The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, which has locations in both Port Angeles and Sequim, is nearly $87,000 richer after the Campaign For Kids fundraiser blew past its $70,000 goal for 2010.

The amount raised could increase even more because checks have continued to come in after the Aug. 31 ending of the campaign, said Mary Budke, director of the Sequim unit and interim executive director for the organization.

Campaign leader Jodi Olson said she learned during the months of fundraising what sells the clubs to the public.

“In this economy, people are willing to give money where they can see a result,” Olson said.

November fundraiser

The organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year is still to come, according to Stephen Rosales, volunteer special events coordinator at the Sequim club.

That will be the 22nd annual Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula Auction and Dinner at the Sequim unit of the organization on Saturday, Nov. 13.

The theme this year is Rumble in the Jungle.

The Campaign for Kids started out with a big splash, the Spring Fling, at the Sequim and Port Angeles clubs on April 1.

The effort finished with a weekend phone-a-thon on July 30 and Aug. 1, in which community members who had given in the past, and parents of children who use the club, were contacted.

The clubs charge children who participate in after-school activities and summer events $30 annually.

More informative

“The biggest difference this year was, we tried to do an event that was more informative,” Olson said.

Olson and Budke said much of the campaign was to educate families and seniors in the community that the clubs are “definitely not the drop-off-your-kids-so-they-can-be-baby-sat-for-a-few-hours” kind of place.

“There are a wide variety of people there, including seniors,” Olson said, adding that the club offers classes for seniors on-site in Sequim.

“Any time you walk into the building, you see a variety of ages.”

The club has subclubs, including those for chess, Spanish and even teaching children about money matters.

The total expense budget for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Olympic Peninsula for 2010 is $963,480, Stacy Ceder, resource development director, has said.

During the school year, the Sequim Boys & Girls Club serves more than 300 children from the ages of 5 to 18 each day.

About 75 are served at the Mount Angeles Unit at 2620 S. Francis St., Port Angeles.

The Sequim unit at 400 W. Fir St., has about 30,000 square feet.

It is equipped with a games room, art room, computer lab, library, gym, teen center, KinderKids classroom and cafeteria.

The Mount Angeles Unit is equipped with a games room, art room, education and technology center, and an outside play area.

During the Rumble in the Jungle fundraiser, doors will open at 5 p.m.

Dinner will begin at 7 p.m. The auction will start at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $100 per person, $800 for a table of eight or $1,000 for a corporate table of eight.

Reservations can be made through phoning Ceder at 360-683-8095.

For more information about Sequim club, phone 360-683-8095.

For information about the Port Angeles club, phone 360-417-2831.

More details about both clubs are available online at www.PositivePlaceforKids.net.

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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.