As the Santa Clarita Valley Boys & Girls Club prepares for its biggest event of the year, staff and volunteers gathered in Newhall to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary.
The event was a “thank you” to the community and the organization’s staff, supporters and volunteers, said Ann Marie Bjorkman, board president for the organization, and also a momentum-builder for the Boys & Girls Club auction, which takes place Saturday, June 2.
“It was just amazing to have some of the people who were involved in the early years come back and meet some of the new and current people,” Bjorkman said of the recent 50th anniversary celebration at the Newhall club. “It made me really excited for the future, and that we’re going to be continuing on for another 50 years.”
For Executive Director Matt Nelson, who became involved as a homework tutor at the club around the time the club opened the Canyon Country location back in 2003, watching the Boys & Girls Club member review the clubs five decades of community involvement was a lot of fun.
“It was exciting to see us reach that landmark, it’s a big milestone in the community,” Nelson said. “To think, the club was there before there was a Six Flags Magic Mountain, 20 years before there was a city — to know that people have been there that long taking care of kids in our community.”
The event was a reminder of the caring and concern for each other that’s still very much alive in the community, he said, hoping the momentum and support will carry over to the club’s largest annual fundraiser at the beginning of next month.
“I had people who helped me when I was a kid, and i like to pay that forward,” Nelson said. “It’s really rewarding to be a part of the community and helping an organization that makes it possible for kids who, well, they might not have other opportunities to succeed (if not for the help of the club and volunteers).”
The SCV Boys & Girls Club’s 50th annual auction next month is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Valencia, and themed, “All that Glitters is Gold.”
More information about the event can be found here: scvbgc.org/gold-auction/
