Click on an image below to read real stories from the people who have benefited
from the programs and services offered by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

When Richard Dexter burst into the William J. Oakes Branch, chasing a Club member with the intention of beating him up, Luis Sosa, Site Supervisor, stopped Richard to calm him down. While Luis and Area Director Holland Conneely attempted to talk with Richard, he acted as though he was not listening.

Looking back on that day, Richard remembers, "My attitude was: if you're on top, you have to stay on top; you have to be the most feared person on the street. That boy had [disrespected] me and I had no choice but to beat him up for it. Now I realize that it wasn't the way to solve problems. The Boys & Girls Club gave me a chance…" Reflecting on his progress, Richard states, "In here I improved as a person. When I first started coming to the Club, I tried to bring that street life in with me. One of the Club staff members told me, 'You're not out on the streets. The streets are out there. You're in the Club now. In here, we're civilized.' I thought about those words and began to turn things around in many parts of my life.

"At first I thought the Club had too many rules. Then I came to find out that the rules are there for a simple reason: they give everyone a chance to be safe. I realized that the club is a place to relax and be safe. If I would have stayed out there I would have been hurt by now or in a gang for sure."

"In school, I have really turned my life around in the last year. I almost failed 7th grade from playing around too much and trying to be big on the streets," Richard admitted. The Club provided him with a place that he could do his home-work. "I began to see that school is the key to my future. I began to buckle down. Homework became my priority."

Friends became his second priority and he would let them know he needed to get homework done before hanging out. "They laughed at me, but I proved that you can be cool and smart. Now I try to hang out with people like me, who have goals," Richard stated.

Long before his successful career as an architect, his seven years on the City Council and his eleven years on the County Board of Supervisors, Ron Roberts spent his days at the Club in Linda Vista.

As an early member of what was then known as the Boys Clubs of San Diego, Ron made friends, learned leadership skills and got involved in a variety of activities. Ron has this to say about the experience, "In the mid-fifties, Linda Vista was making the transition from a federal government housing project to a community of privately owned residences. At that time, there were few supervised after school programs. Many youngsters tried to fill these hours as best they could, but the opening of the Boys Club solved this problem for me and many of my friends."

"Ping pong, pool, the woodshop, and athletics all served as a giant magnet to fill every free hour throughout the year with healthy activities. The Boys & Girls Clubs are still providing healthy options for youngsters in these critical ages." The Club has many successful alumni who fondly recall their youthful days at the Club. We are proud to include Supervisor Roberts in that group.

After nearly two decades as a successful architect, Ron left the private sector for the opportunity to serve the city he has called home for more than fifty years. From the City Council, Ron went on to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors where he represents the multi-ethnic Fourth District. Ron has always had a passion to help the less fortunate, especially at-risk children. In 1997, he helped launch the groundbreaking Critical Hours after-school program to keep middle school students on track and off the streets.

Ron also helped develop several youth facilities, including the new Clairemont Skatepark and the recently-opened library, gym and teen center multiplex in Spring Valley. Also, thanks to Ron's leadership, the Linda Vista Teen Center that was once just a dream was officially opened in October 2005.

Like many single parents today, it was hard for Luisa to make ends meet. Moving to a new city, finding a job to support her two children, and making sure that her family was safe and well looked after simply wasn't a possibility until Luisa found the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Luisa Bishop-Lenart and her two children, Samantha and Jonah, moved to United States from the Philippines. New to the city, and with two young children, it was hard to find time to look for a job. Luisa's sister told Luisa about the Boys Girls Clubs and how club services would be able to help. Luisa looked into Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

With help from the staff, Luisa enrolled her children in the Child Development program at the Mitchell branch, using a Boys & Girls Club scholarship. "The staff was very friendly and always answered my questions. They gave me the help I needed to really get settled in a new city," said Luisa. The scholarship made it possible for Luisa to focus on her job search, knowing that her children were in a safe and supervised environment.

Luisa did not waste any time, and within one week of her children's enrolment into the Club, she secured a job. In order to help Luisa to get on her feet financially, the Club continued to keep Samantha and Jonah on the scholarship for a few months. Today, Luisa and her family are off of the scholarship and continue to enjoy the now familiar benefits of the Boys & Girls Clubs.

"This is why we are here, to help out children and their families. Success stories like Luisa's reaffirm our belief that our services are necessary and appreciated," said Danny Sherlock, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

Growing up in Linda Vista was never easy. Mom always did her best to provide us with the essentials in life…but that wasn’t always possible. My brother, K.C. and I always knew mom did her best to keep us safe and sheltered from the streets. Even with all of her love and affection it still wasn’t enough to keep my older brother, K.C. out of the gang lifestyle. He decided to follow in the footsteps of some of the other male members in our family. My brother was only 15 years old when he was killed on the streets of Linda Vista. I was about 6 years old when it happened. A rival gang, “Mission Bay Locos,” would come to our neighborhood to cause trouble.

This particular night, in front of my family’s eyes, they did more than cause trouble. They took my brother’s life. The gang drove a car down my street with the lights off. When they drove by our house, they fired off gunshots. One of the bullets hit K.C. directly in the heart. With his last breath, he directed his final words at me. Even though his words seemed inaudible at the time, I understand them loud and clear now as a teenager. It was his last testament, “Follow the right path!” That night still seems like a bad dream filled with many tears, sirens, a bullet, blood, and police tape criss-crossing my street. As a six year-old, I didn’t fully understand the events that happened that night, but the course of my life would be forever changed.

Basically, I hit a crossroads at the early age of six: join the gang lifestyle or join the Boys & Girls Club. There were very few choices in Linda Vista at the time. Even though the Boys and Girls Club was available for my brother, he decided to follow the wrong path, the path of the street. I guess hanging out with “little kids” wasn’t “cool.” He made the wrong choice and me being here is evidence of me making the right one.

My early days at the Club were vital. I was looking for a safe place to call home. The Club took me in without question and gave me a sense of belonging that I very much needed. You see, the gangs of Linda Vista claim to offer the same sense of belonging, but that is clearly an illusion…an illusion where I had personally seen the end result. The Boys & Girls Club became my second home and I firmly believe it helped shape the positive character that I have today.

I have been a member of the Club for 12 years. Now, I am here at the Linda Vista Teen Center most days where I have found a venue to create my music. I hung in there with the Boys & Girls Club and followed all the rules. I now feel rewarded because I am living the dream of making my own music in the recording studio. I feel blessed to be a part of something positive. My music is my voice as I spread the good word about following the right path, and right at this moment that means being here at the Teen Center. That fateful night, I witnessed the loss of my brother, but now, at the Boys & Girls Club, I witness the positive difference in the Linda Vista youth. I can’t bring my brother back, but I might be able to help save others.