About Us
The Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs is a leading provider of programs to children and youth that support the healthy physical, educational and social development for over 6,000 young people and families each year throughout the Okanagan valley. Each center creates a safe, supportive environment where children and youth experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life. Our programs focus on an individual’s strengths and capabilities, and all programs embrace the principles of equality and inclusion. We help young people grow healthy, happy and safely from birth to adulthood, and are a resource and support for parents throughout their family’s involvement with us.
As a member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs have been helping young people discover, develop and achieve their potential, since 1959. We are the largest Boys and Girls Club in geographical area in Canada and the second largest in economic size. We have a history of working locally to establish a continuum of services that address the needs of children, youth and families within each unique community. Okanagan Boys & Girls Clubs believe that neighbourhood and community based approaches that reach out to children, youth and families hold the greatest potential to fulfilling our agency mission, and meeting community need. The success of our organization is based on a respect for the unique needs of each community, supported by centralized administration.
The Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs have over 30 clubs or service locations located throughout the Okanagan Valley, including Osoyoos, Oliver, Ok Falls, Penticton, Summerland, Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, Rutland, Lake Country, Vernon, Armstrong, Lavington and Falkland. We also operate a year-round outdoor centre outside Armstrong BC that offers camping and outdoor education programs for children, youth and families.
Our administrative base is located in Kelowna and provides leadership and support to 760 staff and volunteers. We help more than 1,200 children / youth participate with our services every day.
Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs is “A good place to be!”
Mission Statement and Core Values
Mission Statement
To provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.
Core Values
Inclusion & Opportunity
We strive to offer children and youth from all economic, cultural and social backgrounds access to the resources, supports and opportunities that will enable them to overcome barriers and achieve their positive potential in life.
Respect & Belonging
We provide a safe, supportive place, where every child is listened to, treated with respect and valued in an environment of inclusion and acceptance. Our staff and volunteers model honesty, fair play, positive attitude, cooperation and respect for self and others.
Empowerment
We believe all young people can grow into responsible, contributing and self-reliant members of society. Children and youth are at the centre of everything we do. Through adventure, play and discovery, we encourage and empower them to develop healthy lifestyles, a life-long passion for learning, leadership and life skills and a sense of social responsibility.
Collaboration
We work together with families and volunteers in each community, in partnership with government and other organizations, to create healthy community solutions to providing children and youth with what they need for optimal development.
Speaking Out
We speak out on behalf of children, youth and their families to reduce disadvantage, enhance their lives and enable their voices and ideas to be heard.
Message from our CEO
Taken from the 2009 Annual Report
Our 50th year, 2009. I’m reminded of the old phrase “my how time flies when you’re having fun” and we have had some fun this past half century! Fun as the Kelowna Boys Club, setting up our first clubhouse in an old pool hall. We learned a lot from those first kids who took out a membership. They taught us a lot, such as its important to belong to something, to have a place to call your own. That it’s important to be appreciated and respected for just being themselves and its important to have adults around who can teach and show them stuff. And those adults can be trusted to be responsible, fair and know your name. Over the past 50 years we have continued to listen to young people and practice those lessons. We have remained true to the values of belonging, inclusion and self worth.
When we first started we knew that good positive adult role models could and would make a life lasting positive impact on young people when brought together at “the club”. That magic continues today, in each of our locations, communities, and towns in the valley. Okanagan Boys & Girls Clubs is still about the relationship between that adult and that child or young person. We are about one child at a time, making a difference in our 50th year.
I want to thank all those many, many people, community, church and civic leaders, volunteers and board members, and our talented and dedicated staff people then and now. All those who have done the work for the past 50 years, and all those who are doing it today. Thank you for making the Okanagan Boys & Girls Clubs “a good place to be” for all of us.
Craig Monley
Chief Executive Officer
Board of Directors
|
President |
Vice President Ed Egli |
| Treasurer Linda Callahan |
Secretary Pat Reiter |
|
Directors |
Chief Executive Officer |
Administration Team
Craig Monley
Chief Executive Officer
Diane Entwistle
Director of Operations
Fred Basson
Director of Administration
Jeremy Welder
Director of Organizational Development
Donna Walker
Special Projects Coordinator
Jennifer Bryan
Special Events Coordinator
Erin Turvey
Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator
Area Directors
Teresa Murray
Area Director - Central, Club Services
Area Director - Central, Youth and Family Services
Jennifer Anderson
Area Director - South
Jack Whelpley
Area Director - North