|
Offering children a safe place to learn and create ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals, the club offers a variety of educational program areas: Citizenship and Leadership Development; Education and Career Development; Health and Life Skills; The Arts; Sports, Fitness and Recreation. Under the program area of Health and Life Skills, Vanessa McDowell, Keystone Health Center's Community Outreach Coordinator and board member of the Boys and Girls Club's Program Committee, is working with community youth, along with fellow Keystone staff, to educate the children on the importance of good health habits. "We are driven by the commitment to make a real difference in the lives of these children," Ms. McDowell, said. "All children deserve a place like the Boys and Girls Club, in which they are taken seriously - an environment in which they can interact with peers while gaining knowledge and skills, from competent and caring adults, to live a better, healthier life." Each month, with the exception of July and August, Ms. McDowell and a fellow Keystone staff member present a seminar on a health-related topic. Usually lasting about an hour and a half, educational sessions have included topics on HIV and AIDS awareness, dental care and healthy eating habits. "The most popular seminar to date was given by Dr. Yvette Brown, an obstetrician and gynecologist at our Women's Care facility," Ms. McDowell said. "Many of these children don't see a doctor as often as they should, so visiting a doctor can be a scary situation. Not only was Dr. Brown able to calm a lot of their fears about visiting a doctor, but she was also a prime example of a successful African American. When the children see someone successful, like Dr. Brown, they realize that they, too, have the potential to go far in life." Catering to special needs, interests and growth potential with an emphasis on life-skills and leadership development and motivation, Ms. McDowell's after-school seminars are open to all children, regardless of age. With more than 100 children who are members of the Boys and Girls Club, almost 40% attend Ms. McDowell's health seminars each month. In operation for more than a year, the Boys and Girls Club is located at the Chambersburg Clubhouse, 235 South Third Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Please contact Phil Bennett, Unit Director, with questions at 717.263.3393. Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 3,300 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 3.5 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," Clubs provide guidance-oriented programs on a daily basis for children 6 - 18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Keystone Health Center, a public, non-profit organization, provides high-quality medical, obstetric, gynecological and dental health care and, when needed, social services to underserved and vulnerable populations as well as the entire community population of approximately 126,000 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. At present, Keystone Rural Health Center operates five primary care sites: Keystone Health Center family practice, Keystone Dental Center, Keystone Women's Care, Keystone Health Center-Path Valley satellite family practice, and the State Migrant Farmworker Administration office. Keystone also operates one year-round migrant and seasonal farmworker site in Berks County and one seasonal farmworker site in Adams County. Services are also provided through outreach workers and contracted providers across the Commonwealth. For more information regarding Keystone Rural Health Center or Keystone Women's Care, please visit the website at www.keystonehealth.org. For more information regarding this news release, please contact Karen Gross at (717) 975-2148, or visit the newsroom at www.hersheyphilbin.com. |
|
|