Blue Door Bulletin January-February 2017

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BULLETIN
J I M C L A R K
P R E S I D E N T A N D
C E O O F B G C A
A J A Y E J O H N S O N
S R . C O M M U N I T Y R E L A T I O N S
A N D F A C I L I T I E S D I R E C T O R
M A R C H 3 0
GALA
Learn about the BGCOKC
Champions of Youth
Celebration.
B G C O K C ' S H O L I D A Y F E S T I V I T I E S
SANTA
Santa and Bob Mills come to visit Club
Kids in a helicopter.
J A N U A R Y 2 4
LOWE'S
Renovation Across the Nation
initiative improves Memorial
Park campus.
T H U N D E R S T A R S E R V E S S M I L E S
RUSS
Westbrook's "Why Not?" Foundation
sponsors Thanksgiving at the
Memorial Park Club.

M A R C H 3 0
The Boys & Girls Clubs of
Oklahoma County (BGCOKC) will
host their annual Champions of
Youth Celebration on March 30,
2017 at the Oklahoma City Golf
and Country Club. Cocktails will
be served at 6 p.m. followed by
dinner at 7 p.m.
The Champions of Youth
Celebration honors key
supporters and community
leaders for their contributions to
BGCOKC, while raising money to
continue supporting and
inspiring local youth.
This year, BGCOKC will honor the
family of the late Aubrey K.
McClendon with the Lifetime
Achievement Award-- which is
also being renamed in his honor.
Aubrey McClendon fell in love
with the Boys & Girls Clubs while
mentoring kids during his time as
a student at Duke University. He
was an avid supporter of
BGCOKC since its inception in
1995. Mr. McClendon and his
wife made the most significant
CELEBRATION YOUTH OF CHAMPIONS
contribution to the construction
of the BGCOKC Memorial Park
location in 2008.
"Aubrey, his family and
Chesapeake supported
numerous non-profits in the
community, all doing great work,
so we were very touched and
honored when the family named
the Boys & Girls Clubs to receive
memorial gifts," said BGCOKC
CEO Jane Sutter. "We are
dedicated to keeping his passion
and generosity alive through this
award."
Also at the Celebration, Lowe's
Home Improvement stores will
be honored with the Corporate
Champion of Youth Award for
their contributions to the Club
and community.
BGCOKC was recently awarded a
$50,000 grant from Lowe's as
part of the Renovation Across the
Nation initiative, which has
resulted in numerous physical
improvements to the Memorial
Park Club. The grant is part of a
$2.5 million campaign that
awards a grant to one Boys &
Girls Club location in each state.
The Celebration will also
recognize the BGCOKC 2017
Youth of the Year Alexis Smith for
her outstanding academic
achievement at Harding Fine Arts
Academy as well as her
involvement at the Club. Smith
has been a member of the Boys
& Girls Club for 12 years, and
serves as a Junior Staff member
and treasurer to the Keystone
Club, which is comprised of all
Club Teens. Smith plans to
continue her education at OSU-
OKC, where she intends to
pursue her education in nursing
and surgical technology.
Learn more at
www.bgcokc.org/events/
champions-of-youth-celebration

On Jan. 24, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma
County hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil
exciting improvements to our Memorial Park Club
as part of Lowe's Renovation Across the Nation
initiative, which awarded $50,000 grants for critical
refurbishments and necessary updates to one Club
in each state. The Memorial Park Club was the
Oklahoma Renovation Across the Nation grant
recipient for 2016.
The renovations to the BGCOKC Memorial Park
location included a fresh paint job for the entire
facility, replanting and maintenance to the flower
beds and the construction of an office in the gym
for the athletic director. All of these enhancements
not only upgraded the facility, but support a
positive Club experience for our kids and teens.
RENOVATIONS
J I M C L A R K C E L E B R A T E S
P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H L O W E ' S
COMPLETE
Local Lowe's Heroes volunteers poured in the
hours and Sherwin Williams poured in donated
paint, while BGCOKC Club kids enjoyed getting
their hands a little dirty (and blue) painting the
newly built benches in the gym.
The Lowe's Renovation Across the Nation grant
inspired other in-kind donors who have helped
make the renovations possible, including Sherwin
Williams (paint), Bob Mills Furniture, Ed Hume
Locksmith Company and BlueLine Rentals.
"We are truly grateful to Lowe's and our local
Lowe's Heroes volunteers, and all of our sponsors
for their dedication and hard work to improving
Memorial Park," said Jane Sutter, president and
CEO of the Oklahoma County Clubs. "Their work
was impressive and the kids, staff and volunteers
are enjoying all of the wonderful new fixes."
Jim Clark, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls
Clubs of America (BGCA), was in attendance at the
ceremony. Clark became CEO of BGCA in January
2012 and has since spearheaded the Great Futures
Impact Plan which emphasizes Boys & Girls Clubs
national impact in three priority areas: academic
success, good character and citizenship and
healthy lifestyles.
Learn more at www.bgcokc.org/news

H O L I D A Y S A T T H E C L U B 2 0 1 6
SKY THE FROM IN DROPS SANTA
A cluster of awestruck
children pointed their
hopeful eyes towards the sky
as Santa Claus, using a
helicopter instead of his
usual sleigh, landed at the
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Oklahoma County's
Memorial Park location.
The special visit was courtesy
of Bob Mills Furniture, who
provided the bearded saint,
the helicopter and a variety
of goodies to give away to
the kids. Bob Mills also
donated bicycles to 90 of our
teens. Other Club Members
weren't short for goodies
either; each child received a
teddy bear and/or another
toy thanks to the Walmart
Foundation. This was the first
year for the Walmart
Foundation and Bob Mills
Furniture to participate in the
Boys & Girls Clubs' annual
holiday parties, but BGCOKC
looks forward to their
participation in the future.
ARE WE
EXTREMELY
GRATEFUL
ALL WHO FOR
"We're extremely grateful to Dell for their generous
support over the years," said Jane Sutter, president
and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma
PARTICIPATED
County. "We are excited to have the additional
support of the Walmart Foundation and Bob Mills
Furniture! Anyone who loves a child or teenager
knows the importance of expressing those feelings
to them during the holidays. The staff and board of
the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County are so
thankful to our community partners for helping us
express love, encouragement and support to our
Club members in very special ways this season!"
In addition to the party at the
Memorial Park location,
BGCOKC hosted holiday
parties at Telstar Elementary
in Midwest City and Santa Fe
South Elementary in South
Oklahoma City to ensure that
all of our Club Kids got the
opportunity to attend,
receive gifts, play games, eat
food and be merry.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of
Oklahoma County would like
to extend a warm thank you
to all who participated in our
holiday parties, especially to
Bob Mills Furniture, Dell,
USPS and the Walmart
Foundation for their
generosity in sponsoring
them.
Learn more at:
www.bgcokc.org/news

THUNDEROUS
Russell Westbrook’s “Why Not?” Foundation and OCAPL
Sponsor BGCOKC’s Thanksgiving Dinner.
THANKSGIVING
Club Kids and their families lined up outside the Boys
& Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County’s Memorial Park
Gym on November 15th for our annual Thanksgiving
Dinner, hosted by Russell Westbrook’s Why Not?
Foundation and the Oklahoma City Association of
Professional Landsmen (OCAPL). The hungry queue
of thankful bodies had a collective festive spirit that
gave the room a positive air as they approached
Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook, who
served mashed potatoes and returned their smiles.
This is the fifth year that Westbrook has come to aid
the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County in serving
over 900 kids at the 2016 event who might not
otherwise have the opportunity to have a traditional
Thanksgiving meal. Westbrook not only helped serve
food and give each passing Club Kid a high five, but
took the time to personally greet and thank the other
volunteers for making a difference in the lives of the
kids. After all, Westbrook was a Club Kid while growing
up in Los Angeles!
The night ended with the announcement of raffles
prizes and games for the families. The Annual
Thanksgiving Dinner typically takes place the week
before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Learn more at www.bgcokc.org/news

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