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Volunteer Spotlight: "His Kids" |
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It was a warm day when a man dressed in a dark suit walked into the little Clubhouse at 355 Dundee Avenue. He introduced himself as Kevin, and said he wanted to help. That warm day was the beginning of what has become an almost seven year journey for Club volunteer Kevin McCarty. When he began his journey with the Club, Kevin was very clear about his intentions: he wanted to help kids, spend time with them and not serve in a board role. He knew that his background as a family lawyer with his law firm, Bolz & McCarty, LLC, would make him an attractive board prospect for the Club. He was right of course, but the Club respected his wishes and did not pursue him as a potential board member. 
Kevin quickly became affectionately known to the kids and the staff as "Mr. Kevin," a name that he is still called to this day. During the early years of his time with the Club, you could often find Mr. Kevin sitting on a chair, suit still on with a removed tie, surrounded by attentive kids, reading, laughing and just talking. On some days, Kevin would arrive with a special treat, pizza boxes in hand for the kids. And each year, at his own personal expense, he took his kids on a special trip, whether to Brookfield Zoo, Dupage Children's Museum or some other fun place.
Nearly five years to the day after walking through our doors, Mr. Kevin sat in my office, looking at me. It was just after the holidays and he simply said, "I am ready." Kevin was finally ready to serve on our Board of Directors- and we were overjoyed to have him! Mr. Kevin has been an exemplary volunteer, now representing the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin as a dedicated board member. Despite serving the Club in this new capacity, Kevin still makes weekly visits to the Club to work with his kids. He has seen many of our youth members grow from children who barely reached his waist into productive, active young adults.
Last fall, Mr. Kevin sat in my office yet again, but this time he had news that I wish I would never have heard- he was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. As Mr. Kevin checked into Rush Hospital after identifying a family member that is a bone marrow match, we all t ook a long, deep breath. We remained in contact with Mr. Kevin through his recuperation process and are thankful that his weekly follow-up tests continue to show his recovery moving in a positive direction. Although he cannot yet return to volunteering with his kids, Mr. Kevin is eager to get back to his family here at the Club. Mr. Kevin truly has become a part of the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin family. His dedication, commitment and investment in the mission of the Club are unparalleled. Mr. Kevin has changed the lives of countless young people, and he has impacted so many of us as well. |
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Mascot Mania is Here! |
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After twelve years, Quacky has decided that it is time to retire! Although sad to say goodbye, after years of being raced down the Fox River, and plucked out of the Festival Park fountain, Quacky is ready to say goodbye. He is introducing three candidates that will campaign to be elected as Boys & Girls Club of Elgin’s NEW Mascot with “Mascot Mania.”
The Duck Race began twelve years ago, and quickly became a community favorite. Beyond being a fun event, it raised close to $70,000 for the Club. Over the past several years, despite its popularity, the fundraising event began to decline. After immense evaluation of the costs of rental of the ducks, the board of directors determined it was time to try something new.
“Mascot Mania” will feel very similar for Duck Lovers. Casting your vote for the new mascot of your choice is just like “adopting a duck.” By participating in the voting process, a person has a chance to win a variety of prizes. We will be drawing the winners on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at 1:00 PM at the Dundee Avenue Clubhouse and introduce our new mascot for the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin!
Another exciting twist this year, is that each candidate has a unique platform that mirrors that of the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin’s Impact Areas: Healthy Lifestyles, Academic Success, & Good Character & Citizenship. We are very excited to introduce our candidates:
 Fergie the Frog- Hoppin’ into Health!
Fergie loves to lead a Healthy Lifestyle. She is involved in the programs at the Club such as Healthy Habits, Smart Moves, Street Smart and Triple Play. These programs encourage a keen awareness of healthy habits, nutritional value and healthy decision-making.
Marvin the Monkey-Don't Monkey Around!
Marvin is committed to his Academic Success! He is involved with the programs at the Club such as Career Launch, Project Learn, Money Matters, Power Hour, Skill Tech and Digital Arts. These programs instill in youth a desire to broaden school participation and learning.
 Tommy the Turtle-Slow Down to Help Others!
Tommy loves to give back to the community and be the best citizen he can. He is involved with programs such as Interact Club, Junior Staff and Youth of the Year. These programs cultivate leadership skills and inspire a robust sense of community participation in Elgin youth.
We are excited to roll out our campaign and hear from everyone in voting for our new mascot. Follow Mascot Mania on facebook, twitter and our website.
CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE!!!
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OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE PRESIDENTIAL! |
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 Two of our regular volunteers have reached the bronze level of the President's Volunteer Service Award. Both Edgar Cisneros and Jay Pacelli have logged in more than 130 hours of volunteer time at our Club! Our members and staff truly appreciate their commitment to our mission.
The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.
Thanks to all of our volunteers for thier commitment to our memebers at you help them BE GREAT! |
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Inspirational Mural Donated to the Club |
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Outside the doors of the Teen Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, a colorful mural hangs thanks to four special artists. Abigail Torres, Flavio Gomez Arroyo, Simply Daniel Escamilla, and Tracy Ibarra collaborated on the large mural to help inspire the children of the Club.
The title of the mural is The Spirit of Youth. “The title says it all,” a smiling artist Tracy Ibarra explains. The energy depicted in the mural and its vibrant colors draw people to it. “The purpose of the mural is to encourage children to follow their individual imaginations and encourage them to think differently,” one of the artists, Simply Daniel Escamilla, explains. “It will also give inspiration for the next generation of young artists in our community,” adds Flavio Arroyo.
All four artists agree that the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin is the perfect place to hang their mural. “Simply put, there is no better place to hang the mural! The goal of the mural and the Boys & Girls Club is the same. If we want to better our community, there is no better way but to teach the youth they can accomplish great things,” Escamilla explains. “And we would like to inspire children of all ages to think about art and express themselves,” adds Abigail Torres.
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