It was an exciting evening with more than 250 people at the Cypress Boys and Girls Club 19th annual fundraiser, “Keeping Kids on Track,” at the Los Alamitos Race Course on Friday night. The evening featured a buffet dinner, live and silent auctions, and a night of live-action horse racing.
All funds from the event will provide more than $150,000 in program scholarships to more than 200 children, and were also being raised to provide scholarships to more than 30 active military families so their children can participate in the Club at no cost.
“We were more successful than ever before,” said Executive Director Anne Hertz. “This is our second year hosting the event at the Los Alamitos Race Course.”
The live auction featured such things as a 7 day Holland America Cruise, 8 days at a Maui Beach Club, Jet Blue tickets, an Air-to-Air Combat Mission and Hot Air Balloon Rides. The silent auction featured about 150 gift baskets including a Disney themed basket, dinner night out basket with gift certificates to community restaurants, and a holiday themed gift basket, to name just a few.
There were event sponsorships of $5,000 with funds from Charles and Karen Williams, Paul and Lori Morrison of Morrison Tires as well as $2,500 sponsorships from AT&T, Briggeman Land & Development Company, and Cypress Plaza. Some $1,000 sponsorships were from Cypress Mayor Doug Bailey and wife Shelly, Cypress Rotary, United Health Care and Union Bank.
“The majority of our budget comes from donations,” said Hertz. “About 40 percent comes from program fees, with 60 percent coming from events, grants and donations.”
“We never turn a child away for inability to pay,” she continued. “If parents are unable to afford the $120 a month fee, they qualify for scholarships.” “We have families that pay $60 or $30 a month, or nothing at all.” “There is no other organization that can say that.”
The Boys and Girls Club of Cypress is a non-profit organization providing afterschool care and summer programs to K-12 children in Cypress, Los Alamitos, and Anaheim Union High School District. They have been in Cypress since the 1970s.
“We have about 140 kids here, and another 100 kids at the King Elementary School site in Cypress,” said Hertz. “Without the Club, kids would be going home unsupervised.” “Not only is this a safety risk, it also means that this time of day isn’t being utilized for the best purposes.”
With four certified Youth Bus driven vans, the Club picks up children from their schools, bringing them back to their location at 10161 Moody Street in Cypress for a fun and structured program until parents pick them up later on. They can run and play outside at Cedar Glen Park, participate in indoor games, arts and crafts, work on computers and also do homework.
“The homework and the enrichment are about academic success,” said Hertz. “A lot of what goes on in the social-recreational component is about character, citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.” The children learn what’s called the Six Pillars of Character: Caring, Trustworthiness, Fairness, Respect, Citizenship and Responsibility.
“Our children are from all different schools, and are as diverse as can be,” said Hertz. “They are economically diverse, ethnically diverse and geographically diverse.”
“It’s kind of like a family,” she continued. “I try to raise the kids as I raised my own.”
“I think what’s key is loving the kids where they are at, and then helping them to learn and grow, appreciating them exactly as they are,” said Hertz. “Each child comes with their unique interests and challenges.” “It’s so important that they know when they come to the Club that they are excited, that we want to know what they think, and that they matter.”
For more information on programs, services, to make a donation or to volunteer, please call the Cypress Boys and Girls Club at 714-527-2697.