Events at ULBGC
Camp Day
This year's pirate-themed Camp Day was a great success! The guests were welcomed by pirates and directed to a chapel service where the tradition of a non-denominational presentation and a few Camp songs were performed for the guests.
At the flag raising ceremony, featured Camp Alumni Peter and Mike Rascia were presented with two banners commemorating their induction into the into the Camp Hall of Fame, which was introduced this year. Our good friend, U.S. Marshal Darryl McPherson, arranged a crowd-pleasing presentation of U.S. Marshal service dogs that demonstrated their ability to smell scents, jump rope and do many other tricks. The crowd was shocked when three undercover trucks and SUVs circled the field and stopped letting out fully uniformed U.S. Marshals who performed a protective escort while a very lucky ULBGC camper was strategically moved to the center of the crowd. The youth and guests loved the question and answer sessions with the U.S. Marshals and still talk about the performance.
Lunch was served in the dining hall and guests were treated to music preformed by the ULC jazz group, a traditional mail call (A fun chant done by campers, guests and staff to hand out any mail that campers received from home), more cabins performed songs and a raffle drawing was held for guests. ULBGC President Mike Kiss hosted the lunch with special guest presenter ULC President Nina Owens. Lunch guests were invited to participate in a treasure hunt and enjoyed lakefront activities.
Mrs. International
Mrs. International 2007, Rebekah Negrete, visited Club One on Thursday, July 17, 2008. She met with a group of 10-12 year old girls, many of whom particpate in our Smart Girls program at the Club to talk about self-esteem and making the right choices to achieve life goals. Later, Rebekah joined the Arts and Crafts instuctor who helped her and the girls craft their own crowns.
Youth of the Year Contest
The Union League Boys & Girls Clubs are proud to announce that their 2008 Youth of the Year (YOY) is Gabe from Club One. The judges—U.S. Marshal Darryl McPhearson and ULBGC Trustees Mr. Charles Brummel, Mrs. Kirsten Francissen and Mr. Niel Kottke—listened and judged the speeches of our top candidates from each Club.
The 2008 Youth of Year candidates representing their Clubs were Jose A. representing our Talcott Club; Maria R. from our Barreto Club; Vince G., a Lafayette Club Member; and Bianca V. from Club One. Gabe, the Club One Youth of the Year from 2007 joined the organizational competition to be the regional representative again in 2008.
All past Youth of the Year representatives are eligible to compete to represent the organization at the regional competition if he or she is under the age of eighteen and has represented their respective Club as a past Youth of the Year and are supported again by their respective Club Director. They however are not able to represent a specific Club as the YOY for more than one year.
After a very competitive effort by all the candidates, Gabe from Club One to was selected as the organization Youth of the Year and continued on to represent the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs at the regional competition. A large "thank you" to all who participated and helped to judge the contest!
Thank You, Aerotek!
The Aerotek Schaumburg office continues to support the Union League
Boys & Girls Clubs through numerous volunteer efforts! They are currently
hosting a business suit drive that runs through the month of May to provide
suits and business
attire for Club members who will be participating in the "Mentor for a
Day" program
during the 2008 summer months. They have already
donated
two large bags of like-new business clothes! The ULBGC is excited to
announce
that the Aerotek Schaumburg office will also be a host site for the
"Mentor for a Day" program!
Basketball Games
Union League Boys & Girls Club members enjoyed a few games of pickup basketball on the court at the Union League Club. The event was organized by ULC Athletic Director Jim Lynch and enjoyed by all who were able to participate. During the breaks between games, ULC Athletic staff enjoyed meeting and talking with several ULBGC members who are representing their Clubs as the Youth of the Year. The ULBGC members commented they are already looking forward to their next basketball game at the Union League Club!
WGN Visits the Lafayette Club
WGN Morning News featured the Lafayette Union League Boys & Girls Club on their Around Town segment, on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. The segment featured the Immersion Presents science based programming. The youth displayed their daily lessons, which featured hands-on experiments with buoyancy—featuring the sinking of the Titanic and the kids racing across the gym to demonstrate how dolphins hunt their prey. The youth who were interviewed told the reporter, Ana Belaval, educational facts about all the areas of their learning that day! To view the clip, visit WGN online at http://wgntv.trb.com/news/local/aroundtown/ and select Immersion Presents.
Chicago Trading Company Donates Technology to Club One
In an event organized by Mike Ladesma, The Chicago Trading Company came to Club One in the summer of 2007 to paint the weight room. While they were painting the staff had a chance to talk to them about the programming and needs of the Club. After hearing all that the Club offered to the youth, Mike Ledesma of Chicago Trading Company asked if there was anything more they could do.
The ULBGC staff gave Mike a Club wish list. In a ceremony on February 5, 2008, Chicago Trading Company presented Club One with their recent purchases of 5 computers with monitors and a new stereo for the dance room! On hand to thank them for their donation were Techonlogy Committee Chair Amy O’Brien, Technology Committee Member, Stuart O’Brien and ULBGC Executive Director Mary Ann Mahon-Huels.
ULBGC Celebrates 10,000 Members
The Union League Boys & Girls Clubs welcomed our 10,000th member in a ceremony at the Lafayette Club on January 24, 2007. On site to help celebrate and recognize Jailen Jimenez, the 10,000th member, were ULBGC President Martha Jahn Martin, ULC President Frank Niederman, ULBGC Executive Director Mary Ann Mahon-Huels, ULBGC Club Directors, Hector Perez, Leo Barron, Harv Roman and Margie Cepeda-Vargas, U.S. Marshal Darryl McPherson, State Representative Cynthia Soto and Lafayette School Principal, Shirley Smith. All in attendance enjoyed cake following the ceremony held in the gymnasium.
Youth Leadership Conference
Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis have each spent decades studying and teaching leadership and advising top CEOs.
Now, they took time to show 50 Chicago youth how to recognize the critical moment before a judgment call, when swift and decisive action
is essential, and also how to execute a decision after the call.
The 15 ULBGC Keystone Club members enjoyed the view of the City while Noel, several University of Chicago MBA students, and several top executives sat down to learn about our kid’s judgments that they have made, both good and bad and how they planned to forge ahead in life toward their future goals. After being prepared by the MBA students and Noel Tichy to ask questions to the executives, our youth were moved upstairs were they were able to ask the executives any questions they had; from how they handle a crisis to how they landed their jobs. The conference took teens out of their comfort zone and into leadership roles. Each student left the event with a personally signed complementary copy of Noel and Warren's book Judgement: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls.
Congratulations to Stacy Fleming!
Stacy Fleming is the first ULBGC volunteer to receive the Bronze level of recognition from the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush for her outstanding level of volunteerism. Stacy is an energetic member of our Associate's Board, an active and constant recruiter of volunteers for the ULBGC, a volunteer at many special and partnership events and volunteers her expertise to many of our marketing and graphic design projects. Stacy volunteers for three hours every Thursday at the ULBGC headquarters office.
Upcoming Events
Swim to Salem
We kick off our third annual ‘Swim, Run, Bike, Hike to Salem’ event on June 1, 2009. Participants are not required to but can chose to raise funds for the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs. All participants receive an event shirt. The event runs from June 1 - July 31. This is not for the weak in spirit. We challenge you to ‘Swim, Run, Bike or Hike to Salem’ a total of 70 miles, the distance from our headquarters in Chicago to our 257 acres of Camp ground in Salem, Wisconsin in three months time. Not only will you be challenging yourself to improve your fitness but you will also be setting an excellent example for our youth by choosing to be proactive and lead an active lifestyle. Participation in this event shows our youth how others are fighting to beat the current epidemic of obesity that is plaguing our country your participation may just inspire one of our youth to lead a healthier lifestyle!
Corporate Challenge
Learn how your company can run the Chicago Corporate Challenge or any other race and support the Union League Boys and Girls Clubs by clicking here to see how other companies have supported the Clubs.
Marathon
Join the ULBGC 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Team.
31st Annual Gala
Join us on November 1, 2008 for the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs Annual Gala. Information beyond the date of the event is not currently available. To view the 2007 event, please click here.
Annual C&A and ULBGC Speech Contest
Members from the ULBGC and local schools will be giving 5-minute speeches. The contest is for youth in grades 6, 7, and 8. Each participant will receive an award for participating. If you are available to be a judge for this contest, please e-mail Jenn Boza at j.boza@ulbgc.org
Lafayette Club Orchestra – Holiday CD
The Lafayette Club Orchestra is composed of talented youth who have learned to compose beautiful music under the direction of their completely volunteer instructor.