STORIES OF IMPACT

In August, NBA Player and former Club Member, Jalen Green paid a visit to the West Fresno Club. He donated backpacks, school supplies, Adidas shoes, and Hydroflasks. Over 200 families enjoyed dinner and heard a special message from Jalen Green.

“Giving back to the West Fresno community means a lot to me.” said Jalen Green, “It’s a part of my childhood. I grew up here.”

We took six of our members to the Keystone Conference as Gold Charter members-- a first since 2011! The theme was Connect, Create, Captivate. Breakout sessions centered around two topics. The first was Teen Mental Health with sessions such as “Coping and Connecting with Others” and “Finding Light through Teen Depression”. The second topic was Teen Issues & Awareness with sessions such as “Unpacking Stereotypes” and “Finding Comfort in Your Skin”.

The Keystone Club of Pinedale has earned their way to Chicago! Six Club teens will be traveling to BGCA’s National Keystone Conference, from July 17th- 19th, where they will participate in educational & inspiring workshops, engage with other teens in the U.S. making an impact, and walk away with skills to support the efforts in their local communities.

In April, Club members from multiple sites went to camp near Pismo Beach for three days where they experienced new and exciting activities. Club members went to the beach, tried archery for the first time, rode horses, and even experienced life as a early-Californian panning for gold and making candles. It’s field trips like this that make unforgettable memories. They help young people dream big and see the world through a difference lens. We’re so grateful for camp experiences like this.

East Fresno Club members took a field trip to Millerton Lake for an incredible Bald Eagle Tour.

Fidel Martinez was voted Club Director of the Year for his excellence in mentoring, community relations, commitment to the organization, and his love for serving youth. We have seen a lot of success come from his Club at the Juvenile Justice Campus in the form of more high school graduates, better behavior in teens, and hope for the future.

The 4th annual Grand Slam with Granville was this month! This is a summer tradition that encourages kids and teens to read over summer break and rewards them with an awesome experience at Chuckchansi Park. 110 members took this amazing field trip this year because of Granville Homes. All 110 members received VIP passes, t-shirts, and swag bags. They also had dinner at The Party Deck, had full access to The Splash Zone and private time with Parker, the Mascot.

On Monday, August 5th, AT&T opened their 9th Connected Learning Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Clovis and the community celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Connected Learning Center included new computers and equipment for Club members to use after school. This is part of a larger commitment AT&T has made to open at least 100 new Connected Learning Centers by the end of 2027.

Boys Night Out and Girls Night Out is an annual event where caring adults from our community come together and pair up with a kid or teen for a night. They go through workshops and fun activities together. The hope is to create a bond and even if just for a night, give them someone to look up to. Many of the mentors form real relationships and kids remember them years later. Thank you to everyone who came out to support this mission!

On March 28th, Torch Clubs from all of our Clubs came together for a summit where members we’re celebrated, acknowledged for their hard work, and encouraged to keep up the good work.

Club member’s age 13-18 from all 14 Clubhouses were invited to participate in a day long teen conference called “Total Teen Takeover”. The goal was to bring teens together for a day of fun while giving them the resources they need for their future- that could be a scholarship application, one-on-one time with a professional, or encouragement to follow their dreams.

The Selma Club hosted their Second Annual Women’s Conference on Friday, October 6, 2023. This conference is designed to inspire girls and young women to fight stereotypes, be brave, and dream about their futures.

“My wish is for our members to hear stories from women in our community who have overcome adversity because they need to be inspired right now. They need to know that they can do it too,” said Rubie.

Lucia, an Orange Cove Club member, has received some very exciting news regarding her college career. She is the recipient of Fresno Housing’s $800 college scholarship. Lucia, a Youth of the Year Candidate in 2023, is a second-year student at Reedley College. She says this scholarship will help her pay for books and supplies as she earns her Associate’s Degree before transferring to a 4-year University. Her goal is to become a lawyer.

At the Firebaugh Club, members baked cupcakes for the Volunteer Firefighters Association and the Firebaugh Police Department. They recognized the hard work they do to keep the community safe and wanted to say thank you.

“The trip helped me see that there’s so many opportunities for me in the future,” said Joaquin, age 16,”I enjoyed seeing all the different types of classes I could take.”

For over a decade, there has been an amazing group of farmers, producers and business leaders that have dedicated their time, talents and treasures to support the Clubs on the Westside-- Harris Farms and Firebaugh Boys & Girls Clubs.

“I acknowledge the fact that I made it this far. It meant a lot to hear the judges say I did a great job. They were impressed with my academics and my speech. I happened to lose the Northern California Competition but it felt great to tell my story. My story is about change. Ironically, the Youth of the Year Competition really changed me as well,” said Raymond.

The Zimmerman Boys & Girls Club hosted a basketball tournament on Friday, March 24th called March Madness. Eleven teams were assembled amongst local community partners. Each team also included kids and teens who are Boys & Girls Club members.

Jose Ramirez, 2012 USA Olympic Boxer and WBC WBO Unified Light Welterweight World Champion, paid a visit to our Boys & Girls Club on March 22nd. In accompany was Minimum-weight World Champion Female Boxer Seniesa Estrada and members of our Fresno Police Department. The event was called Hometown Heroes. It was a celebration of the heroes youth have to look up to.

The West Fresno Club celebrated years of volunteerism by hosting a small ceremony for Eugene Trotter and Danen “Day-Day” Rogers (pictured). All of the Club members gathered in the gym to thank them for their friendship and the volunteer coordinator, Amaris Castillo presented them with gifts.

the Pinedale Club and their families, receive a nice hot meal, beautifully wrapped gifts, and a night of fun activities.

“I think the word is out! So many more families came to the party this year and it was amazing. We really love working with Ron and his team. They are so nice and caring,” said Program Director, Jasmine Castillo.