FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Julie Van Groll, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, (920) 750-5815, jvangroll@bgclubfoxvalley.org
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE FOX VALLEY HOST “LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL” ON OCTOBER 25, 2017
Rally Will Raise Awareness of Afterschool Programs to Keep Kids Safe, Learning, and Engaged in Positive Activities
Appleton, WI (October 24, 2017) – The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley will host “Lights On Afterschool,” a community rally to take place October 25th at nine Club locations and school sites throughout the Fox Valley.
More than 1,300 children and youth from around the area will attend the annual Lights On Afterschool event. Lights On Afterschool is designed to increase awareness of the importance of and accessibility to high-quality afterschool programs. Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families, and communities.
Lights On Afterschool activities are designed to promote community service, healthy lifestyles, and fun academic challenges. Activities will include Fall festivals and carnivals, life-size board games, costume contests, glow dance parties, multi-cultural themed activities, family fun events, and arts and crafts, among many others.
On October 25th, Lights On Afterschool rallies will be held at the Boys & Girls Club of Appleton at 160 S. Badger Ave. and the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha at 600 Racine St. in Menasha. Additionally, afterschool rallies will be held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Badger, Columbus, Foster and Highlands Elementary Schools, Kaleidoscope Academy, and Wilson Middle School in Appleton as well as the Boys & Girls Club of Little Chute Elementary School.
According to the 2014 America After 3PM report, each afternoon across the U.S., one in five children—11.3 million children—spend time alone and unsupervised during the after school hours of 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The unmet demand for afterschool programs has steadily risen over the last 10 years. In 2014, approximately 19.4 million children (41 percent) not currently in an afterschool program would be enrolled in a program if one were available to them, according to their parents.
For youth in the Fox Cities, having access to affordable and high-quality afterschool care makes a huge difference in their ability to thrive in and out of the classroom. Through the Lights On Afterschool rally, members of the community can see the tremendous impact these programs have while learning more about what the Boys & Girls Club and community groups have done to ensure that youth receive care, opportunities, and support after their school day ends.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley (www.bgclubfoxvalley.org) is a leading provider of youth services serving more than 12,000 young people each year and an average of more than 1,100 each school day. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley actively seeks to enrich the lives of young people, especially those most in need, and is dedicated to ensuring that our community’s youth have greater access to quality programs and services that will enhance their lives and shape their futures.
