Thursday, February 08, 2007

Seminole Tribe hosts Boys & Girls Club conference

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Boys & Girls Clubs of America is sponsoring a Native American Summit at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., Feb. 13-15 as part of its strategy to further develop and strengthen more than 200 Clubs that serve more than 125,000 Club members in Indian Country.

“Hope and opportunity are available to each child who attends a Boys & Girls Club in Indian Country," said Ron Gurley, Chairman of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Native American National Advisory Committee. "We are now at the point where we must secure long-term financial sustainability, that we may continue to serve our children forever.”

Hosted by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the theme of the conference is “Celebrate Our Youth and Culture: A Journey from the Past into the Future.” Building on the premise of partnership and collaboration, participants invited to attend the conference include tribal leaders, federal and state government representatives, Club professional staff and board volunteers, as well as corporations with an interest in serving youth in Native America.


The three-day conference will include educational tracks for leadership and staff to share experiences and strategies for building sustainability. Featured speakers include Mitchell Cypress, Tribal Chairman, of the Seminole Tribe of Florida; Jacqueline Johnson, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians; and Joe Shirley, Jr., president of the Navajo Nation.

Representatives from government agencies including the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Indian Health Services will also be present.

Also in attendance will be representatives of Nike Inc., which has provided Native American Clubs with product donations for many years, and America’s Second Harvest, whose support has helped to open eight Kids Cafes in Indian Country Boys & Girls Clubs.

Wednesday's activities include a youth showcase by members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, a teen panel, and an address by Chantel Sanchez, a 2005-2006 Boys & Girls Club Regional Youth of the Year.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide guidance-oriented programs on a daily basis for children 6 - 18 years old. Key programs emphasize character and leadership development, educational enhancement, career preparation, fitness and recreation. It’s Native American Initiative began in 1992 with the opening of a Club on the Pine Ridge Reservation and has expanded to serve over 125,000 Native American youth in 86 tribal communities and 24 states. National headquarters are located in Atlanta, Ga. For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country, visit www.naclubs.org.

Contact:
Kristen Lichtenwalner
FirstPic, Inc.
(301) 261-6925
klichtenwalner@firstpic.org

Posted by Editor at 16:59:26 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |
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1 - this sounds like fun (Comment this)

Written by: Anonymous at 2007/03/08 - 14:18:03
2 - no it doesnt it sounds very stupid...ew (Comment this)

Written by: Anonymous at 2007/03/08 - 14:18:53 in reply to: 1
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