Oyster roast set
Published 11:24 pm Friday, September 20, 2013
The Suffolk Unit of the Boys and Girls Club is serving more children than ever before, and plans an oyster roast fundraiser in two weeks to help fund the program.
The unit, which operates at John F. Kennedy Middle School, has been serving more than 100 children each day this school year, director Reggie Carter said.
“We’re in the high stratosphere as far as serving more kids,” he said. “Of course, the need is even greater. We still need to be able to keep things going.”
The club is open every school day from the time school lets out until 8 p.m. Parents can pick up their children anytime they like, but in the meantime children get time to do homework, dinner and enrichment activities. During the summer, the club is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the kids get lunch and a snack.
“Everything has been happening great here, and the staff has been doing a phenomenal job,” Carter said. “We’re keeping them engaged and excited and impacted.”
The after-school program costs parents only $15 per month.
“There are a lot of opportunities,” Carter said.
Tickets for the oyster roast, which will also include barbecue, fixings and beverages, are $25. Sponsorships ranging from $250 to $5,000 are available.
The Oct. 5 event begins at 5 p.m. at Constant’s Wharf. The Island Boy band will perform, and members of the club will make a presentation.
“This is a community thing, it’s not just a Boys and Girls Club thing,” Carter said. “All these kids are kids from the community.”