We learned a lot during headquarters visit
A12 March 2025 Charbonneau Villager
Boys & Girls Aid
By CATHY LOFFINK
We learned a lot during headquarters visit
Recently, several members had the opportunity to visit the Boys & Girls Aid headquarters. It was truly an interesting visit. The Foyer is very welcoming
LOFFINK and even includes a time capsule to be opened in 2085. Each room is named after Metro area bridges with etchings of them on the door. They are meant to represent the BGA philosophy of building connections, i. e. a bridge, for children and teens growing up without families. Throughout the building there are numerous large photos of children with siblings and parents showcasing their happiness. One was particularly poignant. It was a little boy with a beautiful smile approximately 5 years old holding a sign that said,“ I was in foster care for 1,174 days.” He found his forever family and BGA calls him their“ Joy Boy.” In another location, the wall in one office was extremely precious. It was a full wall photo collage of many of the babies that had been adopted. One could see the dedication of all those who work there.
An interesting fact that one of our members, Margie, passed on to me is that the well-known Henry Pittock of Pittock Manson was a founding member of the Boys & Girls Aid. However, less known is that his wife Georgiana served on the advisory board. Coincidently, she was the subject of the Charbonneau Women’ s Association luncheon program.
At the February luncheon, a young man spoke about his upbringing in the foster care system and how, even though he was faced with many challenges, he was able to make good choices and it gave him the understanding of what it means to be a foster parent. This ultimately led him to being a part of the STEP program which is an assessment program for youth referred to Boys & Girls Aid by the juvenile justice system. As a
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Ashley Messer, BGA tour guide, and members Lynn Theis, Marty Johnson, Judy Thie, Sue Schneider, Cathy Loffink, Steph Pump and Cheryl Brennan.
staff member he and foster parents work collaboratively to create an environment that encourages youth to set goals and make positive choices for their lives. The length of the stay can be 1-to-90 days, with most placements lasting 30-to-90 days. Listening to him speak with fondness about the children he cared for cemented the
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This is the time capsule at the Boys & Girls Aid headquarters.
importance of the value of organizations like the Boys & Girls Aid.
Be sure to attend The Dinner, benefiting the children served by Boys & Girls Aid. You can register online at Cypressonline. org on the home page or boysandgirlsaid. org and click Events and Fundraisers on the Get Involved tab. It will be a very special evening.
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