By Tori White | Southwest Ledger
LAWTON — Summertime is particularly busy for Lawton Boys & Girls Club.
Serving the community’s youth year-round, staff members and volunteers have cultivated their BGC Summer Camp, which will run through Aug. 4 and include programs such as outdoor activities, swimming and field trips.
“Each day we provide them with different types of segments within the summer program,” Executive Director Jacobi Crowley said.
In addition to promoting educational life skills while integrating athleticism, Crowley, the staff and volunteers enjoy taking members on field trips to broaden their viewpoint on life. Members recently were given the opportunity to visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
“Ultimately the things that we do here is just providing each kid an exposure and opportunity to be successful,” Crowley said.
With each group having their own interests and learning goals, Ciara Hooper, the club’s program coordinator, develops age-appropriate programs for primary (ages 6-8), secondary (9-12) and teens (13-18). According to Hooper, the hands-on activities like STEM tend to be more successful with the younger members, whereas more relaxing activities like reading and social interaction are preferred by older members.
“We have to accommodate that all within our doors,” Hooper said.
Since being named executive director in 2021, Crowley has called upon numerous community businesses and private donors to help fund the organization’s activities.
Last month, the club received a $36,000 grant from North Texas Bells, a Taco Bell franchisee out of Dallas, Texas.
With the funds, “we plan on emphasizing more of our teen program,” Crowley said. “I think throughout adult life what shapes you is your exposure in your teen life.”
Crowley and Hooper believe the heart and success of the organization is the bonds created between staff, club members and their families.
“We emphasize and pride ourselves on family,” said Crowley. “The family structure is important in allowing the Boys & Girls Club to fill those voids in certain families that may be missing certain things.”
“I didn’t grow up in the Boys and Girls Club,” Hooper said. “I really wish I was involved when I was a kid. The kids are highly, highly interactive here and they’re safe and it’s a fun environment.”
Boys & Girls Club of Lawton is a division of The Salvation Army. Summer programs run 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
For more details, visit Boys & Girls Club of Lawton at 1315 SW F Ave., their Facebook page at TSA Boys & Girls Club of Lawton, OK, or call (580) 357-7541.