Category: Tom Maas

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 »

Summer Fun Theme Weeks at Tom Maas

This summer the Staff decided to theme each week of the summer. We got together as an team and planned a different theme week to make a memorable summer for our Members Here’s what we did so far: Week 1 Science week   Our Members had the opportunity to do awesome science projects such as volcanoes,… Read more »

Field Trip to the Children’s Museum

Our Members were able to go to the Children’s Museum in Paso Robles as one of our field trips this summer. Our Members were so excited to go and they had a blast while they were there. The Museum has lots of fun and creative spaces for kids to play in including a ball pit,… Read more »

Creation and Innovation

Here at the Boys and Girls Club we strive to have our Members tap into their artistic side through a multitude of different activities. Some of the activities our Members participate in include creating volcanoes, flower crowns, and dot paintings. Whether it’s working together or alone Members have the opportunity to enhance their creativity and… Read more »

What’s Cookin’ at Flamson

All of our Members have been eating very well at the Teen Center this summer! Besides breakfast and lunch provided by PRJUSD, every Friday we have cooking class. We have been making lots of yummy treats that go with our weekly themes. From Elotes in a cup for “Around the World” week, to monte cristos… 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 »

Eco Theme Week at Atascadero

Eco Week at the Boys and Girls Club is an incredible opportunity for our Members to dive into the world of sustainability, conservation, and environmental stewardship. This week-long adventure immerses Members in a range of exciting and educational activities designed to inspire a love for nature and a sense of responsibility towards the planet! Some… 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 »

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 »

Best Way to Start Summer at Almond Acres

The members of Almond Acres enjoyed a great time at the Club during “Fun Friday,” where they decided to play a game of Tug-of-War. A small pool was placed in the middle, with the rule that the losing team had to take a dip in it. Everyone had a blast playing the game, and the… Read more »

Fun in the Sun at Atascadero

We’re kicking off this summer at the Boys and Girls Club with lots of fun filled activities and games! The theme for this past week was Olympic week where we got to learn about the history and logistics of the global event. As temperatures rise, Members engage in water play to stay cool. Also Members are… Read more »

School Year Ends at the Creston Club

June 2nd was the end of a successful school year for Creston Boys & Girls Club. Staff decided to end the year with a surprise party, to show our Members they were thankful for all the hard work they put in during the school year. The Creston Boys & Girls Club celebrated with pizza,chips,cookies,cupcakes 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 »

Shandon BGC Celebrates The End Of The School Year!

The Shandon BGC staff and members celebrated the end of a successful school year together on Monday, June 5th, where Members had fun playing musical chairs, had dance battles, and ate nachos with iced-tea. In addition to the celebration, our 3rd-6th graders also had their last drumming session with instructor Alice Tomasini, where they recapped… 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 »

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 »

SMART Moves Graduates Club Members

The Shandon 3rd-5th graders have successfully completed the SMART Moves program lead and instructed by Ms. Czarina Gallardo. After 2 1/2 months and 10 sessions, these participants have shown tremendous improvement in their social emotional skills and constructive coping methods. The last two sessions consisted of members playing Jenga to learn how to manage emotions… Read more »

Shandon Members Enjoy A Cool And Tasty Visit From Paradise Ice

On Tuesday May 23rd, the Shandon members were ecstatic to receive a visit from the delicious Paradise Ice food truck. Paradise Ice offers over 40 snow cone flavors, as well as food options that include hot dogs, mini cheeseburgers, pretzels, and nachos. Staff and parents were also able to cool down, and enjoy the flavorful… 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 »

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 »

Practicing Safety Drill Awareness At Tom Maas

Staff and Members practiced a civil disturbance drill to help build safety awareness amongst our Members. Staff described what type of situations civil disturbance falls under and what the staff and Members will be doing if this were to happen. Our Members did a great job listening and quietly entering the building. The Members had… Read more »

Triple Play takes place in the Creston Club!

Our Members really enjoy the Triple Play program. In this program Members get to develop different type of skills like attitudes, knowledge and behaviors essential to an overall healthy lifestyle. Our Members seem to have so much fun during the program sessions. After each session we give out a prize to the Member who participated… Read more »

DIY Paper Crafts and Laughs

  The arts allow for Members to be creative and to express themselves freely with unconditional positive regard. From making a statement to bringing everyone together, the arts play a vital role in impacting today’s society. Here at the Atascadero site, we strive to have our Members tap into their creative side. Members engage in… Read more »

Shandon Members Visit Their County Park

Every other Friday, from 3:45-5:00pm, the Shandon Club Members have the fun opportunity  to spend time at the county park. While being there, the kids like to play soccer, football, volleyball, basketball, and also enjoy using the park’s play structure, where they have access to swings, slides, rock climbing, and monkey bars. On rare occasions,… Read more »

Youth Arts At The Creston Club

The Creston Club decided to bring Youth Arts to the Club. Youth Arts is a program that has different activities the Members get to participate in including Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Digital Arts & Applied Arts. Members from the Creston Club had the opportunity to do a Collage. They got to look at different magazines… 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.

Spring Break Fun at Atascadero

Spring break at the Boys and Girls Club is a time for fun and excitement. With no school or homework to worry about, kids can fully enjoy their free time with other Members and program staff. This year Members participated in a variety of activities, such as arts and crafts, outdoor games, and so much… Read more »

Smart Moves’ Progress In Shandon

Shandon members are almost halfway through their Smart Moves sessions and have been enjoying their time with Ms. Czarina as their leader. Recently, they created comic strips where they shared a story about their lives. The comics were made to demonstrate their emotions that either stayed the same or changed throughout that event, and after… Read more »

Passport to Manhood Kicks off in Atascadero

We are excited to bring back Passport to Manhood or as previous members may recognize it Wise Guys!  The program has been implemented by many clubs to guide boys on their journey from adolescence to adulthood. Wise Guys fosters positive values and responsible behavior in youth. The program allows them to practice making healthy decisions related to… 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 »

Full of Joy at the Creston Club

Small community, no problem! The Creston Club is always looking for excitement. Being  locate in a rural area can be a challenge but nothing is impossible.  We dance, sing, act, create , learn, laugh, share memories, and are a place where you can be yourself! We enjoy seeing our members talents, we like to hear… Read more »

Shandon Is Back On Beat With Drumming Sessions

Shandon Members enjoy their time discovering how beats match with syllables with the instructor, Alice Tomasini who’s also a musician and professor from Cal Poly. Every Monday at 4pm, 20 of our 3rd-6th graders attend an 8-week long program called Infinite Music where Members engage in rhythmic activities to exercise core values in teamwork, respect… 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 »

Smart Moves Kicks-Off At The Shandon Club!

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a targeted program that supports Healthy Lifestyles. It builds the foundational social-emotional and health skills that will enable youth to make healthy decisions. SMART Moves is a suite of health promotion programs, focused on building the key attitudes and skills necessary for youth to make decisions about their health. This… Read more »

Craft time at the Creston Club

Members from the Creston Club really enjoy doing crafts at our Club. Every Monday & Wednesday the kindergarten Members get to do a different craft. Members get to practice their cutting, gluing and coloring skills which they have been getting better at it. We make sure to give our Members the help and support they… Read more »

Success at Flamson’s First Stollmeyer Challenge Workshop!

The Teen Center at Flamson had a successful first workshop for the Stollmeyer Challenge! Our members got to create beautiful rainbow art work for the Mixed Media Rainbow Art session and had a fun time doing it. Our YDP Mel ran it very well and we look forward to our five remaining workshops we have… Read more »

First Grade Group Expresses Their Emotions

To kick off Spring Programs at the Almond Acres Club, the first grade group is participating in SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness. This program supports healthy lifestyles through the development of social-emotional skills. In this activity, the first grade group partnered up and chose an emotion to display. The class practiced recognizing emotions, and how to… Read more »

Learning About Rain & Clouds

Our Members were super excited to learn about rain especially since it’s been raining a lot here lately. We decided to do a simple experiment with food coloring, mason jars, shaving cream, and water to simulate how rain works and how clouds form. Our Members learned that water vapor rises into the air, but when… Read more »

Learning About Lungs

Our Members learned about how our lungs work using a paper bag, marker, and a straw. This activity was a great way for our members to learn some new words and their meanings. Some new vocabularly include: Trachea – a large touch tube that connects the top of the throat to bronchi (sometimes called a… Read more »

Smart Moves: Emotional Wellness

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a program offered at the Creston Club. SMART is a national Boys & Girls Club program concept that stands for Skills Mastery and Resistance Training. In this program, we focus on building social-emotional skills, self-control, emotional awareness and helping youth develop healthy decisions making. Members get to express their emotions… Read more »

Alumni Open House Coming in April

All Alumni of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast are invited to an Open House on April 27th at the Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria.  Enjoy a burrito bar, old school and new school games and activities, an opportunity to reminisce AND learn about all the new programs and goals the organization is… Read more »

A Trip to the Fire Station!

The Shandon Members started off the month of March with a visit to their local fire station! The Shandon Fire Station is just a couple of blocks away from the Shandon Club so the Members enjoyed their walk there. They were given a tour of the station, the firefighter’s home, the firetruck, were given a… Read more »

NYOl Takes Off at the Creston Club

Our members, 9 years and older, are participating in the National Youth Outcome Initiative (NYOI) survey for the first time. To get our members excited about the survey we surprised them with goodie bags. Once all our members complete the survey we will be celebrating with an ice cream party.

Shandon Members Enjoy Triple Play!

Our members who attend our current sessions have been very satisfied and seem to enjoy their time while participating. In our most recent sessions, the members had a lot of fun joining in activities like creating their own colors with paint, ran around while playing chickens and the wolf, and also red light, green light…. Read more »

Club Members Start Annual NYOI Surveys!

All Club Members have began taking their NYOI surveys this week and are off to a busy but great start! The National Youth Outcomes Initiative Survey (NYOI) is confidential and helps the Club improve on areas that need it. It is a great way to receive honest feedback from the Members in a confidential way…. Read more »

Valentine’s Day Craft Led By Members!

For Valentine’s Day our members were excited to lead a craft. One excited member  asked if she could lead a craft she was taught at school earlier that day. She had an example ready to go and knew we had all the right materials. We opened the craft for anyone that wanted to join and… Read more »

1st Grade Class Creates Their Favorite Meal

This week at the Almond Acres Club, members got a chance to put their sculpting skills to the test to create their favorite foods. Our first week has been filled with activities for the classes to get to know each other, including using Play-Doh to showcase some of the members favorite things. 

Members Putting Their Chess Skills to the Test

  To kick off activities at the new Almond Acres club, members have been practicing their chess skills using giant chess pieces. We have a mix of first time players and seasoned professionals, but everyone has enjoyed ending our days with a quick game of chess.

Too Much Fun at the Creston Club

For the month of February we want to start by thanking Tablas Creek Vineyard,  Must! Charities and Creston families for all the donation we have received.   We truly appreciate it. Creston Club celebrated 100 days of school where Members dressed as  grandparents. We also had an amazing Valentine’s Day Party! We celebrated with friends, siblings… Read more »

Valentines Day Fun

Our Members at the Tom Maas Club had a great Valentine’s day with fun activities, treats, and strawberry Fanta floats. Our staff planned fun and engaging valentines day activities such as paper plate yarn hearts, cookie decorating, flag football, and Valentine card making. The Members had so much fun rotating through these activities. After Activities… Read more »

SMART Girls

SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls in three age groups. Through dynamic sessions, highly participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right,… Read more »

Boys & Girls Clubs Kicks Off Annual Review By Our Members

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America have always been committed to ensuring that their members have the necessary skills and abilities to succeed in life. To further this mission, the organization created the National Youth Outcomes Initiative (NYOI) in 2001. The NYOI is a comprehensive program that assesses the impact of Boys & Girls… Read more »

FUNfetti Cupcakes, Sprinkles, and Sweetness Brings Members Together for Valentine’s Day!

The Shandon Members enjoyed Valentine’s Day by decorating their own cupcake and bonding with their classmates as they did so! FUNfetti cupcakes were handed out to each Member. They had the option and liberty of decorating their cupcake how they wished and chose from red, pink, blue, and purple frosting as well as different colored… Read more »

Dining For Charities is An Easy Way to Help Local Kids

  Do you like to eat at local restaurants?  Do you want your money to help local kids?  Well, there’s a win-win way to do both thanks to the work of Dining For Charities. Through February, BGCMCC is the featured partner with this organization who pairs local restaurants with local non profits.  Visit the Dining… Read more »

End Of 2022 Pajama & Movie Party

To wrap up the end of 2022 at the Tom Maas Clubhouse, we were able to close off the holiday season with all sorts of exciting and festive activities. Thanks to the help of Members’ parents/guardians, we were able to host an end of the year Movie day pajama party with all sorts of goodies!… Read more »

Members Get Busy Making Slime!

The Shandon Members were so excited and giggled as they made slime that created a sticky texture using baking soda, contact solution, food coloring, glue, and shaving cream. They were concentrated finding the right portions on how to make their slime perfect. The Members sure do enjoy participating in sensory activities and getting their hands… Read more »

Triple Play Takes Off At the Shandon Club!

Triple Play Daily Challenges is a Spring Program that is focused on the physical development of children ages 6-9. This week, members tried out some movement skills by participating in balancing, jumping, dribbling, throwing and kicking drills! They rated the session a 10/10 because of how much fun they had and even asked for it… Read more »

Team Member Spends Two Weeks in Ghana

Mina Donkor, Area Director for SLO County, recently spent two weeks visiting family and exploring Ghana.  She had not been there for six years and took the opportunity to bring a friend along with her to enjoy familiar sights, sounds, food, and people but also spend time exploring parts of the country even new to… Read more »

Not Too Late to Make a Difference in 2022

With the holidays all around us, we hope everyone is focused on the hope and joy in our lives. Thankfully, both are plentiful at the Boys & Girls Club of Mid Central Coast. Our Clubs provide a lot of  good news for our Members.  Club kids on the Central Coast benefit from great programs like… Read more »

Christmas Comes Early At The Shandon Club

The Shandon Club celebrates Christmas before heading off into Winter Break! First, the day started off seeking Miss Jolly, our own classroom elf on the shelf. Afterward, two baskets full of goodies were raffled and handed to our Members that won. We also celebrated each Member whose birthday was in December. We made sure to… Read more »

Staying Warm & Dry at Flamson Teen Center

Our teen center at our Flamson club has been keeping warm and dry by staying busy with inside activities and crafts. Members have been releasing their inner artist with watercolor! We have an extremely talented group of teens here and they have created amazing watercolor paintings. Board games, cards, pool, and foosball are always popular… Read more »

‘Tis the Season to be Jolly

As the holidays approach, we are happy to celebrate these joyful days with our members. We are excited to celebrate 12 Days of Christmas fun, with activities and more. Each day we worked on a holiday activity like decorating a stocking, making a present for a loved one and so much more. Some of our… Read more »

Boys & Girls Clubs Provide Homework Help via Power Hour

Power Hour is one hour every day to help Members with their homework and to provide learning activities. Our goal is to help young people develop academic, behavioral and social skills through homework completion, high-yield learning activities and tutoring. Boys & Girls Clubs seek to provide an outcome-driven Club Experience that helps young people achieve… Read more »

Spreading Holiday Cheer at the Paso Christmas Light Parade

We were very excited to be able to participate in the Christmas Light Parade again this year. We had a lot of fun decorating the float filled with lights, paper snowflakes, and ornaments. Although the weather was very wet and rainy we had a blast playing Christmas music, singing along and dancing. Our Members look… Read more »

A Jolly Surprise for the Shandon Members!

The Shandon Members screamed with excitement and joy as they were selected to take home a bike for Christmas! A big “thank you” was expressed as they pedaled their bike to the gate during pickup time.  We are so grateful for the generous donation from the employees of San Luis Garbage who purchased and assembled… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Isaiah Zamora

Isaiah Zamora has been with the Boys & Girls Club since September of this year and has already made such a great impact!  All members enjoy Isaiah and his company and frequently ask for him. He has shown such great improvement for the short amount of time he’s been here and continues to demonstrate what… Read more »

Smiles of Gratitude Fill the Shandon Club

The Shandon Club celebrated Thanksgiving a little early in a fun and sweet way. The Members started off the week tracing their hands and cutting out their hand prints then gluing them to form a turkey’s feathers. This activity was a symbolism of unity. The week continued on with them choosing their own best disguise… Read more »

Thanks Is for Giving

For the month of November our members got to participate in activities where they got to share why and what they were thankful for. Our staff had a Skittle Gratitude Activity set up for the month of November!  Each member got to eat skittles and talk about  what they are thankful for. It was a… Read more »

Day of the Dead Celebration!

The Shandon Club Members really enjoyed celebrating Day of the Dead with a piñata, pizza, mask making, drinking hot chocolate and conchas while watching Coco, and sharing about their loved ones. It was special to see the Members come together, share a piece of their families, show respect towards others, and enjoy a weeks worth… Read more »

Annual Thanksgiving Feast Seeks Donations

For the last 10 years we have been putting on a Thanksgiving feast for our Members in Paso Robles.  This is our first feast in the new Tom Maas Clubhouse and we are extremely excited. Our Members look forward to getting together to share a meal and playing fun group games. We couldn’t put on… Read more »

Back A Youth Night Launches at Tom Maas Clubhouse

The 1st Annual Back A Youth Night was held at the brand new Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles with adults and children spending a great evening eating, learning and having fun!  This evening of mentorship and friendship has been a favorite event at the Santa Maria Clubhouse for over 30 years but made its… Read more »

Infinite Music Comes to BGCMCC

We are excited to announce that the Tom Maas Clubhouse has partnered with Infinite Music to provide weekly drum classes for our 4th & 5th-grade Members. We had our first class on Friday, and our Members were ecstatic. They had a lot of fun pounding on the drums, practicing leadership skills, and learning to keep… Read more »

Spending Time at the Discovery Den

Creston members are having a blast at the discovery den. Members get to work on motor skills where they get to play but also learn. They play with blocks, see saws, sensory objects and water toys. Our members enjoy watering the garden plants and love to spend time in an open area where they have… Read more »

Art Fun With Pastels

The art room is by far our Members favorite place to be. They are always asking what art projects we have planned for the day and is the first program to fill up every afternoon. This week our Members worked with pastels and black cardstock paper. They cut out different shapes such as leaves and… Read more »

Torch Club at the Shandon Club

Torch Club for members ages 10-13 has been in session at the Shandon club! The past couple of weeks the members have been working on goals, leadership, responsibilities, teamwork, diversity, empathy and good graffiti. The sessions gives the members practice in working on group decisions and working together as a team to see how they… Read more »