By Craig Marx, Editor

The Boys & Girls Club of Langlade County has been bustling as of late even with its day-to-day routines. Come next week, however, the Club will be especially festive as it celebrates National Boys & Girls Club Week with five days of activities and showcases.

The week begins with Monday’s open house, entitled “Open the Door to Academic Success.” Focusing on advancing education while still having fun, the opening ceremonies are open to the public (from 4 PM to 6 PM) and include a Club proclamation to kick things off at 3:45 PM, followed by the announcement of the Youth of the Year title. Activities include both a spelling bee and sports trivia.

Tuesday sees the Teen Takeover of the Club, where the responsibility of running the activities for the day falls upon the older generation of the Club’s members. The teens will have a dodgeball tournament and a Nerf gun war to keep themselves busy while the younger Club members have the chance to go to the Clara R. McKenna Aquatic Center for the day.

On Wednesday, the Club will be “Opening the Door to Good Character and Citizenship.” Groups of members will be out and about around Antigo cleaning up trash while others at the Club can work on Easter cards. Older members will also express the Club’s appreciation for the community by calling donors and thanking them for their support.

Thursday puts emphasis on fitness and health with the Club’s “Opening the Door to a Healthy Lifestyle” theme. Members will participate in a fitness challenge and can compete in the Club-a-thon lap race, along with zumba and yoga instruction to stay fit.

“Opening the Door to the Arts” is Friday’s attraction to end the week of celebration. Aspiring young Club artists will be hosting their own art show, of which is open to the public for judging. The community is encouraged to come and take a look at their favorite works of art from perhaps the next Bob Ross found right at our own local Club.

“This is a really good opportunity for people to come in and see the Club and see what we are doing here,” said teen services coordinator David Harris.

With only two months left in the school year, the Boys & Girls Club of Langlade County is already registering for its very popular Sizzlin’ Summer Camp. The Club currently has more applicants through the end of March, roughly 60 thus far, than it has had in any of the previous seasons of the summer session to date.

The Boys & Girls Club will be expanding its summer camp to help further its members’ education as well. Working in tandem with the Unified School District of Antigo and its summer school courses, the two organizations will be working in cooperation to provide more experience-based education for summertime Club participants with the Antigo Adventure Camp. Members will have the opportunity to visit summer classes and receive instruction, while Club supervisors will have the chance to work with students and teach as well.

Registration is currently underway for the summer camp. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to sign up before rates increase on April 1st. Applicants can register either in person at the Club building (411 Superior Street) or online at www.bgclang.org. Rates listed before April 1 are $375 for the first child and $325 for any additional applicants.

As the Club heads into April, the Corks, Forks, and Brews event will surely bring the Kentuckian out in anyone. Held at Swartzendruber’s on April 22 (beginning at 6 PM), the “Night at the Derby” event features Southern-inspired hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in addition to local craft beers and cheeses. Make sure to bring your finest sunhats and derbies, as a hat and tie contest awaits surrogate Southerners.

The cost is $50 per person for the Corks, Forks, and Brews event in advance and $60 at the door, with all proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club of Langlade County. Live and silent auctions will also be available for bids. Tickets are available either at Swartzendruber’s Supper Club (1315 Forrest Ave) or at the Club building.

Attendance continues to grow as the Club keeps positively impacting young lives. Per the Club’s annual report for the 2016 year, the Langlade County chapter was averaging 92 members per day. Recently, as many as 106 area youths frequented the Club in the month of February.