THUNDER BAY – Alex Kakegamic turns to the Boys and Girls Club of Thunder Bay for peace of mind, a place to escape.
The 11-year-old is just glad it’s there.
“It’s my safety area,” she said, last week, taking in all the Windsor Street facility had to offer this past week at its 29th annual open house, the building bursting at the seams with children young and old checking out what the organization has to offer.
“If I’m just running around, I know that I can come over here and be safe.”
Her friend Waabi White, 12, said it’s lot of fun, particularly the bouncy castles.
“I just love coming here,” he said.
That’s music to the ears of Albert Aiello, the long-time executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Thunder Bay – and a current city councillor, who joked the open house looked a lot of organized chaos, children running to and fro trying out crafts, learning about the Boy Scouts, crushing hot dogs and ice cream and playing air hockey, among other activities.
“It’s just a way to showcase what the Boys and Girls Club has to offer, not only at our own club, but throughout the community,” Aiello said.
It was a chance to thank long-time attendees and their families, but also a way to let others in the community see just what they’re missing and encourage them to bring their youngsters to the club to take part in a wide variety of programming.
“It’s just really important to know that in the Boys and Girls Club you have a place that is really dedicated to supporting children and youth programs, ensuring a safe, healthy and supportive environment,” Aiello said.
“We do this stuff all year round and it’s just nice to showcase it.”
The open house also marked the end of this year’s summer programming, with the fall programming scheduled to start again this week.
Aiello said the Boys and Girls Club has been in Thunder Bay since 1991 and today operates two full-time units, one on Windsor Street, where the open house was held, the other at the Vale Community Centre.
“We operate eight breakfast programs throughout the city, extensive after-school programs, cooking programs, just a number of different activities,” he said. “In breakfast clubs alone, we served over 86,000 breakfasts last year. Coupled with all our meals and snacks and cooking programs, it was well over 122,000 meals.”
Aiello, forced by weather to move the open house activities entirely indoors for the first time in 29 years, said this year the Boy Scouts will call the Boys and Girls Club home, hosting weekly meetings on Monday.
