Mayor declares Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Day

Originally published in The Vacaville Reporter on March 26, 2015 By Kimberly Fu.

It was all about the kids Thursday as dozens of youths exploded in giggles and cheers during the National Boys & Girls Club Week celebration at Vacaville’s Trower Center.
Whooping it up in the carnival-like atmosphere, children of all ages strutted their smarts and queried Mayor Len Augustine before enjoying snacks compliments of Taco Bell and engaging in a variety of games.
Club Executive Director Anna Eaton advised that the week honors the good all of the clubs do to promote the health and wellness of youths.
The mayor, meanwhile, read a proclamation designating the day Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Day.
He also took questions from kids —- “How old are you?” and “Have you ever met a president? George Washington?” among them — and shared the steps they could take to someday become mayor.
His tips — be social, get involved in the community, achieve higher education and volunteer in your community.
“Vacaville is a wonderful place. It’s one of the safest cities,” he continued, explaining why he believes in being the city’s mayor. “Don’t you love it here?”
Following several rounds of applause, the kids — from the Trower and Acacia locations as well as from the community — got down to the festivities.
Leo Santos, 8, took three tries to pop a balloon with a dart. And man, was he proud.
“It was hard,” he said, running off with his candy prize.
Over at the duck game, where participants randomly chose rubber duckies and hoped to find a “2” or “10” on the underside, Alexis Gomez, 11, refused to give up trying despite at least three misses. Very simply, he hoped to win.
“It’s amazing,” he said, of the day’s events, “because you get to play lots of games, (eat) food and have a lot of fun.”
Apparently all of the other youths agreed, as they played soccer on one of the courts, had their face painted in another corner and snacked on corn, nachos and other goodies.
The entertainment continues today with a celebration at the club’s Teen Center, from 4-6 p.m. at 160 Meadows Drive. The open house will feature free refreshments and fun. Everyone is invited to stop in and learn more about the Teen Center and the Vaca Pena branch of the Club.