May 4, 2009 - Nearly 300 guests - including Mayors and City Council members from East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Redwood City, educators, donors, and friends - packed into the Boys & Girls Club in East Palo Alto Saturday night to play like children.
Their behavior was truly appropriate for the Club's 7th annual Be a Kid for a Night event. Throughout the evening guests participated in games, sports, and educational activities like Jeopardy and Boys & Girls Clubs Idol where guests recorded their own songs and left with a personalized CD.
Dinner commenced with a warm welcome by 2008 Youth of the Year, Julia Cook, introducing her successor, 2009 Youth of the Year, Elisabeth Barragan, who served as the evening's emcee. Guests were treated to inspiring performances by Club member Janay Scott singing God Bless America and Ulysses Torres and Jessie Arias, two 2nd graders from the Club's Mervin G. Morris Clubhouse, performing How I've Changed -- both receiving standing ovations.
Following dinner, East Palo Alto Police Chief, Ron Davis, spoke about the important role that the Club plays in the community and how education is the key to success of all children. Davis went on to encourage guests to support the Club noting that California is currently determining prisons to be built based, in-part, on the number of 3rd graders failing in reading. Redwood City Mayor, Rosanne Foust, James Flood School Principal, Cammie Harris, and Cañada College President, Tom Mohr, echoed Davis' sentiments.
Their comments and the overall Be a Kid for a Night experience must have resonated because during the ensuing Fund a Need session, guests pledged more than $160,000 to support Club programs including College Bound, Athletics, Teen and Art. Below are some memorable moments from the event. The Club is enormously grateful to Board members and event co-chairs, Amy Boyle and Andrea Gandolfo, event sponsors, and all the Club's staff and youth that helped to make this year's Be a Kid for a Night the best ever.
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