News

Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham (BGCHR) staff and teens will walk the halls of the Virginia General Assembly to speak with area representatives about the importance of out of school time youth organizations during the Boys & Girls Clubs Advocacy Day, Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Clubs across the state, including our local Harrisonburg and Rockingham Clubs, will be thanking legislators for past support of our safe, quality programs. This year, they will be asking for assistance to help with affordability through the establishment of an Out-of-School Time Grant program. Two teens from The Club, BGCHR’s Teen Center, will meet with Delegates Wilt and Runion and Senator Obenshain. The teens will also be recognized in the House and Senate, along with the other Virginia Club youth and be introduced to the Page Program. CEO Sandra Quigg states, “this is an opportunity for our Club teens to have their voices heard and to see how government works up close. Our Clubs work hard to provide these life-ready opportunities. I am excited for them and look forward to hearing their thoughts afterword.”

In 2024 in Virginia, Boys & Girls Clubs served over 48,000 youth with 102 Clubs and 1,278 adult staff. With over 80% of waking hours spent out of school and 2/3rd of families with both parents working, youth look to Clubs to enrich those out-of-school time hours through academic and character enrichment, life and workforce opportunities and healthy lifestyle programs. Locally, BGCHR has focused on youth wellness for the past three years thus meeting this critical need. In a study of youth (ages 9 to 14) in afterschool programs, researchers found that those with a higher sense of belonging in their afterschool programs had fewer risk factors and more protective factors. (Journal of Child & Youth Care Work, Vol.20,pp11-21). Locally, 86% of BGCHR kids feel emotionally safe at their Club.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County has served the community for over 30 years with a simple but vital purpose: provide a safe, supportive, and fun environment for youth ages 5 to 18, outside school hours. At our seven Clubs, young people are mentored by youth development professionals who nurture their sense of competence, belonging, and leadership. Serving close to 600 young people annually, our seven Clubs are integral to the success of the youth we serve, their families and our community.                      ###

The Club Keystone Members are donating winter clothing in support of those in need.

Harrisonburg, VA - Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg and Rockingham Teen Center (The Club) is delivering coats, winter clothing, and cold weather items to Hope Distributed, 1869 Boyers Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 on Thursday, December 4, at 3:45pm.

The youth of Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham Teen Center have been collecting cold weather items for the past month. They have over 60 coats and 70 other cold weather clothing items that they are excited to deliver to Hope Distributed with their Club Director. The teens chose to collect warm weather items as part of their commitment to community service for their Keystone Club. Keystone Club provides leadership development opportunities for Club Members ages 12 to 18. Youth participate in activities in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation, and community service. Keystone members engage and socialize with peers, explore relevant issues, and develop skills to support and enhance efforts in their local communities. In discussing current issues, the teens focused on rising prices. Consequently, they chose to collect cold weather clothing which are expensive necessities.

The Teen Center, called The Club, has been serving teens ages 12 to 18 since 2003. Teens attend The Club for a $15 annual fee. There are no weekly fees. Teens learn daily living skills and mental health and wellness while enjoying fun activities and field trips. Annually, Clubs award Youth of the Year to a teen who embodies the Club values of Integrity, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. The Club serves around 20-40 dedicated teens each year.