Special Event Encourages Adults to Spend Meaningful Time with Kids, Proving One Day Can Change a Child's Future
IA/ILL QUAD CITIES-Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley (BGCMV) is gearing up to celebrate its annual Day for Kids event to highlight the critical needs of children in the community. Today, too many youth are facing serious issues that can deprive them of a happy, healthy childhood and negatively impact their future. Day for Kids celebrates the life-changing work taking place at Boys & Girls Clubs each day by encouraging adults to spend meaningful time with young people and engage in fun and active play. This year's Day for Kids will be celebrated with over 200 parents and kids participating in an event at BGCMV's Teen Center.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley is one of hundreds of Day for Kids events planned nationwide. The Quad City event will take place at BGCMV's Teen Center (1122 5th Avenue, Moline) on Saturday, September 20th from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and will include games and prizes, music, martial arts demonstrations, an inflatable obstacle course, a helicopter, community exhibitor booths, food and representatives from the Moline Fire Department and the Rock Island County K-9 Unit. The event is free to the public. Food vendors will be available.
Day for Kids aligns with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley's overall initiative to help young people become more actively engaged in their community, live a healthy lifestyle and achieve academic success. The 'play' incorporated in the Day for Kids event fosters creativity, imagination, exploration and helps kids develop and master various skills.
"Day for Kids creates a unique opportunity for adults to relive their childhood. Our amazing supporters 'Pledge to Play' fostering stronger relationships and meaningful time spent with local youth," says Tim Tolliver, CEO/President , Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley. "Year-round our Clubs offer a safe place where kids can be empowered to make choices that allow them to have a great future. With the support of the community today and every day, we can help kids reach their full potential by staying on track to graduate, demonstrating good character and citizenship and practicing healthy lifestyles."
Supporting our kids is a critical issue for our nation where kids are in crisis. Today's generation is estimated to be worse off than their parents. Our nation's graduation rate ranks 22nd among 28 countries and three out of 10 kids are obese or overweight. One in 5 American kids live in poverty. Boys & Girls Clubs believe that every young person in America deserves a great future and that ensuring a safe, productive place for them to spend out-of-school time is a vital, yet overlooked, factor.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America has created engaging educational resources to help communities encourage and develop positive relationships with kids. A year-round web site, www.dayforkids.org, provides tools, resources and tips that support their interactions with young people.
Day for Kids is also part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Great Futures Campaign. The Great Futures Campaign aims to redefine the opportunity equation for America's kids and call attention to the critical role of out-of-school time in reversing the negative trends facing today's youth. With the public's support, Boys & Girls Clubs will inspire and empower more kids toward success through life-changing programs and resources.
Learn more about programs and activities offered by BGCMV at bgcmv.org or 309-757-5777.
About BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley ("BGCMV") has been serving the needs of area young people since 1994. It is a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a national organization of non-profit, non-sectarian private agencies serving young people in clubs nationwide. BGCMV serves over 600 members at three locations:
· Moline Club - 406 7th Street, Moline
· Davenport Club - 1702 Iowa Street, Davenport (First Presbyterian Church)
· The Club (Teen Center, serving members 13 and older) - 1122 5th Avenue, Moline
###
