Boys and Girls Club a Home Away From Home

The Boys and Girls Club of San Angelo hosted a brunch Saturday morning for the public. The event was held in order to share their story and provide tours of their facilities to the community.

Harry Thomas, the Chief Volunteer Officer of the Club, said, “Really what we are trying to do is introduce the public to the Boys and Girls Club and share our mission with them so they can support us.”

The mission of the organization is to, “Enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

Thomas said, “We have a 91 percent graduation rate and each of the children we have that comes in at least twice a week is on the ‘A’ or ‘A/B’ honor roll.”

Michael Bejil was the first member of the Southside Boys and Girls club at age 11. During his senior year in high school Bejil was offered a job as a rec aid.

He said, “Not everyone really cared to finish school, but being there gave me the inspiration to finish school and realize there was more out there.”

On becoming a staff member Bejil said, “It was hard at first because I was friends with all the members at the Club and now I had to tell them what to do.”

After working as a rec aid for six years Bejil was offered the position as unit director of the Lake View unit.

Bejil said that being a member of the Boys and Girls Club, “Gave me a sense of belonging with my peers. I was invested in something that made me feel great about myself.”

City Council member Johnny Silvas was the guest speaker of the event. He said, “I am a proud product of the Boys and Girls Club.”

Silvas was a member when he first moved to San Angelo from Odessa.

“It was a gloomy time for me as a child being in a new environment. It was kind of scary,” Silvas said.

After being invited by neighbors to go to the Boys and Girls Club, Silvas said it became his “home away from home.”

The Boys and Girls Club of San Angelo has three units: Northside, Southside, and Lake View. The Club serves children from ages six to eighteen. For more information on the organization visit www.bgcasa.net.