Greetings from Todd

"Let's do it again for Kids in 10'!"

As we enter into 2010, we continue strive to put our organization on stable ground, with strong leadership, dependable resources, a sustainable footrpint, and a clear vision for our future. In these turbulent and unpredictable times, kids and families need to be able to depend on their clubs to be there when they need them most.

Even in the midst of adversity and challenges, the club had one of it's most successful years in many regards in 2009:

* We served 10% more members in 2009.

* We opened the Elkton Club, which now successfully serves over 100 youth from that community and three surrounding schools (Elkton Elementary, Elkton Middle, and River Bend Elementary)

* We had a hugely successful Golf Tourney that netted $20K for kids

* We had a 'Phone-A-Thon' to raise need-based scholarship dollars that tripled it's goal of $5K

* We had our first 'It Just Takes One' campaign which raised $139K to help offset the scholarship costs.

* We recruited 6 new board members this yearand formed active committees

* We began our 'La Casita' Hispanic Outreach program, which now serves 30 youth a day in a nearby trailer park. These youth wouldn't have access nor opportunity to attend one of our traditional clubhouses.

* We got our DSS NAP (Neighborhood Assistance Program) Credit status restored, so we can provide that benefit to our supporters. We've also recently had our tax credit increased from $33,500 to $67,000 through June 30 of this year.

* We registered two new 'Jeremiah Milbank Society' members this year, these are donors who donate at the $10K+ unrestricted levels.

* We created our Organization's Advisory Council, who will help partner and assist us in helping the organization reach it's full potential for the kids

* We've created financial accountability and transparency organization-wide through our financial tracking of every member to our 'contract with parents' to provide stakeholders and club community advisory boards access to financial information.

We've just recently completed our 2010 organizational 'advance' for the year. We are committed to creating and implementing our engaging strategic road map for the organization. The plan is entitled 3V (Valley Vision for Victorious Youth), and it will be shared with our stakeholders and displayed on our website in the coming months.

We remain committed to reaching our full potential for our youth. We remain committed to our core values of honesty, transparency, integrity, and a commitment to excellence through continual improvement. We hope that each of you will continue to collaborate with us, invest in us, and help us continue to provide these  positive lighthouses of hope in our community known as the Boys & Girls Clubs. We all have a vested interest in how these youth turnout, and most importantly, we all have a pivotal and vital role to play to insure this mission is achieved. May your 2010 be happy, blessed, and prosperous.

Onward & Upward,

Todd Bale
Executive Director

1-19-10