Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)’s WAKE-UP CALL Back-to-School Kick Off event in New York City

Shaq Arriving at the event

BGC members getting their new back packs

The obstacle course

As a kid growing up in Newark, N.J., retired NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal often headed to the Boys and Girls Club to hang out with friends and talk with mentors about his future.

Yesterday I was honored to attend Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)’s WAKE-UP CALL Back-to-School Kick Off event in New York City.  Shaquille O’Neal participated with students in a unique obstacle course which was fun to watch.  Radio Disney talent, Coco Jones, performed and gave away posters.  Then Shaquille O’Neal sounded the alarm to signal the start of the Back-to-School season!  Shaq has such a warm personality and it was great to see him giving back to the community and doing something positive for the kids.  His mother was there as well and she gave a back to school speech to all of the kids.

Here is some info about the Boys & Girls Club.  They have done tons of great things for the youth in America.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Club is to enrich and transform the lives of young people, especially those who need us most.

Vision

The Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area provides a safe, fun, and educational environment that unites youth grades four to twelve from all backgrounds and encourages their development as caring, responsible community members and leaders.  The Club creates daily opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and succeed while teaching the importance of character, community, education, and diversity.

Locally the Club is serving over 2,000 registered members plus an additional 8,500 youth through outreach initiatives such as after school reading, team visits, and special trainings.  Nationally, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America serve more than 4 million boys and girls annually through membership and community outreach with more than 4,000 Club locations throughout the U.S. and around the world.

The Boys & Girls Club remains accessible to all youth by charging a minimal membership fee of $20 per year or $45 per family with 3 or more youth.

For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs, visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America!