John Wilson gave an update on the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills. John is the Executive Director of the club, a position he has held for seven years. The club was established in 1994 in response to high levels of delinquency, juvenile crime, and drug use among youth in the densely populated, multi-ethnic areas of Monrovia and Duarte. When John took over the club management it was poorly run. Under his leadership the club has grown. Today, a 30-passenger bus provides transportation from five elementary and two middle schools in the area to the club sites. The original club is on Shamrock Avenue and a second site is located at Mayflower Elementary School. In 2014, they expanded their services by opening a dedicated teen center in the Mary Wilcox building in Monrovia. Today they serve over 350 youth each day with 900 members registered annually. They have a waiting list of over 150 children and youth.
The mission of the club is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. The three main goals of the club are (1) to have the attendees succeed academically, (2) to develop good character and citizenship and (3) to develop healthy life styles.
The Club can use a lot of help, not only financially, but also from positive, caring adults who are willing to get to know the kids, to work with them and to be mentors and role models. A few of the areas where help is needed are as Translators, ESL Teachers, Tutors, Homework and Reading Helpers, Art, Music and Theater Instructors, Computer Instructors, Youth Basketball, Soccer, or Baseball Coaches. Please contact John if you would like to help the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills in any way.