
This year marks the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County’s 35th annual KidsFest Auction, which will be held Friday, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bellingham Boys & Girls Club.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County is simple: to serve the kids who need the Clubs most, enabling them to become productive, caring, responsible citizens.
But making that happen is an immense undertaking – and one that relies heavily on support from the community.
“We’re growing future teachers, city workers, military, hospice workers,” says Jill Reid, Bellingham Branch Director. “We’re teaching the kids about compassion and giving back to the community.”
This is done through effective after-school programs focused on youth development, as well as youth athletic programs.
Any child living in Whatcom County can become a Boys & Girls Club member for just $30 a year. Membership entitles youth to after-school programs that include a healthy prepared meal and a plethora of enriching activities – from education to art, computers to games – that keep them engaged, entertained, and on the path to continuing to make the right choices.
“On average, we serve about 400 kids a day through our after-school program and through our athletics,” says Reid. Whatcom County Clubs serve 3,500 children every year.
The Clubs rely heavily on volunteers to help coach athletic teams, but also to help run science activities and small-group curriculum in after-school programs.

And the dollars necessary to help fund the facilities, programming, meals, and so much more is nearly all provided by the community.
“We’re not at all subsidized by the government,” Reid explains. “We have some city grants, but 95 percent of our funding comes from local businesses and local donors.”
Our local businesses and community members have long been supportive of and generous with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County.
“But because we’re serving more kids now than ever, the need is always greater than ever,” says Reid. Additionally, the Clubs are always looking to do even better, which means looking at greater opportunities and strengthening programs and infrastructure – and with that comes higher expenses.
Studies show that kids who go to a Boys & Girls Club versus those who don’t get involved with an after-school program are really giving back. Boys & Girls Club supporters know their investment today will pay off in wonderful ways throughout their community in the future.
The upcoming KidsFest auction is the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County’s biggest fundraising event of the year and always looked forward to by attendees.
This year’s event will begin when guests walk through the doors of the Bellingham Boys & Girls Club branch, where they’ll be given the new (speedy) option to express pay, and then handed chilled champagne and delectable appetizers. Club kids will be there to greet them.
Hilltop Restaurant & Catering will serve a tantalizing menu featuring chicken Jerusalem and flank steak with gluten-free and vegetarian sides, followed by the auction itself, let by Brady Hammerich from Stokes Auctions.

An array of fantastic silent and live auction items will be up for bid – from smaller items, such as manicures and pedicures, to larger packages such as timeshare opportunities and fishing trips on Bellingham Bay.
Reid says that many of this year’s donated items are focused on locavore opportunities and packages.
“Our community is so gracious,” says Reid. “Small businesses around here really do pull it off for us because of their investment in our kids.”
One of this year’s KidsFest auction items is a local hike for eight, hosted by Dave Mauro, hiker, financial planner and improv actor who has scaled each of the Seven Summits.
Mauro raised more than $30,000 for our Boys & Girls Clubs last year during his “Climbing for Kids” campaign, after climbing Mount Everest.
“He’ll spin tales of his hikes far and wide,” says Reid. “He’s just amazing and so generous.” Mauro also helps raise money for the Phoenix Boys & Girls Club.
As it has done for more than 15 years, Key Bank is the KidsFest Title Sponsor.
“Community is key for Key Bank, who really invests in the Boys & Girls Club,” says Reid. “Their people are on our advisory committee, on our boards; they have the boots on the ground to make sure they’re putting their money where their mouth is.”

Additional local businesses and organizations also help make the event a success.
For more information, visit whatcomclubs.org or contact Jill Reid.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County KidsFest Auction
April 25, 2014
1715 Kentucky Street
Bellingham, WA 98229
Tickets: $75 per person, $150 per couple
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.