This past weekend was a busy one for Club members and staff. The weekend started off with the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder’s meeting at the Qwest Center. Throughout the day members of the Development and Admin teams, along with Club members and Alumni worked alongside representatives from Coca-Cola to sell commemorative Coca-Cola bottles marking the 125th anniversary of the Coke brand. All proceeds are going to the Clubs. Thank you Coke! click here for photos

Saturday was capped off by Youth Day at TD Ameritrade Park, where the Creighton Bluejays baseball team took on the Bradley Braves on a beautiful evening……over 400 Club members, staff and volunteers from North, South, Carter Lake, Westside, Mount View, Council Bluffs & Morton attended the game. There were lots of smiles and everyone seemed to have a great time! Creighton beat Bradley 10-1. click here for photos

The energy and activities carried over into Sunday as the Clubs set up and ran lemonade stands as a part of Lemonade Day. Stands were open from noon to 5 pm and ranged from Sam’s Club to Wal-mart to a neighborhood corner to Hy-Vee to a bank parking lot. Common themes from the events were big smiles, lots of enthusiasm and lemonade. Our groups were creative and energetic and did a great job! click here for photos

These fun and exciting events are just a preview of what is to come this summer! click here for Club membership registration

On Wednesday April 20th, 18 Members and 2 staff of the South Unit were invited to Creighton University for an Easter Egg Hunt. The members were very excited to see all the eggs partially hidden in a garden area. After a countdown, the members rushed to fill their bags with the wonderful treasures hidden amongst them.

After all the eggs were located, the kids were invited to stay and participate in other activities, like coloring in Easter-themed books provided by Creighton, drawing on the sidewalks with chalk, and a very long and exciting game of tag. The members were also visited by the Easter Bunny, which made them very happy. Thank you to Creighton University and the students who participated for a wonderful afternoon!

Click here to see photos on the BGCM Facebook page

Records are made to be broken and a Guinness World Record was likely shattered thanks to the help of kids right here in Omaha, Carter Lake and Council Bluffs. On March 22, more than 460 members from all seven Units of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands joined their peers from more than 1,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to break the Guinness World Record for the most people doing “jumping jacks” – or “star jumps. While the threat of severe weather forced the event to be moved from the Omaha South High School indoors to the South Unit gymnasium, Club members and volunteers still arrived in droves to take part in this special event.

As part of National Boys & Girls Club Week (March 20-26), Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) embarked on this initiative with its Clubs across the country through the organization’s Triple Play program to encourages kids to eat healthier, become more physically active and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships.

“Healthy habits are so important, especially to our youth. The positive choices they make now can have a great impact on their future,” said Ivan Gilreath, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands. “Our Triple Play program is one tool we use to help them make those choices.”

To break the current record, more than 278 kids needed to complete the attempt. While the official verdict will come from Guinness in a couple of weeks, all indications are that, with roughly 20,000 taking part across the country, the record has already been broken.

Nearly one-third of children and teens in the U.S. are obese or overweight, according to multiple studies. Children and adults can avoid these devastating diseases by adopting and maintaining healthy habits early on. Jumping jacks are called star jumps in some countries, because the arms, legs and head form a five-pointed star. The record is defined as, “the most people star jumping simultaneously at multiple venues for two consecutive minutes,” according to Guinness World Records.

Guinness World Records defines the Star Jumps (Jumping Jacks) record as, “This record is for the most people Star Jumping (Jumping Jacks) simultaneously at multiple venues for two consecutive minutes.” Jumping Jacks are called Star Jumps in some countries because the arms, legs and head form a five-pointed star.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands will join Clubs from around the country during National Boys & Girls Club Week in an attempt to break this world record. At the event, each participant will begin the Star Jumps at the exact same time as everyone else in the country and jump for two minutes nonstop.

This attempt to break the world record will bring attention to the importance of young people living healthy, active lifestyles and how Boys & Girls Clubs help fill this need every day. Clubs do this through programs like Triple Play, BGCA’s proven health and wellness program that encourages kids to eat healthier, become more physically active and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships.