Boys & Girls Club Prepares For Pop Up Lake Forest Branch

LAKE FOREST, CA —Tuesday, at the Lake Forest city council meeting on Sept. 3, council members will vote on a motion to approve the Pop Up Program after school kids program for Lake Forest residents.

A group of volunteers and families have been working together for five years, Patch was told. Hundreds have been served, and at least 50 attend summer camp every day at the Laguna Beach branch.

On Tuesday at the Lake Forest City Council meeting, Estes will present plans for the Pop Up program. This will show what is possible for Lake Forest if a branch of Boys & Girls Club is allowed to open and operate from El Toro Park.

"We identified an area with the highest need for program for kids," Pat Estes, CEO of Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club told Patch. "In the summer, we run a consistent program where a bus will pick up Lake Forest kids and transport them to Laguna Canyon for the day, and at the end of the day the bus would return them home."

Lake Forest residents are invited to speak at the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and share their positive boys and girls club experiences, Estes said.

The Pop Up Boys & Girls Club at El Toro is designed for Elementary School kids, as well as some Middle Schoolers, who will act as leaders or peers.

"We will walk them over to the park for a homework area, arts and crafts, and physical activities," Estes said.

The long term goals of the program in Lake Forest include a building, which is on the wish list. The program is expected to cost $100,000 a year to run, as is, according to Estes. Fundraising is already underway, thanks to a grant donated by Irvine Subaru.

"We are committed to never turning anyone away," Estes said. "Volunteers are committed to helping us."

Upon final approval by the city council, the goal would be to have the program up and running by the Sept. 16, Estes said.

Interested people call 949-494-2535 and ask for information on the El Toro Park Program.