Club Connect
Spring 2025

I can be myself when I'm with the girls in this room.

– BGC Ottawa Member

GAL Pals and Sisterhood do just that. They are led by female staff – tremendous mentors and role models who genuinely care about our Members. Together, they work diligently to create a safe, inclusive space, help build self-esteem, develop resiliency, and form leadership skills that empower girls beyond their time in the program. Their goal is to prepare all participants for lifelong success.

It’s a great feeling to have people I can trust and share my problems with. Someone who gets me and is going through the same things that I am.

– BGC Ottawa Member

“Our Sisterhood programs are some of our most popular programs at the Clubhouse,” said Taggart Parkes Clubhouse Manager Tammy Laroque. “I have noticed shy Members become more engaged and expressive. I have also observed Members learning to get along and engage with others that they weren’t close with. The personal growth and development in a relatively short period of time has been remarkable.”

It’s easy to open up when it’s fun, like playing Truth or Dare Jenga or Human Bingo.

– BGC Ottawa Member

Programming touches on all four of BGC Ottawa’s Pillars of Programming, with conversations about health, personal hygiene, hair care, changing roles and responsibilities, fashion and the world around them. They learn new skills such as pottery and painting, take part in yoga, fitness classes and girls-only sports.

GAL Pals and Sisterhood go beyond temporary solutions by addressing the root causes that limit girls’ participation and development, particularly those from priority neighbourhoods, low-income families, and marginalized communities.

Getting the opportunity to learn how to properly care for my hair and braid it, made me feel good about myself.

– BGC Ottawa Member

“Through these programs, we can be proactive and can intervene at the right moment in their lives to ensure they have the tools for success,” said Sabrina. “That’s why making these programs special, giving them a reason to visit the Clubhouse regularly, and providing them with a safe space to celebrate who they are is so important.”

With the successful roll-out and impact of GAL Pals and Sisterhood, we are working hard to bring the programs to all four clubhouses. With your support, our goal is to offer the program two times per week, providing consistent, empowering opportunities for girls to engage in personal growth. The program will also include out-trips to participate in special community events and activities in the broader Ottawa community.

By fostering safe, inclusive and empowering environments, we will continue to bridge the equity gap, helping girls grow into confident leaders ready to make a positive impact.

But thanks to your generous support – and incredible volunteers like Samar Tabbara – we feed hungry minds. We guarantee that our Members will have the fuel they need to complete their homework and enjoy our programs to their fullest extent.

“I really enjoy working at the Clubhouse,” said Samar. “I feel at home. All the volunteers and staff love what they are doing. They are passionate about what they do and want to make a difference in the lives of many. I enjoy leading and participating in a lot of activities around the Clubhouse – but cooking, especially pizza, makes both the kids and me happy. I’m grateful to be part of the team, help fill hungry tummies, and to be a community builder.”

If you are looking for a fulfilling role at BGC Ottawa – and an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children and youth – please consider joining our volunteer team.

For more information, visit www.bgcottawa.org/get-involved/volunteer or email Melissa Marion at MMarion@bgcottawa.org.

This milestone means that renovations to SOM Hall are officially moving forward. The construction committee – led by Steve Barkhouse of Amsted Design-Build – has met, and plans are underway to break ground this fall after the camp season wraps up. By Summer 2026, Campers will step into a fully revitalized Hall – a space that will serve as the heart of camp programming, where they will gather, learn, create and build lifelong friendships.

Beyond the renovation, the success of this campaign also means that Camp Smitty’s operations will be supported. These funds will help ensure that Camp remains accessible to as many children and youth as possible, continuing to provide transformative experiences regardless of financial circumstances.

Camp Smitty offers a unique combination of dedicated and experienced staff, diverse participants and a commitment to providing life-changing opportunities to young people. When you bring these things together, the results are astonishing and something we are incredibly proud of.

– Matt Singer, Senior Manager, Camp Smitty and Outdoor Education

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We are deeply grateful to every donor who contributed to this campaign. Your support has made this project a reality and strengthened Camp Smitty’s legacy for the future. Because of you, hundreds of children and youth will continue to experience the magic of Camp each summer.

A special thank you for believing in the power of camp to the Smith-Homestead Foundation, St. Brigid’s Camp, Brian Meloche and family, Dorothy Speak and Paul LaBarge, Raymond, Charles and Douglas Holtforster, the Crabtree Foundation and Camp Minwassin/Smitty Alumni.

For the next nine years, she wore various hats at residential care facilities, group homes, the humane society and at the Club’s satellite locations, making the greatest impact at our Rochester Heights location. Working with youth is her forte. She has an ability to see kids for who they are, identify those who are most at risk, make them comfortable, open up and help them to see their potential.

“I was a strong advocate for keeping the doors open at our Rochester Heights location. It’s a community that needs BGC Ottawa,” said Sabrina. “The community is poverty stricken, food insecurity is high, and most families can’t provide their kids with the necessities. It’s difficult to see, but the impact of our programs and services – not to mention the need – was 10-times greater than other communities that I had been part of. The connection I had with those kids and their families, there’s no comparison.  I know I made a positive impact on that community – on kids who needed a role model and mentor in their lives who they could rely on and trust. They have a place in my heart, and I hope I do in theirs.”

What most people don’t know about Sabrina is that she’s opened her heart, and her home, to numerous youths as a foster parent, all of whom have been young girls. She formed such a wonderful connection with a young person that she adopted them, making them part of her family forever.

She truly lives and breathes the Club’s values in every aspect of her life and is determined to make an immediate impact on those who need her guidance and support.

“I love the challenge to think outside of the box to create impactful programs for youth,” said Sabrina. “As a non-profit, we have limitations, but that only motivates me more when it comes to creativity and flexibility to achieve the desired impact and results.”

The connections and impact Sabrina has made over the past 11 years is remarkable. She is the kind of person you want spending time with your child, helping them learn, grow and thrive. She is the reason many young people make better decisions in our community, do well in school and become role models for our younger Members.