Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio to Celebrate National Day for Kids
Free public event promotes meaningful relationships between kids and adults
San Antonio -- August 31, 2006

The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio will host the fifth annual Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids (BGC Day for Kids) on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Manuel Calderon Branch, located at 600 SW 19th Street. The event, which is free and open to the public, promotes family togetherness and celebrates our community’s young people.

Activities include a carnival, petting zoo, swimming, a game room tournament, a kids’ talent show and refreshments. Attendees can also enjoy a basketball tournament featuring teams of club members from all five San Antonio Boys & Girls Clubs branches. Everything is offered free of charge.

“The Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids is a great way to show kids from all areas of San Antonio that they are special,” said Jim Watson, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio. “It also encourages their parents and relatives to spend a day having fun with their kids and learn more about what the Clubs have to offer.”

Unlike many other countries, America does not have an official day to celebrate its children. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, along with the support of other leading youth-serving organizations, is working to change that by establishing the third Saturday in September each year as the national Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids.

The mission of BGC Day for Kids is to establish a day that fosters positive relationships between adults and children and celebrates children across the nation through the gift of time. Research shows that when adults spend meaningful time with kids it helps them develop a positive self-image and a sense of belonging, usefulness and purpose. Now, more than ever, BGC Day for Kids provides adults and kids an opportunity to take a break from their busy lives and celebrate the wonder of life and the fulfillment of spending time together.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America hopes to make BGC Day for Kids a permanent part of our national culture. In 2005, 1.5 million people attended 1,200 BGC Day for Kids community events in 32 states across the country and at overseas military bases.

Founded in 1939, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio serve more than 6,000 members annually at five branch locations. The Clubs provide after school and summer program services that develop talents, values and skills in youth ages six-to-18 years old, paying particular attention to those most disadvantaged. As a result of the Clubs programs, young people are inspired and enabled to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. For more information, visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio website at: www.bgcsatx.org.