We’re excited to announce our next two weeks of Camp in a Box virtual programming! Camp in a Box, offers online meetings each afternoon accompanied by a box full of all the supplies you’ll need. There is a one time $30 registration fee and then a weekly $25 program fee.

Members meet with Club staff and their peers to play games and dive into a Club program. This is a great opportunity for members to learn new concepts, get creative and socialize online with friends with a trusted adult mentor. We hope to see you in an upcoming week.

Youth, ages 8 and up, are welcome to participate but programs are designed with ages 8 – 12 in mind. The group meets via Zoom, Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Options for our upcoming weeks are:
Week 5, August 3rd – August 7th:
Extreme Earth: Learn about nature, extreme weather, and ways to problem-solve towards a healthier environment in this earth STEM program!
Time Travelers: Explore different periods of history in this STEAM program and participate in art-focused daily activities.
Week 6, August 10th – August 14th:
Animal Kingdom: Join us for this animal focused STEAM program to learn about animals from around the world through science & art activities.
Gamers Gonna Game: Become a board game designer as we learn what makes a game and end the week creating our own!

To register, email info@bgcwoburn.org beginning Monday, July 27, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Space is limited and fill on a first come, first serve basis. Include the following information:

• Your Name
• Child’s Name
• Child’s Age
• Preferred Email
• Program Choice
• Is your child a Club member?

If you have any questions please reach out to Meg at m.gambale@bgcwoburn.org!

We have been having a blast in our new virtual camp experience this week! Members are artists exploring new cultures and game designers developing games around projectiles. We are excited to release information for Week 3 & 4 of Camp in the Box! Check out the information below, including how to register. Registration opens Monday at 9:00 a.m.

Q: Can you tell me more about the program choices?
A: Sure! We tried to pick well rounded options to appeal to all members.
Week 3 Options:
LEGO Science: We will explore some science concepts & participate in daily challenges using LEGOs! Having your some of your own LEGOs will help this week!
The Show Must Go Online!: Work together to learn how to put on a production. Those interested should feel comfortable having their camera on, performing & reading from a script!
Week 4 Options:
Rise or Fall? Tower Challenge: Explore the engineering behind towers! From learning about famous ones to daily challenges to create the tallest, strongest, sturdiest towers, this will be a fun week of STEM.
Science of Senses: Explore your 5 senses and participate in daily experiments to learn more about sight, sound, smell and touch!

Q: How do I register?
A: Registration opens Monday, July 13th at 9:00 a.m. and will be done via email. Space is limited and registration will be on a first come, first serve basis.

To register, email info@bgcwoburn.org at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, 7/13/2020 with the following information. Please complete this information once for each of your children.

• Your Name
• Child’s Name
• Child’s Age
• Preferred Email
• Program Choice
• Is your child a Club member?

Q: What can I expect with a week of Camp in a Box?
A: Families will pick up a box of supplies to compliment the activities & programs in your chosen breakout session. Almost all needed supplies will be provided!

Q: What ages can participate?
A: All youth 8 and older are welcome to sign up, but programs may be more enjoyable for those ages 8-12.

Q: Can I register for all 4 program choices?
A: Unfortunately no, the two program choices each week happen simultaneously so you can only sign up for one program per week.

Q: How do I pay my fees?
A: Once you send your registration you will receive confirmation email with instructions on how to pay online.

Q: Who can I contact with more questions?
A: Please email Meg at m.gambale@bgcwoburn.org with further questions.

We are excited to announce our virtual camp experience, Camp in a Box!

Q: What can I expect with a week of Camp in a Box?
A: Families will pick up a box of supplies to compliment the activities & programs in your chosen breakout session. Almost all needed supplies will be provided!

Q: What ages can participate?
A: All members 8 and older are welcome to sign up, but these programs are best suited for our 8-12 year olds.

Q: Can you tell me more about the program choices?
A: Sure! We tried to pick well rounded options to appeal to all members.
Art Adventures: Daily art projects designed to explore new parts of the world! SOLD OUT!
Finger Flickers: Learn about projectiles and complete daily STEM challenges.
Boot Camp: Specialized daily workouts & fitness challenges!
Photography: You’ll need a device that takes pictures & we’ll teach the basics.

Q: How do I register?
A: Registration opens Monday, June 22, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. and will be done via email. Space is limited and registration will be on a first come, first serve basis.

To register, email info@bgcwoburn.org at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, 6/22/2020 with the following information. Please complete this information once for each of your child.

• Your Name
• Member’s Name
• Member’s Age
• Preferred Email
• Program Choice
• Is your child a Club member?

Q: Can I register for all 4 program choices?
A: Unfortunately no, the two program choices each week happen simultaneously so you can only sign up for one program per week.

Q: How do I pay my fees?
A: Once you send your registration you will receive confirmation email with instructions on how to pay your fee online. If fees are a barrier for your participation, please email Meg!

Q: Who can I contact with more questions?
A: Please email Meg at m.gambale@bgcwoburn.org with further questions.

After careful consideration and a full review of Massachusetts’ new Minimum Requirements for Health and Safety for Child and Youth Serving Programs which was released on June 1, 2020, James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn has decided not to open our traditional summer camp program in 2020.

The safety of our youth, their families and our staff were at the center of this decision, as it is our priority in everything we do at the Club. Health and safety will continue to be our priority as we move forward through this “new normal.”

We understand this is incredibly difficult for our families who have come to rely on our programs for childcare and enrichment. We know that kids need socialization and the support that our camp offers, but it has become obvious that the new guidelines would not allow us to provide the experience that our community has come to expect.

For those of you who have paid deposits for summer camp, you will receive an e-mail today laying out refund, rollover, or gifting options.

We are carefully looking at ways we might be able to welcome very small groups of children and teenagers into the Club soon, but the capacity and hours will be extremely limited.

All of us at the Club cannot wait until we can all be together again, and we wish you well during these difficult times. Thank you for your understanding.

Julie Gage, Executive Director

James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn proudly announces that Lainey Gaiero of Burlington, MA is the winner of the 2020 PFC Joseph L. Drew Youth of the Year Award. Lainey was chosen from a pool of wonderful upper classmen who are members of the Boys & Girls Club and who are nominated based on academic success, commitment to leading a healthy lifestyle, passion for their experience at the Boys & Girls Club and overall character and leadership.

Locally, this award, the top honor bestowed by the Club on an annual basis, is named in memory of Private First Class Joseph L. Drew. Joe was an original member of the Woburn Boys Club in 1964. He served his community through his participation in the Key Club and the St. Charles CYO. Joe entered the United States Marine Corps and was shipped to Vietnam where he spent 214 days. He was featured in the CBS News documentary, This Day Has 12,000 Miles which aired December 23, 1965. He was killed in action December 27, 2965 – just days before his 19^th birthday.

Youth of the Year candidates are nominated in an open process and a group of finalists is selected by the Club’s professional staff. Finalists for the award in 2020 also included Caleb Sawicki, Brendan Tighe, and Matthew Tilly all of Woburn, MA. Finalists are asked to complete an application consisting of essays and letters of recommendation. They are then interviewed by a panel of judges composed of 2 staff members and 3 representatives from the community. The panel of judges make the final decision. Volunteer judges for this year’s difficult competition included Craig Iverson, Greg Murphy, and John Sheehy.

The Club’s 2020 PFC Joseph L. Drew Youth of the Year, Lainey Gaiero, is a junior at Burlington High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society and a participant in the field hockey program. She has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club for ten years and has been heavily involved in several programs, with a focus on character and leadership development. Currently she serves as the vice president of the Intrepid Keystone Club, a Jr. Staff member, and the advisor of the Gemstones community service club for elementary school students. Lainey is also passionate about helping others outside of the Boys & Girls Club. For a number of years, she has served as a team captain for Relay For Life of Burlington to benefit the American Cancer Society. This year alone, Lainey has completed 280 hours of community service.

Armed with a passion to help others, Lainey plans to attend a four-year college and hopes to have a career in social work one day. When asked about her experience at James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn, she says “The Club has acted as my second home and family along with giving me a lifetime of unforgettable memories. It has also helped me grow as an individual and give back to a place that means so much to me and my family!”

Submit your art work to be included in our Drive By Art Show! Every two weeks the Club will post a prompt for all members to submit art to the Club. Art will be hung in the Club’s windows for families to drive by and enjoy! 

This week’s prompt is Be BIG & BOLD. Create a piece of art on a recycled canvas (newspaper, box, cardboard) that shows your interpretation of living big & bold! Submit your art to the labeled bin at the Club.  Please include your name, age, and an artist statement expressing what your piece represents & was inspired by! Art cannot be bigger than 30” x 30”.  Submissions are due to the Club on Monday, May 18th by 4:00 p.m.

All art will be on display by Wednesday, May 20th. Winners will be chosen in each age group: 8-10, 11-13, and 14-18. 

We can’t wait to see what you come up with! 

We’ve revamped our Spring Schedule in the hopes of better serving our youth & teens.  We’re keeping all the favorites, but adding some more focused programming by grade level and adding some special new things! 

Check out the full schedule for the week here: JLMBGCWoburn Virtual Program Schedule!

Every morning the links to join and activity descriptions are shared via email. If you have not yet receiving these emails please fill out the Virtual Program Permission form to be added to this email list! 

We look forward to hanging out with you in the virtual Clubhouse soon! 

Kick in for Kids is a favorite, annual community event that supports the McKeown Boys & Girls Club.  To keep the tradition alive this year & raise needed funds for our kids, we have decided to go virtual! Join us now here: bit.ly/5kforkids!

Did you know that in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis, our Boys & Girls Club is still there for our community? Nearly overnight, our staff team built out a “virtual Clubhouse” offering a variety of ways to keep kids and families healthy, safe and engaged during the “safer at home” advisory. In addition, we have been connecting with community resources to meet the basic needs of our most vulnerable families.

However, the crisis has also dried up nearly all of our funding sources. When families get back to work in the coming months, they are going to rely on the Club more than ever before and we want to prepare as best we can to meet those needs. To do so, we need the support of our community!

What:  Walk or run a 5K on your own around your neighborhood!
When:  Any time between Sunday, May 3, 2020 and Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Here’s How to Participate:
 – Head to bit.ly/5kforkids to get started!
 – “Join” if you want to create your own fundraising team or join an existing team. Or, simply “Donate” to support our Club through this virtual race.
 – Share with your networks to help us spread the word! (Example: “I just donated to #5KforKids to support the McKeown Boys & Girls Club!  I challenge these 5 friends to join me:  …  Get going & give! bit.ly/5kforkids”)
 – When you go out to do your 5K, please be sure to stay safe & healthy by practicing safe social distancing and also covering your face if needed.
 – After you complete your 5K, post a picture on social media & use the hashtag #5KforKids to promote health & fitness among our entire community.
 – Print, decorate and wear your own Kick in for Kids race bib if you’d like! 

We are excited to offer some great new programs & activities moving into this new week!  Check out the wide variety of offerings to get involved in this week. We have structured activities, service learning meetings (new times, check out the schedule!), daily workouts & trivia and games. All offerings last 30 to 50 minutes. 

Each morning, the Club emails out daily program updates that include the activities being offered, any supplies needed and the information to join in for the day. If you are not yet receiving these emails, please fill out the form here!  You only need to fill this out once. If you have completed it and are not receiving emails, please connect with Meg.

The Club is looking for new art work and we need your help! 

We are holding an art contest to create new Club thank you cards. Use this Art Contest Template and add drawings, color and words about why you love the Club and how the Club makes you feel.  Try to fill up all the white space and be as creative as you like!

You can print the template at home or pick one up from the folder on the Club’s front door. Submissions are due Monday, April 27, 2020 by 7:00 p.m. Email Meg your entry or drop it at the Club in the dropbox at the front door.

We look forward to seeing all our creative entries.