By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer

The Mountain Communities Boys & Girls Club (MCB&GC) is in full swing since the new school year is fully engaged.

Golfers who wish to participate in that “swing” can do so by participating in the 19th annual Lake Arrowhead Golf Classic on Friday, Oct. 4.

The event, which will be played at Lake Arrowhead Country Club, begins with a 10:30 a.m. check-in, continuing with a putting contest, delicious lunch, shotgun start, a cocktail hour, a silent auction, a 6 p.m. dinner with a live auction and an awards ceremony for the longest drive, hole-in-one, closest to the pin, and prizes for first, second and third place.

The entry fee is $150 per person or $550 for a foursome. There are sponsorship and advertising opportunities. The Tee sponsor level is $100, Bronze level is $500, Silver sponsor level is $1,500, Gold sponsor level is $5,000 and Platinum Level is $10,000, all of which include two-foursomes, several golf signs with dinner and program acknowledgements.

For further information or to donate an auction item, contact Executive Director Tracylyn Sharrit at (909) 338-9390. Details can be found at www.Golf4BoysandGirlsClub.com.

All proceeds from the golf tournament will benefit the before- and after-school programs at all of the Mountain Communities Boys & Girls Club locations.

The MCB&GC has four club locations, with an after-school program in Running Springs at Charles Hoffman Elementary School, two classroom buildings at Lake Arrowhead Elementary, and two more at Valley of Enchantment Elementary, all for students in grades first through fifth. The buildings are within the school ground fences. The MCB&GC programs begin as soon as school lets out, even on minimum days, keeping children safely on the school sites.

The Iacono Center near Lake Gregory also offers programs for first through fifth grades, plus a Teen Mentoring Center (TMC) for 6th through 12th graders, and breakfast for all grade levels. The Iacono Club opens at 6:30 a.m. for the before-school program, with the last morning bus leaving at 8:50 a.m. Iacono’s afternoon hours begin as soon as the first bus arrives after school. They receive club members from VOE, MPH and Rim High and children delivered to the site by parents.

The MCB&GC will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2020, having opened in 1995. The program has expanded and grown over the past quarter-century to locations at every Rim elementary school, because of the fundraisers, golf tournaments and the establishment of the resale store in Cedar Glen, as well as generous donations.

There are 317 members at the MCB&GC, although not all attend every day. Before children arrive each day, the buildings and grounds are checked for safety by vetted and fully trained staff members. There are no cheaper after-school programs on the mountain. They offer sports and a variety of educational programs with a weekly price of $15 per child or $60 a month.

The full-year after-school program is $280, the before-school program is only $180 and both programs are $460 for all 180 school days. There are discount rates for members who qualify for free and reduced lunch. In addition, the MCB&GC offers values and skills educational programs and daily homework help.

The Teen Club has elected officers and the teens help design their projects. The TMC program for teens is teaching cooking under a grant by Stater Bros., and they host a once-a-month veggie party for club members. They are bringing these new skills and recipes home and helping to cook for their families.

The MCB&GC also offers a place for their members to be during school breaks, and it offers summer programs, providing a safe and fun place for kids while their parents are at work. Membership is just $60 a year.
“I know I have the best staff and board of directors of any nonprofit on the mountain,” Sharrit said. “My staff is completely dedicated to the kids.”