Kids celebrate by going clubbing

Jumping up and down under blue and white balloons, dozens of Burbank

Boys and Girls club members cheered as some of them won bicycles

during a raffle held at the club’s 10th anniversary celebration on

Friday.

There was pizza and ice cream as part of the celebration -- and

the children received a visit from several Burbank Boys and Girls

Club alumni, who participated in the club when it first opened.

It was that opening that young and older celebrated Friday.

The club opened in September 1995, and has since served thousands

of children in the La Crescenta, Burbank, North Hollywood, Glendale,

Pasadena and Sun Valley areas.

“I think the Boys and Girls Club has been so important in the

lives of children,” said Executive Director Shanna Vaughan. “We serve

over 1,200 a year; you multiply that times 10 years, we’ve served so

many youth in the community who are now in college or professionals.”

Rolando Vasquez, 25, was one of the club’s first members.

“I’m glad it’s here for the community,” said Vasquez, who now

works in post production in the film industry and hopes to become a

police officer. “It kept me off the streets and kept me out of

trouble.”

Venus Lopez, 23, was also one of the Burbank club’s first members

and now volunteers there.

“It’s a fun safe place to hang out with friends,” said Lopez, who

recently graduated InterCoast College with her paralegal

certification.

The main club is located at 2244 Buena Vista St. in what was a

fire station. The club now leases it from the city. Children can

participate in the club’s athletic programs, arts and crafts classes,

and reading programs.

The club has satellite outreach programs at Edison, Emerson,

Jefferson, Stevenson, Miller, and Roosevelt Elementary School. There

is also a program for middle school students held at the Burbank

Adult School.

Lopez said that participating in fundraising efforts for club

field trips helped her develop positive character traits.

“We had to work for it,” she said. “It teaches responsibility

because we had to earn it. Now that I’m older I don’t expect things

to be given to me.”

Vaughan hoped that bringing Boys and Girls Club alumni back to

speak to current club members would help show them the benefits of

participating in the program.

“It shows the kids what can happen to them later on when they’re

involved in programs and mentoring,” Vaughan said.

Current members now enjoy the recently renovated facilities the

club has to offer, including a new computer room, and new carpet and

lighting. “It’s really nice and fun here,” said Kayla Oakley, a

fifth-grader at George Washington Elementary. “They help me do my

homework.

Andrea Rodriguez, 8, a third-grader at Bret Harte Elementary

School, said she enjoys the opportunity provided by the club to meet

other children her age.

“You get to make new friends, which I really like,” she said.

Membership Director Anna Ayala has worked with the club since it

opened, initially volunteering because her children were club

members.

“It’s been a pleasure to me; it’s a great joy to work with the

kids,” said Ayala. “It’s kept them busy and out of trouble and it

helps parents out -- so many are working and need a safe place for

the kids to go.”

Programs Coordinator Albert Hernandez hoped the celebration would

be one of many for the Burbank Boys and Girls club.

For more information on the Burbank Boys and Girls Club and its

programs, call (818) 842-9333.