An 8-year-old boy from Long Beach was able to join hundreds of other campers from the Laguna Beach’s Boys & Girl Club community this week — an opportunity made possible through a generous donation from the non-profit, Tony’s Treehouse. Founded by local Becky Martinez, her organization has contributed thousands of dollars over the years to help fund special field trips and camp tuition at the Club. The organization is dedicated to continuing the compassionate spirit of Becky’s son, Tony Martinez, by uniting family, friends, and community who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for families in need.
Tony and his brother Danny were members of the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach as children. “We have a long history with the Club, going back to 1997 when my boys began attending,” says Becky. She explained that back then, as a recent divorcee and working full time in town as an insurance representative, the Club’s after-school program became a lifesaver to her. “Better yet, they gave me scholarship funding due to our financial hardship. And it was later, when I lost my youngest boy Tony on December 23, 1999, that we started our charity in honor of his sweet and generous spirit,” she added. Since the organization’s inception, Tony’s Treehouse has helped many local families and young people throughout the years. The group’s connections happen in many different ways: sometimes through friends local news outlets, or working with homeless advocate a group, which is how they met RJs family. The mother and grandfather of this bright and sweet child were homeless for a period of time when Becky crossed paths with the family at an OC homeless holiday event.
That was back in 2010 when RJ was just one-year-old, and the family found an apartment thanks to Section 8 housing, in Compton. Now living in a more family-friendly area of Long Beach, the family has been “adopted” by the organization on a personal level, attending holiday, birthday parties, baby showers and family celebrations. However, tragedy struck in 2014 when RJs mom and dad lost his newborn sibling to SIDS. “They couldn’t afford a grave marker, so our supporters pulled together and raised enough money to provide the baby with a beautiful headstone,” recalled Becky. “One thing that sets our little grass-roots group apart from others is that we develop and nurture long-term relationships with our families,” she reflected, which is why partnering up once again with the Boys & Girls Club — whose mission is parallel –was a natural choice for the organization to fulfill a week-long stay at camp for RJ. It turns out that he never attended a summer camp before last week, making his time in Laguna Beach extra special. CEO of the Club, Pam Estes, added, “We were thrilled to have RJ experience summer camp at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach this summer, where he played, went to the beach and saw tide pools, made new friends – all while connecting with caring mentors in a safe and supportive environment. We hope to see him back next year!” Summer registration for the Club is ongoing through August 24, with award-winning after-school fall programming beginning after Labor Day. Visit www.bgclagunabeach.org or contact (949) 494-2535 for more information.
Photo: Camper, “RJ”, Credit: BGC Laguna Beach
About The Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach 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 65 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.
