Special Events

Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Boys & Girls Club Named First ‘Promise Place’ In Northern Virginia By America's Promise Alliance

Designation Commemorated by Installment of New Youth Garden as part of President Obama’s United We Serve Initiative

ALEXANDRIA, VA—America's Promise Alliance (the Alliance) today announced that the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Boys & Girls Club (the Club) has been designated a Promise Place. A Promise Place is any school, community center, place of worship, business, or organization that provides youth with the Alliance's Five Promises - caring adults; safe places; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others - under one roof.

To commemorate the event, Alliance Chair Alma Powell, Club officials and Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille joined with children and youth from the Club and volunteers from the U.S. Department of State and Alliance staff to construct a new garden on site at the Club. This garden project is part of the Alliance's support of President Obama's summer service initiative “United We Serve” and will help provide an educational and healthy foods experience for the hundreds of young people served by the Club. The youth on site helped construct the garden which includes everything from fruits and vegetables to herbs and flowers.

“It’s an honor for the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Club to be named the first Promise Place in Northern Virginia,” said Jim Almond, area director, Alexandria-Fairfax County Region, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. “For more than 70 years we've proudly served the children and youth of this community and as we prepare to unveil a newly renovated club this fall, this garden will be symbol of a new era of growth and hope for our young people.”

As a Promise Place, the Club has earned the distinction of becoming a local Alliance Partner. In addition to receiving a certificate of achievement and a decal identifying it as a Promise Place, the Club will join a network of dozens of other Promise Places both locally and nationwide to share and receive information on how best to provide more Promises to local youth.

“If we are going to truly change outcomes for our young people then we have got to start approaching their development in a holistic sense. This success model is embodied in Promise Places like the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Boys & Girls Club,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America’s Promise Alliance. “By offering young people all of the services they need—under one roof—we are exponentially increasing the chances that they'll receive the support they need, and succeed.”

The Alliance's research brief Every Child, Every Promise found that children receiving four of the Five Promises are far more likely to be successful, twice as likely to get A's, twice as likely to avoid violence and 40 percent more likely to volunteer. Moreover, the research showed that receiving four out of five of these basic resources has the potential to level the playing field for youth across racial and economic lines.

The United We Serve initiative began on June 22, 2009 and will culminate on September 11, 2009 as a national day of service and remembrance. The initiative is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (the Corporation), a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities though volunteering and service. More information about United We Serve can be found at: www.Serve.gov.



About America's Promise Alliance
America's Promise Alliance is the nation's largest partnership alliance comprised of corporations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, policymakers, advocacy and faith groups committed to ensuring that children receive the fundamental resources - the Five Promises - they need to lead successful, healthy and productive lives and build a stronger society. Building on the legacy of our founder General Colin Powell, the Alliance believes the success of our children is grounded in experiencing the Five Promises - caring adults; safe places; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others—at home, in school and in the community. For more information about America's Promise Alliance, visit www.americaspromise.org.

12th Annual “Fore” the Kids Golf Tournament to be held on September 29th

The Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington has announced its 12th Annual “Fore” the Kids Golf Tournament. The event will be held on Monday, September 29, 2008 at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria; all proceeds will benefit the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Club.

The annual “Fore” the Kids Golf Tournament is one of the Club’s signature events; sponsors and players are urged to make early commitments by completing the forms contained at the end of our sponsor-player brochure.

Participants paying by check should send completed forms and a check made payable to Alexandria Boys & Girls Club to: Ms. Virginia O’Brien Record, 1174 North Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1456. Credit card payments may be made by completing the appropriate section of the attached forms and returning them either by mail to Ms. Record at the above address or by email to: virginia@thevorgroup.com.

For further information, please call 703-836-2920, or send an email to events@aobgc.org.

Download our sponsorship brouchure here!

Cinco De Mayo Celebration a Grand Success

A Cinco de Mayo celebration to benefit the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington was held at the Old Dominion Boat Club on Saturday, May 3. Over 150 people attended.

Chaired by Mary Burner, Dayna Blumel, Peggy McCoy and Erik Koster – all Alexandria Boys & Girls Club Board members – the event was co-sponsored by the Old Dominion Boat Club, Smith Barney, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), GCM Incorporated-New Home Builders, Abbey Carpets, and Signs By Tomorrow. The outstanding food was sponsored by Austin Grill, Southside 815, Los Tios & The Margarita Man. 

Guest bartender Glenn Morrill was on deck serving beer, wine, and margaritas, generously provided by The Margarita Man. Edsall Road treated guests to Irish as well as Latin tunes. A silent auction and 50-50 raffle rounded out the evening's activities.

The celebration raised over $7,200 in net proceeds to support the Club's programs. This is an annual event to support the Alexandria Boys & Girls Clubs.  Plans are already in the works for next year's celebration.

Thanks to all who participated.

Download our event flyer here!

Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Branch members participate in First Bloom Project

WASHINGTON, DC – National Park Foundation President and CEO Vin Cipolla and the Foundation’s first Honorary Chairwoman Mrs. Laura Bush announced the participation of First Bloom in the White House Garden Tours. The Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Branch of Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington was honored by being selected to participate. A small group of children from the Club served as the activity leaders. By allowing these children to teach other children about First Bloom and the activity, they were able to spread their knowledge and enthusiasm among their peers. Adult volunteers were also be on hand to supervise the children and assist in the activity.

Launched by Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, and the first National Park Foundation Honorary Chair, in tribute to the environmental leadership of Lady Bird Johnson, the First Bloom project links city youth to America’s natural heritage in powerful and potentially life-changing ways. Working with local groups, children learn how to protect fragile eco-systems by planting and tending native species in our national parks. Bringing the lessons home, they also help design and care for native plant gardens in their own neighborhoods. The First Bloom project is well underway in five pilot cities: Austin, TX; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC.

In an effort to raise awareness for First Bloom and the importance of environmental stewardship, the National Park Foundation hosted a First Bloom activity area during the White House Garden Tours held April 12-13, 2008. The First Bloom activity area, which was stationed near the southwest Gate, invited all children on the Garden Tour to learn about First Bloom and participate in a seeding activity. Each child received his or her own “eco-tainer,” a compostable and biodegradable paper cup, and instruction on how to plant a seed in the cup. The seeds used for the activity were “Goldstorm Coneflower,” a flower native to the region. The seeded cups will remain with the First Bloom program, and will be planted in a First Bloom garden at the LBJ Memorial Grove in late April 2008.

Six Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Club Members Earn Guitars Through National Guitars Not Guns® Music Program

Six members of the Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Branch and two members from the Brent Place Club completed and passed their tests in the Guitars Not Guns® Music Program.

Guitars Not Guns® Music Program is a national initiative designed to dissuade young people from becoming involved with guns and violence by interesting them in playing a musical Instrument. Founded in Georgia in 1992, Guitars not Guns® now operates chapters in 12 states, including the Commonwealth of Virginia. The program also has a chapter in Canada.

Brent Place was the first Club to participate, and Alexandria was second. The program has since spread to two clubs in Fairfax, one in Prince William, and one in Fredericksburg.

The Alexandria-Fairfax Region salutes its young people for displaying their proficiency in playing the guitar and for turning away from guns and violence.

The youth who passed their tests and received guitars were: Samirah, Mannan, Hattan, Destiny, Shayla, Deja, Cornelius and Devonte. The staff pictured are Alston Waller and Khalil Ahmed.