for for the most effective ways to serve the youth of Wayne County. Our think-tanks tackled important topics like teen recruitment and employee retention. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Nothing says "Fall Break" like a visit to a corn maze (and giant slide, petting zoo, and zipline)! Members had a blast on our field trip to Today's Harvest! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

BGCWC teen and tween members have been everywhere this fall! Keystone members helped out for community events like Safety Village of Wayne County's Trick-or-Treat and KRID Richmond Municipal Airport's Candy Drop. Our Torch Club members took a spooky field trip out to Forsaken Forest! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Huge thank you to Board Members Tracie Robinson, Richard Peterson, and Andy Stover (as well as our great team of staff Erin, Sam and Sydney) for joining us at our BGCA Midwest Regional Conference! Richard won the Heart and Soul of the Region award, and our Board of Directors won the gold level league of EAGLES award for their board engagement and commitment to our organization. We're proud to have such excellent representation across our Movement!

BGCWC members kicked off Fall Break with a trip to Glen Miller Park! Want to join us for more fun field trips this week? Sign up at McDaniel Unit's front desk! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Learning can be explosive! Our classroom members enjoyed mixing together various ingredients and predicting what their reactions might be during our Thinking Like a Scientist activity. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

One way we foster a sense of community and pride in the Club is with weekly meetings in the gym. These are times to talk about important issues and to have fun--like playing Members vs. Staff dodgeball! #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our classroom is the place to be for fall-themed activities! Members experimented with different liquids to see which would dissolve candy corn the quickest. #WhateverItTakes #BGCStrong

Our self-titled "Lorax Club" members helped keep their Club beautiful by planting a new tree! Thank you to Lisa Beach and Housing Authority of Richmond for providing the tree.