The first donation from a local benefactor of the Bristol Boys and Girls Club was presented to the club earlier this month.
The inaugural grant of $7,000 of the Ann Gudegast Fund for the Bristol Boys and Girls Club that was celebrated in a program on March 13 will support programs like the clubs, “SMART Girls: Giving Girls Confidence Program.”
This program welcomes girls ages 8-12 to participate in 10 sessions of activities and experiences that equip them with critical knowledge and skills in the areas of physical health and wellness, mental health, self-esteem, academics, careers and building positive relationships, according to a release from the Main Street Community Foundation which administers the fund.
In addition to the small-group sessions that encourage the girls to express their individuality through discussions, hands-on activities, and role-plays, the girls also get to enjoy specially selected field trips that explore opportunities that would benefit youth participants, like the Bristol Police Department, Bristol Fire Department and other local community partners.
Ann Gudegast
“Ann, a lifelong Bristol resident, established this fund because she spent much of her youth at the Bristol Girls Club and the experiences there shaped who she is today,” an email from the Main Street Community Foundation’s scholarship and program officer Samantha Rajotte that accompanied the release says. “In establishing this fund, she wanted to provide the same help and opportunities to young women and girls that she was given when she was growing up.”
Gudegast established the Fund in 2023.
At the Bristol Girls Club, Gudegast developed friendships, attended summer camp, and learned to cook and sew, according to the rerlease.. Both of her parents worked, so living close by to the Club gave her the opportunity to benefit from the many programs they offered. She has stated that, “Of all the things I’ve been grateful for in my life, one of them would definitely be the Girls Club.”
With the annual grant for this designated fund, Gudegast provides a legacy that allows club members to experience the same help and opportunities she was given when she was growing up, among these are programs and services that will assist young women and girls in developing healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, self-confidence, financial literacy, education attainment and participation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities.
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