Easy Ways to Show Your Support

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County has developed some easy ways for you to show your support.

GoodSearch.com

GoodSearch.com is an internet search engine powered by Yahoo. However, unlike Google each time your search you're raising money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County. Here's how it works:

Visit www.goodsearch.com Under "Who do you GoodSearch for?" type in "Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County". Click "Verify". And you're done. Now each time you run a search on the internet visit GoodSearch and raise money for the Clubs. The hardest part is remembering to GoodSearch instead of Google.

Do Something 101

Do Something 101 is a campaign with Staples to collect school supplies and raise funds for Boys & Girls Clubs members. Here's how you can help:

1. Encourage local teens to collect school supplies and drop then off at the nearest Staples store from now until August 31st. These supplies will be given to our local club members just in time to head back to school.

2. Staples customers can donate $2 at check out at any Staples store and 100% goes back to our local Clubs.

For additional information on how to get involved please call (941)761-2582.

Boys & Girls Clubs Members Explore Local Marine Life with Mote

One of the greatest things about living in Florida is the ability to explore the local marine life. Everywhere you turn you can't help but notice the creatures that call our beaches, mangroves and other marine and estuarine ecosystems home. Most Floridians wouldn't that going for a boat ride or snorkeling was anything out of the ordinary, but many Boys & Girls Clubs members have never been given the opportunities to experience these wonders most take for granted. Recently, an anonymous Mote Marine Laboratory donor realized that, if given the changes, club kids would enter into this magical water world fins first.

And so, for the second year in a row, 45 scholarships have been given to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County to make it possible for club members to attend Mote's Summer Camp. Club members from the DeSoto Boys & Girls Club explored the mysterious worlds that lurk in mangroves through a mask and snorkel and felt the salty sea air rustle their hair as they took boat rides to places that could never be reached by car or foot.

"My favorite thing was seeing dolphins, "said Jacob, a 10 year old DeSoto Club member. "I've seem them before, but never so close as at the Aquarium."

"Riding on the pontoon boat was really fun," said 12 year old Jonathan. "and we even saw fish and a blue crab when we were snorkeling!"

Thanks to an anonymous donation honoring the memory of Barry J. Kingman, these Boys & Girls Clubs members had the summer of a lifetime all while opening their eyes to the wonders in our local waters.

In this issue

• Show Your Support
• Club Members Explore Marine Life

Upcoming Events

Day for Kids: Sept. 20

Golf Classic: Oct. 3

Carnaval Annual Gala: Nov. 15

For more information on our events visit our website.

Stay Connected

Stay connected to all of the Boys & Girls Clubs happenings through our:

Website: www.bgcofmanatee.org

MySpace Page:

www.myspace.com/officialbgcmc

YouTube Channel:

www.youtube.com/BGCManatee

Blog:

www.justakesonebgcmc.blogspot.com

Spread the Word

Be sure to forward our e-newsletter to your friends and family so they can also stay updated on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County

Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.