Author: Kelly White O'Neill

Winter Staff Training and Team Building

Staff from all 11 club locations participated in our Quarterly All Staff Training. This Winter 2023 training was held at Fort Hope in Arroyo Grande on November 18. Santa Maria Bonita School District trainers participated by imparting their knowledge and information on Classroom Management – With a Focus on Supporting Individuals with Disabilities. Staff also participated… Read more »

MUST! Charities Makes a Holiday Visit to the Creston Club

One of our biggest supporters stoped by the Creston Club on Giving Tuesday and surprised staff with goodies.Members where  very happy to see Must! at the site. Randy Gray, with Must!, got our members very excited with his High Fives.They where all excited to take pictures and share their experience at the Club and the… Read more »

Triumph on Giving Tuesday: Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast Celebrates a Day of Generosity

In a world where compassion and giving take center stage, Giving Tuesday emerged as a global movement that encourages people to come together and support the causes they care about. This year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast experienced a wave of generosity on Giving Tuesday, as supporters rallied behind the organization’s… Read more »

Teens Get Inspired at Inspired Flight

Recently, teens from the Railroad Club’s STEAM leadership group, Full STEAM Ahead,  participated in a private tour at Inspired Flight Technologies—a drone manufacturing company located in San Luis Obispo.  While there, teens learned about some of the engineering and production processes involved in developing unmanned industrial drones as well as the career path potential to… Read more »

Seeking Enthusiastic Volunteers to Serve on Our Board of Directors

In order to be as successful as possible, the Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast is seeking community leaders who are eager to be part of the growth and opportunities in front of the organization.  If you are passionate about helping local children, have a desire to help achieve… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Vanessa Sanchez

Vanessa is a club alumni, Keystone Alumni & former Keystone President. Vanessa has always stepped up to the plate when needed & currently is helping run the Evans Park Clubhouse where she grew up. Vanessa does so much for the Evans Park community and has always been an amazing example to all of our members…. Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Natalia Esquivel

Natalia is a YDP at the Tom Maas. She currently running Youth for Unity, SMART Girls, and a performing arts program that she is implementing on her own. She is a hard worker, team player, and her dedication to working with our members shows each day. Thank you for your commitment to what we do… Read more »

Generous Gift from Club Alum Powers 2024 Basketball Season

Former Club Kid and Righetti High athletics hall of fame inductee John Thomas visited the Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria to present a generous sponsorship of the Club’s upcoming 2024 basketball season. On behalf of his business, Western Village Health Club, John contributed $12,000 to help ensure local athletics and basketball continue to thrive in… Read more »

BGCMCC Helps Celebrate Red Ribbon Week

BGCMCC had the honor of participating in Red Ribbon week at  the McKenzie Club site.   Our team set up an engaging booth to promote the Boys and Girls Club, focusing on providing an enjoyable and educational experience for the students.  Staff offered a coloring section, ensuring that the kids had a blast unleashing their creativity…. Read more »

Teens Enjoying Halloween Fun

Recently, Railroad Club teens kicked off a spooktacular fall season with interactive festivities for the Club! First they hosted a Creepy Crawler Cupcake Lab where they baked cupcakes and invited the entire Club to decorate a cupcake for a delicious afternoon treat!  In addition, Railroad teens had fun making a sticky mess as they carved… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Andre Arciga

Andre has been an amazing Sports Youth Development Team Member.  Not only is he great at advocating for the importance of youth sports, he actively leads children and adults in these great experiences. On top of that he is flexible and willing to help at all the Clubs from Paso Robles to Guadalupe when asked. … Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Angela Zambrano

Angela has been working as the Assistant Director at the Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles for about tw months now. During that time she has picked up her duties very quickly and goes above and beyond for the team. She quickly learned the names of members and parents to start building relationships. She has… Read more »

Fall is in Full Swing at the Railroad Clubhouse

So many great programs are underway at all of our Clubs this Fall!  Our Railroad Clubhouse is a great place to see it all under one roof.  Our teens were celebrating Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month with cool decorations in the teen room and a wild game of loteria.  The Triple Play Soccer program featured skills building… Read more »

Back A Youth Night Creates Fun for Youth and Adults Alike

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast hosted its 2nd Annual Back a Youth Night event at the Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles on Thursday, October 19. Around 45 Club Kids and 30 mentors participated in the three activities organized by the clubhouse staff, which included a fall art project, the Rain in… Read more »

New Playhouse Is a Highlight at the Tom Maas Club

We are so grateful for the partnership with Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo County who recently provided an adorable playhouse for our outdoor space at our Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles.  This is a unique project led by the local Habitat for Humanity to provide custom, wooden playhouses for families and organizations in… Read more »

Club Teens Educate About Covid Safety

Recently, our Keystone Teen Program with sponsorship from the Boys & Girls Club CA Alliance, hosted a Covid Awareness Workshop with Members from our Railroad Clubhouse.   Keystone teens shared important information about staying healthy in 2023 from Covid-19 through testing, treating and vaccination.  In addition, Club Members learned about the importance of washing their hands… Read more »

Two New Community Leaders Join the Board

In order to be as successful as possible, the Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast has tapped two community leaders who are eager to be part of the growth and opportunities in front of the organization.  Gary Borjan, banking executive, and Michelle Wright, Veterinary Practice Manager for PETS Hospital… Read more »

Power Hour Going Strong in Guadalupe

Our signature program, Power Hour, the first hour Club Members arrive to any Club in the Boys & Girls Club Family, where kids work on homework, prepare for the next school day, have a snack, and transition to their afterschool activities at their Clubhouse, is going strong at the Ron Estabillo Clubhouse in Guadalupe! On… Read more »

Generous Donation from CoastHills Foundation Supports Guadalupe Programs

Executives from CoastHills Credit Union and their Community Foundation Board, came to the Ron Estabillo Clubhouse in Guadalupe with a very generous check to fund the purchase and installation of a new scoreboard for the Club’s gym.  With a scoreboard befitting the newly renovated gymnasium, we can return to running our  popular sports programs.  The… Read more »

Calles Vivas! Open Streets Festival Outreach

We were thrilled to be part of the 2nd annual Calles Vivas! Open Streets celebration in Santa Maria.  Open Streets is an international movement with  a common goal of promoting community wellness by creating safe and temporary car-free spaces on streets and roads, opening them up as a public park for a day. In Santa… Read more »

A Month of Cultural Learning Underway

September 15th – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this time we honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans, Latinos/Latinas, and Latinx-identifying people in our society. At the Tom Maas Clubhouse, we are celebrating by exploring and honoring contributions by Hispanic artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera to activists such… Read more »

Executive Team Members Speak on Conference Panel

Michael Boyer, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast and Trish Hammond, our CFO, were part of a panel at the 2023 Pacific Region Leadership Conference for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Entitled “A Seat at the Table: Diversifying Leadership Within the Movement”, the panel had members discussing how to diversify… Read more »

Teens Explore Latino Culture and Heritage

Every Friday as part of the continued celebration of the Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month, Members of our teen program are immersing themselves in the rich cultural history, music, food, language, art and traditions of the Hisapnic-Latino communities.  Teens kicked off their Fun Fridays after with several rounds of Loteria all while listening to some favorite contemporary… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–San Luis Obispo County

VIOLET BUSH—Violet is one of our TK/K YDP’s at the Tom Maas Clubhouse. Each day, she shows up to work with a positive attitude, friendly demeanor, and enthusiasm for working with members. She is a team player and also there to lend a helping hand wherever it is needed. She is definitely one of the… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Santa Barbara County

ANNA ESPINOZA–Anna came in a little shy when she first got hired . Throughout the months she has found her voice and a way to grab our members attention. She also advocates for them when they aren’t getting the support they need. This year is tougher academically because a lot of our youth don’t know… Read more »

4th Annual Crush it! Golf Tournament Was A Great Day on the Greens

Hunter Ranch Golf Club once again was the site of the Crush it! Golf Tournament to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast.  A total of 18 foursomes played the beautiful course along with enjoying breakfast burritos, complimentary margaritas, and a delicious taco bar after their play was done.  A 50/50 raffle and… Read more »

Local Teens Working to Educate Our Community

Our Keystone teen leadership board have been actively distributing resources on various topics to our local community at Santa Maria’s Downtown Fridays.  As part of the Fall 2023 campaign to raise community awareness on preparation for extreme heat events, water conservation as well as sharing the benefits of having a Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, community… Read more »

The Harvest Moon Was a Lovely Backdrop to Annual Winemakers Dinner

A beautiful night under the harvest moon was held at the Paso Robles Event Center to support the programs and services of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast (BGCMCC).  Our annual Winemakers Dinner was presented by Zenaida Cellars along with additional sponsors Pacific Premier Bank, John E.D. Nicholson Attorney at Law, Oak… Read more »

Fall Fun in Paso Robles

The Tom Maas Clubhouse began its fall programming and we are off to a fantastic start. Our Members got to participate in chalk obstacle courses, made rice crispy treats, played balloon tennis with decorated paper plate paddles, and made robots out of toilet paper rolls. Staff will be implementing BGCA programs such as SMART Girls,… Read more »

New TK Program Full of Amazing Activities

After a summer full of art activities, slime making, baking, and outdoor fun; the members in the TK/K program had a smooth transition into this 2023-2024 school year. They start off their day with Power Hour and have started the Kidz Smarts program. The program helps students understand and express their emotions.

Teens Enjoy A Night Under the Stars

Recently, twelver of our Keystone members had the opportunity to attend the PCPA play, “American Mariachi” at the Solvang Theaterfest. For ten of our members, this was their first ever visit to a live theater performance.  It was such an exciting evening for our members filled with  laughs and tears from experiencing such a beautiful story… Read more »

Club Members Treated to the Latest Fashions

Thanks to the generosity of Old Navy in Santa Maria along with volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria, Club Members from our Guadalupe locations were treated to a day of shopping for new school clothes!  Families who are hurting financially and who have more than one child enrolled in our programs were invited… Read more »

Youth Development Team Member of the Month–Andre Arciga

Andre joined our sports team in the Fall of 2022. He is a former club member of our Fairlawn Club. He is always willing to help wherever needed even if it’s not related to sports. During the Summer he was helping out at Evans Park during the day and then working the Summer Basketball League… Read more »

Youth Development Team Member of the Month–Mayra Bautista

Mayra is our Assistant Club Director at our Mary Buren site.  Mayra has been a great role model adapting to all the changes happening with our organization to her fellow staff members.  She comes to work with a positive attitude and does whatever needs to be done without being asked to.  She might be stressed… Read more »

Youth Development Team Member of the Month–Czarina Gallardo

Czarina has been working with the Shandon BGC for almost 6 months. She has shown great responsibility and leadership skills through her daily interactions with members. “Ms. Czarina is caring, patient, trusting, and respectful.” She has an easy going personality and is a great team player. We sincerely thank her for all the genuine help… Read more »

Keystone Teens Share Health Information With the Community

Keystone, our teen leadership group, shared information with the local community about water conservation and preventing heat exhaustion at the annual Family Day In the Park in Santa Maria where hundreds of families were in attendance.  Their water conservation and extreme heat awareness campaign will last through December of 2023 and is made possible through grant… Read more »

Panda Cares Foundation Really Does!

We had a lot of fun when Panda Express came by the Railroad Clubhouse and fed us some yummy food, gave us awesome books and some fun Panda swag!  Thanks to the generosity of the Panda Cares Foundation, we regularly receive support for our youth events and activities. Panda Express will be donating food for… Read more »

Dining For Charities Makes Generous Donation

  We partnered with Dining for Charities earlier this year and the generosity of local restaurants and people who like to eat out came back to us in the form of a big check!  When people purchase restaurant gift cards through Diningforcharities.com–which they get at a discount–we recieved 15% of the purchase price.  James and… Read more »

Coast Hills Federal Credit Union on Board as Golf Tournament Sponsor

A team from Coast Hills Federal Credit Union stopped by the Railroad Clubhouse to drop off their sponsorship donation for our upcoming Crush it! Golf tournament in Paso Robles. Coast Hills has been a longtime supporter and sponsor of many of our special events and we couldn’t be happier to have their support for our… Read more »

Thanks to Planet Fitness for Back to School Supplies

Thanks to members of Planet Fitness gyms in Santa Maria and Atascadero, our Club Members were treated to great, new school supplies including cool back packs, notebooks, crayons, pencils and other important gear to start the year off right. On a fun day in Santa Maria, staff from Planet Fitness put together packs for every… Read more »

A Little Friendly Competition

The Railroad Clubhouse and our Evans Park Clubhouse, both in Santa Maria, went head to head in a friendly game of capture the flag. Both clubs sent their best 15 members to face each other. Railroad ended up winning!  Love the summer fun!

Taco Bell Foundation Increases Funding

Taco Bell Foundation has been a supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs Mid Central Coast’s Career Launch program for teens since 2013 with an average donation of $10,000 annually. This year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast was granted $50,000 for Career Launch. Career Launch is an educational program specifically benefiting… Read more »

24th Annual Ag for Youth Golf Tournament Raises Important Funds for Summer Programs

For 24 years the last monday in July has been the day for the annual Ag for Youth Golf Tournament at the lovely Santa Maria Country Club.  The ag community, and other businesses and supporters come together for a fun day on the greens to help raise funds for our vital summer programs and all… Read more »

The Wet ‘n Wild Week Tradition Continues

A favorite summer tradition at the Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria is Wet ‘n Wild Week and this year did not disappoint.  Club Director, Patty Lopez, makes sure the Club Members get a week of water based fun and has some creative ways to play!  From the water balloon toss to the Water Bucket Race… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Melissa Gonzalez

Mel is one of our YDP’s at the Flamson Teen Center. She has been with us for a year now and has shown us how passionate she is about her job! The bond she has with our teens is unmatched and so special. Great relationships with our members’ parents as well. She is our go… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Efren Espinoza

Efren joined the Guadalupe team last year and has worked for the most part at our Mary Buren site.  Efren is a great male role model to our young members at Mary Buren.  Although he is a bit on the shy side, he is a hard worker and committed to our members and organization. Thank… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Precious Subia

Precious joined our organization this May. She is very outgoing with the members and always willing to help with whatever is needed. She has been in the Games Room this Summer. She is actively making sure that there are activities for the kids like air hockey and foosball tournaments. Being engaged with the members and… Read more »

Fine Arts Programming Showcases Santa Maria Talent

The National Fine Arts  Program from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, enables Club Members to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through visual arts and design. Youth at the Railroad Clubhouse  in Santa Maria worked hard and used skills and imagination to create  artistic masterpieces in watercolor.  These art pieces will be displayed at… Read more »

Fire Department Visits for Summer Program

This summer, the Paso Robles Fire Department paid a visit to the Almond Acres Club. Members had the opportunity to learn about what being a fireman is like and how the fire engine operates. Members suited up in their fireman hats and toured the equipment on the truck, and even got to check out the… Read more »

Farmers for a Day

SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education in Agriculture) has a mission is to educate students and the greater community about the farm origins of our food and agriculture’s contribution to our nutritional well-being through hands-on classroom and outdoor experiential S.T.E.M. based learning.  They invited our Members in 2nd-6th graders to the Allan Hancock College Vineyard to learn… Read more »

Youth Helping Youth

The students from Must! Charities Youth Board, did a fantastic job volunteering and raising funds for multiple nonprofits this year. Three of the students volunteered at Tom Maas and enjoyed interacting with our staff and students. The Youth Board selected the Tom Maas Clubhouse as one of the nonprofits they wanted to support as part… Read more »

Generous Donation Supports Mindful Movement

The Center Studio, a leading wellness center dedicated to promoting holistic health and well-being, donated monthly proceeds from their community education classes to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast. The donation aims to support the implementation and expansion of the Youthful Mindfulness Movement Program for Club kids, empowering children with essential tools… Read more »

Stollmeyer Challenge Scholarships Awarded

At a festive ice cream social held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast flagship Clubhouse in Santa Maria, six students were awarded the first round of scholarships provided by the Stollmeyer Challenge partnership for STEAM programming. Rick Stollmeyer, seeing a need to focus his philanthropy on programs and services that support… Read more »

Nature at Our Doorstep

Club Members in Guadalupe participated with our neighbor, The Dune Center. The Dune Centers art teacher  came for two weeks and taught our kids color blending. They made color by crushing the leaves from flowers and used the natural pigment to paint. They also took a field trip out to Oso Flaco and got to… Read more »

Youth Development Professionals of the Month–Miguel Torres Frausto & Josue Rojo

Josue and Miguel are our two Assistant Area Directors based in Santa Maria. They both have experience in being Club Directors and this year they stepped into a new role. They did an amazing job during the school year helping their Club Directors and offering support. They work well as a team and model collaboration… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Justino Flores

Justino has been at our Mary Buren site since January.  He has been doing a great job with our members and takes the extra time to plan fun activities with them.  He has successfully gotten our 4th graders to participate in Drama/acting.  He also went out of his way to plan a fun field day… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Jacob Stanko

Jacob is a YDP at the Almond Acres Club, and he is an integral part of the team. He plans great activities for the kids that get them excited to participate. He’s very responsible, reliable, and ready to step up when needed. We appreciate you for everything you do!

Family Fun Day at Avila Beach

BGCMCC and their families were treated to a beautiful day of camaraderie, team building and fun at our annual Family Fun Day at the beach.  Meeting in Avila Beach–a good half way point between staff coming from the Paso Robles or Santa Maria areas–we gathered throughout the day for food, games, and general relaxation.  The… Read more »

Shade Structures Keeping Members Cool in Paso

Thanks to our generous partner, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, children enrolled in the summer program at the Tom Maas Clubhouse are able to get a respite from the heat! Funds provided by the Paso Robles Rotary Club the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast were able to purchase tables, chairs and… Read more »

Fun During Laguna’s Last Days of School

Last Fun Friday, our members went on a foraging adventure and made flower crowns with their findings! We used plants from the school garden to create beautiful wreaths, and wove our flowers in with raffia straw. All in all, a refreshing afternoon in the outdoors! At our End of School Party, our members are gearing… Read more »

Member Monday–Jorge!

Meet Jorge a long time Club Member who has re-joined the program now that the Ron Estabillo Club has re-opened in Guadalupe.  Jorge started coming to the original Club when he was 6 years old.  When the clubhouse had to close for renovations and retrofitting, Jorge had nowhere to go after school.  Now that the… Read more »

Member Monday–Abraham!

Meet Teen of the Month for May,  Abraham Carrillo-Galindo, an 11th grader from Santa Maria High.  Abraham recently was voted in as Keystone President for the 2023-2024 school year at the Railroad Club site.  Even though he’s a new member of the Boys and Girls Club, he’s been instrumental in building our Keystone Club from… Read more »

We’re Safety Superstars!

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast was recognized by our national organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), as a 2023 Safety Super Star during BGCA’s 117 th National Conference in Orlando, Florida in May. This award is presented to Boys & Girls Club organizations that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to safety… Read more »

Building Bridges in Guadalupe

Teen Services Director, Jeanette Blanco recently visited the McKenzie Club to conduct a captivating STEAM activity that involved building bridges capable of withstanding pressure. The students, organized into groups of three, eagerly awaited the challenge. Within the given time frame of two minutes, the teams had to sketch out their bridge designs, followed by 15… Read more »

Spring is Blooming but Summer is on its way!

Laguna Club ended May with a beautiful picnic at the gorgeous Cal Poly Leaning Pine Arboretum. We enjoyed great company, good food , explored the luscious garden and learned about respecting our environment. Another successful visit from our Teen Specialist Jeanette Blanco.  The kids made candy bridges along side  Engineer, Esau Blanco. They challenged each… Read more »

BGCMCC Honored by Community Foundation of SLO

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County is celebrating their 25th Anniversary by hosting events throughout the county. They are awarding a total of $25,000 at each event to nonprofits who have made an exceptional difference in our community. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast was awarded $5,000 in unrestricted funds at their… Read more »

We’re Among Best Places to Work According to Pacific Business Times

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast is thrilled to announce that it has been voted one of the “Best Place to Work” in the Tri-Counties by the prestigious Pacific Business Times. This recognition is a testament to the organization’s commitment to fostering a supportive and fulfilling work environment for its dedicated employees…. Read more »

Friday Fun Day as Summer Approaches

Last Friday at the Almond Acres Club–one of the new Clubs opened in 2023–members faced off in an obstacle course relay race. Members had to jump through hula hoops, weave through cones, and make a basket before running back to their teams. The groups cheered on their teammates and congratulated the other team after the… Read more »

Congratulations on a Job Well Done!

We’re proud to announce that Board Member, Carlos Escobedo, has earned his Masters Degree in Organizational Management and we are so honored to have his expertise and advanced education serving our Clubs and our kids.  After 18 months in the graduate program offered by UMass Global, he earned this degree with an emphasis in Public… Read more »

Flag Football Season Wraps Up in May

The Boys & Girls Club of Mid Central Coast completed their 2023 flag football season Wednesday, May 24th.  The league consisted of two divisions with six teams each and ran April & May.  The league had over 130 participants from Santa Maria, Orcutt and Guadalupe. In the 8-10 year old division, the final came down… Read more »

Member Monday! Ruben & Nathan

Ruben and Nathan started coming to the Railroad Club in 2022. They are the third generation to attend the Boys & Girls. Being a Kindergartner and 1st grader in a new environment can be intimidating, but they love coming because of the friends that they make. The supportive relationships that are built at the club… Read more »

“Tweens” Invited to A Night of Fun

Calling all Tweens from the Santa Maria Valley! Gather your friends and join us as we celebrate your 6th grade promotion at the Club on Friday June 9th from 6:30pm-8:30pm.  This FREE Game Night event will be held at the Boys & Girls Club on Railroad Avenue.  Evening festivities include arts and crafts, carnival style games,… Read more »

2nd Annual Celebration of Monthly Donors

Our organization welcomed our sustaining donors to the second annual Club 66 appreciation social at the beautiful “Flamingo Fields” of Malene Winery in the Edna Valley. Donors had the chance to mingle with Club staff, board members and community leaders while enjoying a perfect, sunny, day in wine country. Club 66 members are committed to… Read more »

Nashville Comes to Santa Maria

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast hosted Pryor Baird, the talented singer and musician who wowed audiences on Season 14 of NBC’s hit show “The Voice,” during a benefit concert on May 19th in Santa Maria, CA. The concert took place at the delightful rooftop plaza at Toyota of Santa Maria and… Read more »

State Senator Visits Our Clubs

Former Club Kid and current California State Senator Monique Limon had the opportunity to tour our flagship Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria. Guided by Club CEO Michael Boyer, board member Carlos Escobedo, and board chair Dan Lillard, the Senator had a chance to see, first hand, what the Club offers and get a sneak peak… Read more »

Arts Are Alive in Guadalupe

Elijah Soto, a talented 5th-grade student, along with Abraham Rodriguez, a skilled 6th-grade student, and Abigail, an accomplished 8th-grade student, recently made their mark as finalists at the Guadalupe’s Kids Come First Foundation art gala. The event showcased the artistic prowess of these young individuals, as well as that of other kids in the community…. Read more »

Catapulting Into Summer

Earlier this month we were visited by Miss Jeanette, our Director of Teen Services. The students built catapults and goal baskets out of spoons, cardboard, and rubber bands. Whoever could bounce the most ping pong balls into their goals In the design and testing phases, our members experimented with different angles, levels of force, and… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Lezly Barriga

Lezly has been with our organization since 2019. She is our Asst. Club Director for our TK/ Kinder Program–held at the Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria–and has been doing a great helping out in the absence of a Club Director for the Program. Although her work schedule is tight because she is currently going to… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Kyle Wells

Kyle works at our Mary Buren Site in Guadalupe. Kyle has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, consistently going above and beyond to deliver exceptional results for our members.  His dedication, commitment, and unwavering perseverance have set a remarkable standard for excellence within our organization.

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Dallas Brown

Dallas is our Assistant Club Director at the Fine Arts Academy in Atascadero. Within the last couple of months she has played a huge role. She’s reliable, empathetic, caring and kind. Whether it’s stepping in to take over a group, taking over the club for the day or helping with other tasks, she’s a rockstar…. Read more »

Club Staff Receive Training on State of the Art AED Units

In a heartwarming display of community support, Dignity Health recently donated Automated External Defibrillator (AED) units to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast. This gesture of kindness and generosity will go a long way in ensuring the safety of the children who attend these clubs. For those unfamiliar with AED units, they… Read more »

Family Friendly Workplace Award Received

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a family-friendly workplace by San Luis Obispo County. This honor is a testament to the Club’s commitment to providing a positive work environment that supports work-life balance and the overall well-being of its employees. The SLO County… Read more »

Youth for Unity

At Lunch time this April, we held our Youth for Unity program. We had many participants members as well as non-members. We created self portraits, a collage cook book, and ended the month by making a banner of commitments to make our community a safer place for all.

Laguna Club Travels the World

This April, the Club at Laguna began a new program, Brain Gain: Around the World. The kids learned how to be anthropologists, studying the history and cultures of other countries. As our first project, we learned about Capoeira, a dance-like martial art from Brazil. We also taught the kids how to play Luta de Galo… Read more »

Alumni Welcomed Back For An Evening at the Railroad Clubhouse

The Railroad Clubhouse welcomed alumni, young and old, back for an evening filled with games, food and memories. This event was hosted by the dedicated members of the Club’s Alumni Committee, who are thrilled to reconnect with former Club members and showcase the Club’s current programs. The Alumni Open House is a chance for former… Read more »

Flag Football Begins Its Season

April saw the kickoff of our second season of 7v7 flag football season.  The league is made up of two divisions, 8-10 year olds and 11-13 year olds and is coed.  We have six teams in each division with participants from Santa Maria, Guadalupe and Orcutt.  Games are played on Mondays & Wednesdays at 5 &… Read more »

First Spring Break at Our Newest Club Was a Beautiful Sight

Guadalupe Union School District Students were the first to be part of Spring Break Programing at the brand new Estabillo Clubhouse. Around 80 students ranging in grade from TK – 7th spent the week enjoying a wide range of activities. Club members had the opportunity to participate in our various programs like cooking class, bubbleology,… Read more »

SMART Moves: Time Travelers

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a program that helps youth build foundational social-emotional skills, through developing self-management and coping strategies. The aim of this program is to help develop healthy decision making attitudes and skills.  In this session Members learned about how emotions are temporary and how to describe how their emotions change over time…. Read more »

Albertsons Visits Club & Donates a “Big Check”

Executives from the Santa Maria Albertsons visited the Railroad Clubhouse to get a tour of the Club AND to donate $2500.00 to our kids! It was fun giving them all a behind the scenes look at the facility, let them know our plans for the future, and thank them, in person, for their support of… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Angela Ramirez

Angela has been working with the Shandon Boys & Girls Club for almost 2 years. She has shown great responsibility and leadership skills through her daily interactions with members. Angela is respectful, kind, caring, and helpful to everyone at the club. Her positive attitude and friendly personality have been a pleasurable contribution to the club…. Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Miriam Torres

Miriam works at our Mary Buren Club site.  Miriam does an excellent job completing all her duties.  She asks questions and helps her coworkers when needed.  We can count on Miriam with everything.  She has only been with us for a short time, but she has shown great leadership skills and cares about our members. … Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Harley Aranda

Harley has been with our organization since June of 2021. He is a former ASES student and is now a team member at our Libbon ASES site. He is our Assistant Club Director and did a great job filling in while the ASC was out part of the month. His adaptability and willingness to learn… Read more »

It Was a Starry Starry Night for the Boys & Girls Clubs

Amid breathtaking views of the Santa Maria Valley and under beautiful skies, Santa Maria Valley community members–and even those from beyond the Valley–came out to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast at their 40th Annual Spring Fundraiser and Auction on April 15th at Dean Texeira’s CMT Ranch in Orcutt. Almost 200 people… Read more »

Programs Get A Spotlight at Annual Kite Festival

The Boys & Girls Club of Mid Central Coast participated at the annual Free Family Kite Festival hosted by the Santa Maria Discovery Museum and the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks at Rotary Centennial Park.  Kids of all ages enjoyed an afternoon of kite flying fun while visiting various local booths including ours… Read more »

Soaring Through Spring

This month at the Almond Acres Club, members have been preparing for a paper airplane competition. Members have been watching videos of how to create various paper airplanes, and have been running trials to find out which ones work best. At the end of the month members will be putting their planes to the test… Read more »

Teen Programs Happening at Our Clubs

Kicking off Spring Break, the Ron Estabillo Club in Guadalupe along with the Teen Services program hosted a recruitment night at the club for local youth. With approximately 30 teens in attendance, the night was an evening full of activities, food and fun.  Teens participated in dodgeball and basketball in the gym, arts and crafts… Read more »

Back-a-Youth Night Returns to Guadalupe

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast was thrilled to celebrate Back-A-Youth Night in Guadalupe after a years long hiatus. Hot off the heels of their grand opening and ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Ron Estabillo Clubhouse in Guadalupe’s LeRoy Park, the Club continued the celebration by inviting community members to join in… Read more »

Rain Does Not Stop the Opening of the Ron Estabillo Clubhouse In Guadalupe

The Guadalupe community celebrated the opening of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast Ron Estabillo Clubhouse with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 9th. The clubhouse is named after Ron Estabillo, a beloved community leader and a former city councilman who passed away in 2019. The new facility is the third Club operated… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Annalise Leon

Annalise has been with our organization since August of 2021. Since then she has worked her way up to Club Director at Robert Bruce. She does an excellent job completing both her ASES and BGC tasks on time. She has great communication skills to make sure that everyone on her site is on the same… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Jessi Reyes

Jessi has been a GREAT addition to our McKenzie site.  That site desperately need a male role model to work with our members.  Jessi is doing great with all our members at McKenzie, but especially with our boy members.  He also has been super flexible and helps cover at Santa Maria sites when needed on… Read more »