This Is How the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Promotes Fitness

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has spent more than 150 years providing kids of all backgrounds with access to the resources they need to lead successful lives. Aside from its focus on academics and leadership, the organization also helps kids and teens achieve their potential by promoting fitness from a young age.

To this end, BGCA operates several programs aimed at keeping youths fit, minimizing their stress, and bonding with their peers:  

 

1. ALL STARS

With support from sponsor Buffalo Wild Wings, BGCA runs the ALL STARS sports league. It encourages kids between the ages of 6 and 18 to play flag football, soccer, and basketball.

Over a quarter of a million Club members played on ALL STARS teams in 2018, building teamwork skills and learning about good sportsmanship along the way. These teams also give kids a structured environment in which they can make friends and stay active.

 

2. Triple Play

Marketed as “a game plan for the mind, body and soul,” Triple Play has advocated for good nutrition and physical activity among its Club youth since 2005. This program takes a multi-faceted approach to its mission.

By emphasizing health habits, Triple Play helps kids cultivate better health behaviors and teaches them about nutrition. The program also focuses on social recreation as a way of fostering both behavioral development among Club youth. Lastly, Triple Play uses daily challenges to motivate kids to get active and enhance their physical abilities.

3. PLAY BALL

In partnership with the MLB, BGCA’s PLAY BALL program gets Club youth involved in baseball and softball. Whether they play in a league or just for fun, members learn the basics of these sports while participating in a fun, new physical activity.

 

Disclaimer: This website contains general information about medical conditions and treatments. This information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy or validity of any statements or information provided on this website. Do not rely on this information as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. You should seek immediate medical attention if you think you are suffering from a medical condition. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.

Spotlight - 3 Ways to Give Back to Veterans You Need to Know

 

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a vital resource for retired combat veterans. It provides access to services and support they need to transition into civilian life.

This would not be possible without the support of the wider community, whose contributions help fund the organization’s life-changing work. Here are three ways in which you can give back to military veterans through WWP:

 

1. Become a Corporate Sponsor

Corporate sponsorships are an essential resource for WWP. The organization currently works with more than a dozen sponsors, including Under Armour, AmazonSmile, and the NFL. By pledging an annual donation to WWP, your company can join this list and help contribute to the recovery of veterans from across the US.

The organization also has a special sponsorship program for those who give between $2,500 and $99,999 per year. These “corporate champions” receive access to WWP assets in return for their generous support.

 

2. Participate in a Soldier Ride

Every year, WWP hosts the Soldier Ride event as a way of encouraging residents of Long Island to support veterans who sustained injuries in combat. Participants have the opportunity to set their own fundraising goals. Friends and family can support participants by donating while they complete their 25-mile rides. In 2020, WWP moved the Soldier Ride online but encouraged participants to organize their own rides and ask their loved ones to donate.

 

3. Run in a Carry Forward 5K

You can support the work of the WWP by participating in one of the Carry Forward 5K events that the organization hosts across the country throughout the year. Most runners use these events as a way to raise money, but there are other unique ways to support veterans. For instance, WWP encourages participants to carry weights or people on their backs as they run to honor veterans and the burdens that they bear for our country. 

Disclaimer: This website contains general information about medical conditions and treatments. This information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy or validity of any statements or information provided on this website. Do not rely on this information as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. You should seek immediate medical attention if you think you are suffering from a medical condition. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.

Paul McCartney Performs Live Duet with Stevie Van Zandt

From 1999 to 2003, Dr. Erol Onel served as an assistant professor of urology at Tufts University/New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Now the vice president of Heron Therapeutics, he works with a team in an effort to get a long-acting non-opioid drug approved. In Dr. Erol Onel’s personal time, he is an avid fan of the Beatles. 

Former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney, 75, recently surprised attendees at a Stevie Van Zandt show by taking the stage to perform the Beatles hit “I Saw Her Standing There” alongside Van Zandt. Inviting McCartney on stage, Van Zandt told the sold-out crowd, “We are going to finish this song we had started.”

Stevie was referring to a show that took place five years before at London’s Hard Rock Calling Festival, held in Hyde Park, where a power outage interrupted the duo’s first attempt at performing the Beatles song together. This time the two did finish the song, at which time McCartney praised Van Zandt, saying “We love you, Stevie, we love your band.”

The show was part of Van Zandt’s first major United Kingdom tour in over 25 years. The former E Street Band member is now touring with his own band, Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul, to promote the group's latest album, Soulfire.

Types of Violin Strings

The former vice president of Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Erol Onel leverages nearly two decades of medical and clinical research experience to lead Heron Therapeutics as vice president. Outside of work, Erol Onel maintains a passion for music and plays several instruments, including the violin.

Violin strings are divided into three general categories: steel core, gut, and synthetic core.

Gut strings, also known as gut core strings, are popular among violinists who enjoy playing baroque music. These strings, which create a warm sound with rich overtones, were the only type of violin string available until the 1800s. Unfortunately, gut strings are extremely temperamental and often change when exposed to humidity and different temperatures. Further, they are more expensive and less durable than other types.

Capable of producing a focused and bright tone, steel core strings were invented as an alternative to gut strings. As such, they improve upon many of the downfalls of gut strings, including sensitivity to temperature. Steel core strings are great for students because they are easy to work with in terms of tuning. Meanwhile, the brighter sound produced by steel core strings makes them a popular choice among violinists who play bluegrass, folk music, and jazz.

Synthetic core strings feature characteristics of both steel and gut core strings. Made from nylon and composite fibers, they feature the warm sound of gut strings and the durability and pitch stability of steel strings. This unique combination of attributes makes synthetic core strings a good choice for beginning and expert violinists playing a variety of musical genres.

Patriots' Julian Edelman to Miss Entire 2017 Season

A former assistant professor of urology at Tufts University and the New England Medical Center, Erol Onel is vice president of Heron Therapeutics, a California-based drug development company. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Erol Onel is an avid fan of the National Football League's (NFL) New England Patriots.

The Patriots are attempting to win their third Super Bowl in four seasons, but the team will have to do so without the services of Julian Edelman. A seventh-round selection of the Patriots in the 2009 NFL Draft, Edelman has played his entire eight-year career with the Patriots and led the team in receiving yards in two of the past four seasons. However, the 31-year-old wide receiver suffered a torn ACL in a non-contact play during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions and the Patriots later confirmed he would be out for the entire 2017 season.

Edelman recorded a career-best 1,106 receiving yards in 2016 and signed a two-year, $11 million contract with New England in the offseason. Throughout 103 career games, the California native has 4,540 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns.

The Career of Patriots Wide Receiver Julian Edelman

A former Albert Einstein College of Medicine Pfizer Scholar in Urology, Erol Onel has over two decades of experience in clinical research and education. When not providing scientific leadership as vice president of Heron Therapeutics, Erol Onel enjoys following his favorite National Football League team, the New England Patriots.

Last year, the Patriots won their fifth Super Bowl since 2001, and for the second time in the past four years, their leading receiver was Julian Edelman. A native of Redwood City, California, Edelman recorded a career-high 1,106 receiving yards on 98 receptions last year. He scored three touchdowns and rushed for 57 yards on 12 attempts. Named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 17 after accumulating 151 receiving yards in a 35-14 win over the Miami Dolphins, he caught 21 passes for 342 yards in three playoff games.

Throughout his eight-year career, Edelman has accumulated 24 touchdowns and 4,540 receiving yards. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Kent State, where he played quarterback and threw for 30 touchdowns and 4,997 yards in three seasons. In his final season of college football, he displayed his versatility by rushing the ball for 1,370 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns.

Donating to Goodwill

From 1999 to 2003, Erol Onel, MD, worked as an assistant professor of urology at Tufts University and New England Medical Center, where his work leading the urology resident training program saw him honored twice with Teacher of the Year awards. Aside from his career, Dr. Erol Onel has contributed to multiple charities, including Goodwill. 

Through the sale of donated goods, Goodwill strives to help people gain the education and skills they need to find work. In 2016, the organization helped over 313,000 people train for new careers in a wide array of industries. While shopping at Goodwill stores is one way to help the organization, another is to donate your own second-hand goods. 

Goodwill accepts most clothing and items in working condition, provided the items meet safety standards and have never been recalled. The organization’s website encourages potential donors to call their local Goodwill regarding any rules and restrictions when donating computers, mattresses, and vehicles. 

Once you have gathered the items you wish to donate, you can take them to a local Goodwill donation center or donation bin. Some branches offer a pickup service for people donating many items.

To learn more about Goodwill, what they do, how to donate, and how your donation helps, visit the organization online at Goodwill.org. The website also provides a place to find your nearest Goodwill store and donation center.