Teddy Bear Suite Fundraising Recipient: Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club After School Program

Wondering where hundreds of kids from kindergarten to sixth grade go each week after school? Just stop by the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club. There you’ll find kids lined up to check in and participate in the Club’s After School Program.

Being Active, Happy & More

For only $20 per child per school year, kids have a safe, fun place to go after school. Kids can stay there until 6 p.m. For these kids, the Club is a great way to spend their time until their parents or caregivers are done with work — and seriously, for only $20? That’s less than a pizza night with the family.

Biddyball, Obstacle Courses & More

At the After School Program, there are lots of things to do. One of the kids’ favorite things to do is play in the gym. The Club has an awesome gym. It’s big and clean, and the perfect place to run around and have fun.

During the After School Program, there’s free play in the gym, and an organized game which is usually different each day. Sometimes it’s soccer, sometimes it’s basketball, or kickball. Sometimes there are obstacle courses which the kids really enjoy. Here, a kid can be a kid without worry. They are safe here, and can focus on having fun.

I should also mention that the Club even has a recreation basketball league. Here, kids can weekly play basketball games, and work on their sense of teamwork and more. In January, the Club will be offering biddyball – which is a basketball league for first and second graders.

Meet Tyler & Jonathan

When I was at the Club, I met Jonathan and Tyler. Tyler is a second grader, who is in the gym, but he was working on the Club’s Christmas in Edgartown paintings for Edgartown store front windows. He took a break from painting to tell me what he enjoys about the Club.

For Tyler, it’s a place to be with friends and play. He’s going into his second year of biddyball which he loves, but he also likes playing soccer, football, and dodgeball. He also likes that the Club had lots for him to do. He can even play foosball and air hockey. He loves being active.

Tyler is at the Club daily until 6 p.m., and it’s one of his favorite places.  Here, he is with friends, and there’s always something fun for him to do after school.

Next I met Jonathan. He’s now in third grade, and has been a member of the Club for a couple of years. He loves the Club too. Here he gets his homework done, and spends time with a lot of his friends. He also likes that the Club gets you moving. There’s always something fun to play in the gym, especially soccer.

Jonathan is in one of the basketball leagues. It’s his third year playing basketball. He started out with biddyball, and is now with the third and fourth graders. He gets to play a sport he likes with his friends after school.

I should also mention that he likes Wednesdays at the Boys & Girls Club because there are doughnuts for the kids. Of course there are other snacks available for kids to buy, like Oatmeal, but doughnuts are free on Wednesdays. Who doesn’t love a doughnut now and then?

Important To The Island Community

These are just two of the kids in the After School Program which has over 300 Island families using it. At the Club, they have the chance to be active, and be with their friends, do their homework and more.

We all know that these days, it’s so important to keep kids active, and sometimes it can be a challenge but not at the Club. Here, it’s a part of the day that many kids look forward too.

In addition to the physical activities that are usually available, the Club is offering archery lessons starting in January. A couple of parents are volunteering their time to help teach the kids. The archery lessons will last about 6 weeks per session which will have about 10 to 12 kids. That’s pretty cool.

Teddy Bear Suite Fundraising Support

The Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club’s After School Program is a program that is important to so many Island kids and their families. Imagine if it did not exist, how many kids might be home alone or wandering about?

This program offers our Island children a chance to be safe, as well as play with friends, do homework, art work and more. Please support the Boys & Girls Club by supporting the Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite.

It’s because of kids like Tyler and Jonathan that Point B Realty created the Teddy Bear Suite three years ago. It’s a way to bring joy to kids of all ages during Christmas in Edgartown.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome at the event. Knowing that every dollar raised goes directly to help Island children and their families year round — it’s a perfect addition to the holiday season.

If you can’t visit the Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite during Christmas in Edgartown, you can still help us make our holiday fundraising goal of $10,000. All the money raised goes to support the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club After School Program which serves hundreds of Island children and their families.

Most of the money from our annual three week Teddy Bear Suite fundraising drive is donated online. We have already raised more than $1,100 and to help make our goal this year, Point B is matching 50-cents for every dollar raised online. Click here to here to donate.

Teddy Bear Suite Hours

Suite 201 at the Harbor View Hotel

• Friday, December 13th, 4 – 8 p.m.
• Saturday, December 14th, 12 – 6 p.m.
• Sunday, December 15th, 10 – 2 p.m.