Join us for the 31st Annual Sertoma Chili Cook-Off

Spend the weekend doing something you love: eating tons of delicious chili and having a great time at the annual Sertoma Chili Cook-Off!

The 2012 Sertoma Chili Cook-Off will be held on Saturday, February 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Springfield EXPO Center at 635 St. Louis Street. Tickets are $12 in advance and can be purchased at Dillons, Casey’s General Store, HyVee or online. Tickets are $15 if purchased at the door, so purchase them in advance and save! The Boys & Girls Club will also have tickets available in the office at 1410 North Fremont.

The event will feature chili from over 110 competitors and live music all day from Machine Gun Symphony, Big Smith, Trash Angels, Hillbenders, Sock Monkey, Cole Porter, Jakebrakers, Air Walk and Full Circle.

Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield to ensure that the children of this area have a safe, fun and positive place to hang out after school and during the summer. Please visit the Sertoma Chili Cook-Off website for more information!

Mission to Mentor: Sign up TODAY

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield’s Mission to Mentor Program, which kicked off earlier this year, has been a success! We currently have 24 one-on-one adult mentors from within the community participating. Mentors and mentees spend one hour per week together, on-site at the Boys & Girls Clubs playing games, completing arts & crafts projects and a variety of other activities. More importantly, mentors and mentees talk with one another and build a lasting friendship. Once a month, all mentors and mentees enrolled are able to participate in a social event at a fun location. On August 3, we had our second social event at Lighthouse Lanes. Everyone had an awesome time bowling!

If you are a caring, responsible adult who would like to make a difference in the life of a disadvantaged child, please contact Mentoring Coordinator, Chelsea Shepherd at 862-9249 or cshepherd@bgclubspringfield.org. 

There will never be enough mentors for the amount of children that need one in the Springfield area, but we are trying our best to gain as many commited adults as we can to this wonderful program. Our Mission to Mentor program is one more step in ensuring that GREAT Futures start HERE!

In Memory of a Great Friend and Board Member

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield and the Springfield community has lost a great friend and member of our Board, Mel Saunders.  Mel has been involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs since 2003.  He was a leader in our Invest to Invest program, participated in the Missouri Area Council and was a financial supporter.

Mel was one of the first to come forward and become a mentor to a young man in our Mission to Mentor program.  Mel visited with his mentee each week at the Musgrave Unit and enjoyed learning about his family, playing pool and providing guidance.  When Mel headed out of town and wasn’t able to make it to the club, he called his mentee on the phone and talked to him to see how he was doing and how his week was going.  That’s how dedicated Mel was. 

As a member of the Sertoma Club of Springfield, Mel could be found at countless fundraising events such as Wingapalooza, Chili Cookoff and Summer Sizzle. 

In a recent article, when Mel was asked if he could spend 24 hours as a fictious superhero, who would it be,  his response was so fitting of Mel:  “Iron Man. By day he is a successful business man and by night an unforgettable superhero.”

Mel Saunders was a true friend to many and an overall great man.  He will be missed by many.

We ask that you keep Mel’s wife, Theresa and son, Tyson and the rest of his family and friends in your prayers at this difficult time. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Tyson Saunders Education Trust, Wells Fargo Advisors, Attn: Joe Froehle, 1720 E. Bradford Parkway, Springfield, MO 65804.

Baseball/Basketball Advertisement

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield is now offering a one year contract to display 1, 2 or 3 signs at our basketball and baseball games! If you are interested, please see more information HERE.

Boys & Girls Club’s Triple Play Program and Coca Cola

 Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield is proud to announce their new partnership with the Coca Cola Foundation and  Ozarks Coca Cola for Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body, and Soul.

Triple Play is a program designed to promote health and wellness for Boys & Girls Club members ages 6-18. It is a multi-faceted program designed to help young people to become healthy, active and learn new ways to handle stress, maintain a healthy body and form positive relationships.

The array of effective programs for Triple Play will be made possible through the generous financial support of the Coca Cola Foundation and Ozarks Coca Cola. Together, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield and Coca Cola are working on an extensive marketing plan for Triple Play. Stay tuned for the launch of a new Facebook fan page highlighting this partnership, as well as events, photos of Triple Play action and more.

If you would like more information about Triple Play, please contact Chelsea Shepherd by phone at (417)-862-9249 or by email at cshepherd@bgclubspringfield.org.

If your interested in learning more about the Coca Cola Foundation, check out their Web site HERE.

For more information regarding Ozarks Coca Cola, check out their Web site  or their Facebook Page.