Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach is thrilled to announce the receipt of a $6,000 grant from the Festival of Arts Foundation to fund its Arts-For-All program available to all members during their time after-school. The organization believes that play and art create a healthy role in the learning and development of every child, as imagination and creativity are vital components of increasing their full potential as adults. The Club’s arts programming provide members with opportunities that generate ideas and enhance their ability to transform vision into a reality while navigating the world around them.
Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach is dedicated to providing a diverse array of art programs, in which each area serves our youth through exposure, education and enriching experiences. Not only do children have the opportunity to learn how to create art, but also experience the thrill of seeing their pieces displayed in onsite exhibits while entering their art into local and national art competitions.
Caitlin Reller, Art Director of Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, is building fun and exciting activities related to all aspects of art and youth development, all thanks to the assistance of funding from the Festival of Art Foundation. As an example, during the recent Laguna Beach Unified School District’s Ski Week, Ms. Reller organized a field trip to Crystal Cove with 18 members. In collaboration with the Crystal Cove Conservancy Club, members took a tour of the park and participated in a Plein Air watercolor activity and a photographic scavenger hunt. The resulting art from these activities are on display at the Crystal Cove Gallery during Crystal Cove’s Art in the Park festival. The opening of the art exhibit is March 31 and members’ pieces will be on display for the duration of April. The Club invites the entire community to come and view the artistic talents of the participants.
The Art of Healing event on March 28 at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Canyon Branch, from 5 to 7 pm is yet another exciting event that the Festival of Arts Foundation is helping make possible. The event will be a collaborative experience where parents and children have the opportunity to come together and create art as a shared, joyful experience. Activities will include visual art, the art of cooking, creating essential oils for healing and much, much more. The Club invites the entire community to this special event.
Without the continuing support of the Festival of Arts Foundation, these wonderful opportunities for families within the community would not be possible. For more information about the activities, please contact Michelle Ray Fortezzo at (949) 494-2535 ext. 7584 or micheller@bgclaguna.org or visit the Club website at www.bgclagunabeach.org.
About The Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach service area includes Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest and the surrounding communities, and occupies three sites in Laguna Beach: Canyon Branch, Bluebird Branch and Lang Branch. Together, they offer a nationally recognized and award-winning year-round Out-of-School enrichment program that focuses on the whole family. From preschool to parenting classes, The Boys & Girls Club offers an array of services that focus on; academic success, good character and citizenship, healthy lifestyles and creative expression. Being an indispensable asset to the families of our community is a Boys & Girls Club time-honored tradition. For over 60 years, The Boys & Girls Club strives to support the youth of Laguna Beach throughout of school recreation that celebrates the whole child.
For more information about The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, visit www.bgclagunabeach.org or call (949) 494-2535.
Photo Credit: Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach
Liz Thier
Community Engagement Director
