Santa Maria Boys & Girls Club revives ‘Back A Youth Night’ on 32nd anniversary
SANTA MARIA, Calif -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast brought back its Back A Youth Night at the Railroad Club in Santa Maria for the first time in two years.
Club members were paired with adult mentors for a night of food, fun and bonding. The annual event was on hiatus due to the pandemic.
"This is so exciting. We have mentors to come to this event every year. This is our 32nd year. They’ve been coming for years. They’ve missed it," said Kelly White O’Niell of the Boys & Girls Club.
Kids new to the organization were able to experience this event for the first time. The Boys & Girls Club hopes to connect kids with adults that care about them, that they can learn from, and have fun with.
Some activities of the Back A Youth Night included physical fitness activities, STEM programming, a literacy activity and some arts and crafts along with dinner provided by Club Alumni.
"It is always really fun at Back A Youth night. Getting to meet friends," said Boys & Girls Club Member, Kaiden Vanheren.
David DuBransky, a local elementary school teacher and mentor for the night, has been participating in this event for years and is excited to see it return.
"I really hope tonight they just have fun, they can meet new people and have a great evening away from home," said David. He hopes this event will continue to grow in years to come.
The next Back A Youth night will take place on September 22, 2022. For more information on upcoming events and how to become a mentor, visit: centralcoastkids.org.
