Boys & Girls Club: Fill the Treasure Chest

When Robert Ballard goes exploring off the coast of Italy in November, he may not find treasure. But he will be helping to create treasure for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria.

Dr. Katy Croff Bell, chief scientist of Ballard E/V Nautilus Exploration Program, will be the featured speaker at the Boys and Girls Clubs' annual Fill The Treasure Chest Dinner on Nov. 12 at Mt. Hawley Country Club. During the program that night, she and dinner guests will chat live with Ballard and the crew of the Nautilus while it sends its robotic vehicle Hercules to the ocean floor, said Lesley Matuszak, executive director.

The children served by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Peoria already got to experience live chats with the Nautilus more than a year ago when it sent Hercules exploring off the coast of Istanbul. Amy Sickinger, the club's program coordinator, was aboard the Nautilus at the time.

"Our goal this year is to show other things we do at Boys & Girls Clubs to try and get the kids immersed in activities that are different than they are used to, things like science and technology activities that otherwise might not be attainable to them," Matuszak said. "This will certainly do that."

Ballard, who discovered the wreckage of the Titanic in 1985 and other famous ships later, kind of adopted the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Peoria in 2010 through a connection with Caterpillar Inc. He uses Caterpillar-made thrusters on the Nautilus and came to Peoria and toured the B & G Clubs, Matuszak said.

Ballard offered then to have a club staff member come to the University of Rhode Island for training and then to be on the Nautilus during the Istanbul exploration. Sickinger was picked by Matuszak because of her relationship with the kids of the club.

"Because of that, Amy and Bob Ballard were answering our kids' questions over the Internet in real time, which was regular hours here and the wee hours of the morning there. It was an experience for everybody," she said. "That's why he said he would do it again the night of Fill the Treasure Chest."

Fill the Treasure Chest is the top fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria, even though it is only in its ninth year. Matuszak started it the year she came on board at the Clubs and it now raises more than $80,000 each year.

"When I came here the Clubs didn't have very many vehicles in place for raising money. We needed to find a way to showcase our children and to get our civic and business leaders interested and involved. We also needed a venue for rewarding those who give of themselves to our effort. We called it Fill the Treasure Chest because to us, that means filling our kids with hope and opportunities," she said.

Awards that will be presented are the Caterpillar Childrens Charities Award, which Matuszak said is the club's flagship award and one that is recognized by the National Boys & Girls Club; the What Matters Award that recognizes a Heart of Illinois United Way agency for its work for the Boys & Girls Clubs; the Nick and Dr. Sandra Adkins Community Education Award and the Pat Sullivan Community Service Award.

Matuszak said award recipients are not those who give the most money. "It recognizing those who give of themselves, their time and effort. I'll gladly accept a check from them if they want, but that's not what these awards are about," she said.

The chief sponsors of the dinner are Joe Van Fleet of Van Fleet Law Offices and Lee Graves, president of ELM LLC and the chairman of the board for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria.

Also, Matuszak said, Dr. Norman Johnson and his wife Brenda celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in October and asked those who attended a party in their honor to make a donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs in lieu of gifts.

Tickets for the dinner are $150 each and tables of eight, 10 or 12 are available. There will be a silent auction and a raffle, as well. The dinner will be dishes from Northern Italy.

Other fund raising events for the Boys & Girls Clubs include the annual Fourth of July Family Fest. Each year Pat Sullivan, owner of Kelleher's Irish Pub and a long-time club director, closes off the street and parking lot in front of Kelleher's on Water Street. Families and friends then rent spaces in the lot where they can put chairs or tables and relax while waiting for the fireworks to start. Vendors sell food and drinks and live music plays throughout the evening. Last summer the event raised more than $60,000.

Each August the Clubs host a golf outing, raffles for Valentine's Day (cash prizes) and St. Patrick's Day (a trip for two to Ireland) and in April Wayne Baum hosts a Movie Extravaganza, which has a theme and guests are invited to dress in costume to fit that theme. Food and drink are provided.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Peoria

Who We Are
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria is a local affiliate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America — the nation's oldest and largest organization. With more than 3,400 local clubs in all fifty states, more than 4 million children are served annually by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Our Mission
It is our primary mission to enable all young people, especially those in at–risk circumstances, to realize their full potential.

By the Numbers
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria currently gives support, guidance and hope to 1,500+ youths ages 6 to 18 years old.

Our Programs
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria offers several programs for the youth it serves.

For more information
Administrative office:
806 E. Kansas,
Peoria IL 61603
(309) 685-6007
www.bgcpeoria.org

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