Tampa, FL. - January 24, 2009 - NFL Experience, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast attended the 17th Annual NFL Experience at Superbowl XLIII, Raymond James Stadium. 

Thanks to our partnership with United Way of Tampa Bay we were able to send fifty youth from our clubs to this once in a lifetime opportunity.   The youth were selected by participating in a Live United essay writing contest based on the topics “Why I am healthy and plan to stay that way” or “What makes me healthy.”  The fifty youth attending were from six Boys & Girls Clubs located throughout Pinellas County.  The NFL Experience is the most exciting continuous event surrounding a Super Bowl; this interactive theme park offers interactive games, displays and entertainment attractions.  Ivey Green, Youth of the Year for the Wood Valley Club had this to say about the NFL Experience. 

“I had a great time and have never seen so much football stuff in my life.  I am glad that my essay was selected for me to attend.”  Our friend, Nick Bollea along with three of his friends helped the staff chaperones and interacted with the kids the entire day.  Everyone had a great time..

Youth Attend International Literacy & Spoken Word Festival in U.S. Virgin Islands.

St. Petersburg, FL. - On October 2, 2008 - student poets and staff from the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club Arts Academy in Midtown St. Petersburg traveled to the University of the Virgin Island to perform in the Virgin Island Voices of Hope "Literacy and Spoken Word Festival". The St. Petersburg student delegates known as Poetic Collage Youth Society "Royal Voices of Hope" (PCYS) participated in several literacy and writing workshops over the 3 day festival and gave a stellar spoken word performance at the festival's conference dinner.

 In Celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast is
excited to announce a partnership with Sweetbay Supermarket to support
the Royal Theatre Arts Academy Senior Level Conservatory.

St. Petersburg, FL. - On October 2, 2008, student poets and staff from the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club Arts Academy in Midtown St. Petersburg traveled to the University of the Virgin Island to perform in the Virgin Island Voices of Hope "Literacy and Spoken Word Festival". The St. Petersburg student delegates known as Poetic Collage Youth Society "Royal Voices of Hope" (PCYS) participated in several literacy and writing workshops over the 3 day festival and gave a stellar spoken word performance at the festival's conference dinner. The students were formally invited by the Virgin Island Humanities Council to perform and participate in the festival after student poet, Patrick Miller's, vacation to the Virgin Island lead him to perform at a local youth poetry slam.

Word got back to the V.I. Humanities Council about a gifted young poet from St. Petersburg, Fl. Patrick told his new friends at the VIHC about the Royal Theater and PCYS. They were impressed with Patrick and excited to invite PCYS to perform in the Festival. The Royal Theater PCYS would like to thank all those who contributed and donated to this experience, especially, the St. Petersburg Chapter of Links, Inc. All youth ages 10-18 are invited to join PCYS at the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club.

 Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast in Pinellas Park Benefits from Walmart Neighborhood Market
New store celebrates grand opening with $18,000 in local grants.

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Sept. 17, 2008 - Pinellas County's first Walmart Neighborhood Market debuted Wednesday, Sept. 24, offering a shopping format that provides area customers quick, convenient access to low-cost groceries, prescriptions and household products. The store celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"We are going to offer a number of amenities to ease and suit the shopping needs of our customers, such as our pharmacy with two drive-through lanes," says Store Manager Dennis Shultz. "I know a lot of our patrons will want to get in and out of our store in a timely manner. Whether they're heading home from work or they just need to pick up a couple of items, we're going to provide them the convenience and format they've been looking for in a neighborhood grocery store."

Partnership with HOPSports off to an energizing start
Tampa, FL- October 7, 2008

The huge smiles and excited screams from the children was one clue. Add in five Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two cheerleaders and the fabled mascot, Captain Fear and you had a special, fun event where the children at the Interbay Boys and Girls Club and the Boys and Girls Club of Suncoast learned how to LIVE UNITED through the United Way-NFL annual partnership, Hometown Huddle.

Thanks to United Way of Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and HOPSports Training Systems, Hometown Huddle brought the children of the Boys and Girls Clubs an interactive fitness experience while giving them the opportunity to meet Bucs players and take home valuable memories and a Bucs autograph. Hometown Huddle is a collection of NFL volunteer projects conducted simultaneously in NFL cities across the country. The teams and their families participate in a variety of activities, including youth fitness.

Bay News 9: October 19, 2008

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast are proud supporters and partners with The Tampa Bay Rays.  What an exciting time for the Rays this is their first-ever time in the World Series and we know they will win!

St. Petersburg is on the map and all eyes are upon us.  As an added bonus for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast we have youth that will be participating in Game 2 and 7 of the World Series in assistance to the first pitch of each game.  The club members are from our Tarpon Springs and Wood Valley Clubs.  Please see the below article just released.  GO RAYS!.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 17, 2008) -- America’s youth need your help. From academic failure and gang violence to poverty, drugs and obesity, they face a daunting array of problems with serious consequences and fewer safety nets at home and in the community.

To address these issues and call America to action, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), the nation’s largest youth development network, is kicking off a new integrated advocacy campaign called BE GREAT, led by national spokesperson and Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington.

Other Club alumni joining Washington in the BE GREAT campaign include: Muhammad Ali, Swin Cash, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Smokey Robinson, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Usher, Courtney Vance, Mark Wahlberg and Kerry Washington.

Click here for the full story about this movement, and catch the feeling for the BE GREAT campaign.