Ian Dreitz is Youth of the Year at Wellington club

January 13, 2010

By Gary Raham

The Wellington

 

Ian Dreitz loves pretty much everything he does at the Wellington Boys & Girls Club — and it shows.

“Ian was chosen as our nominee for Youth of the Year because he is always willing to do whatever he can to help out the members and staff,” said Kari Jo Lawrence, the Wellington (Colorado) unit director.

Stacia Steadman, program coordinator at the club, added her praise: “Ian is one of the most amazing young men. He does incredible things with the kids.”

He works with computers as part of a “Kid Tech” program. (Ian hopes to get involved with computer programming and designing games someday.) He helps kids get involved with Keystone, the community service club that helps raise money for the organization, and he teaches kids how to cook in “Cooking Palace.” He also helps with homework and keeps kids entertained with “Guitar Hero” on the Wii, board games, Twister and other activities.

“The club is a good place to be after school,” said Ian, 16. “Kids learn life skills, social and communication skills, and it’s just a great place to hang out.”

Ian is currently a junior at Poudre High School. He attended Wellington Junior High and several northern Colorado elementary schools, including Eyestone. He learned about the Wellington Boys & Girls Club from a cousin who worked there. Ian started attending a couple of years ago, and this past summer Lawrence offered him a job.

“Several months ago I could see how helpful and willing Ian was, and I hired him as one of my junior staff,” she said.

Ian also worked for two summers on the Got What It Takes team that did community service projects around Wellington.

Still, Ian said he was “shocked” when Lawrence told him about his award selection. “There’s lots of good kids here,” he said.

Jessica Steadman and Chelsea Stenner ranked high among the choices for Youth of the Year. Each month, in fact, the club recognizes individuals in two age categories (under 12 and 12 to 18) for their behavior, helpfulness and their overall involvement with club activities.

Monthly selections in 2009 included Victoria Pritchett and Kyle Smith (January), Rachel Heiden and Michael Cienfuegos-Baca (February), Samantha Leivestad (March), Jessica Heiden and Katelyn Burch (April), Maggie O’Grady and Rylee Hernandez (May), Brittanie Flowers and Jessica Steadman (June), Brandon Turnbull and Chelsea Stenner (July), Rachel Heiden and Matt Smith (August), Makaela Kuhlman and Nichole Tamez (September), Skyler Lenz and Tori Wagner (October), Andrew O’Grady and Austin Boeck (November), and Kari Stamper and Timothy Armstrong (December).

Mayor Larry Noel and the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce will honor these individuals with a ceremony at 6:20 p.m. at the Leeper Center on Thursday, Jan. 14.

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 7 to 8:30 a.m., the Larimer County Boys & Girls Club, which includes Loveland, Fort Collins and Wellington, will host its annual “Incredible Kids Breakfast” fund-raiser at Embassy Suites in Loveland at Interstate 25 and Crossroads Boulevard. Larimer County Youth of the Year will be selected from among the area club winners.

Annual dues at the local club remain a bargain at $5. Hours on school days are Monday through Friday, 2:30 to 6 p.m. and on school holidays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on weekends.

The Wellington club’s web address is http://bgclarimer.ning.com/page/wellington-1. The club phone number is 568-7338 and director Lawrence can be contacted by e-mail at wdirector@bgclarimer.org. The club welcomes helpers and donors.

“Currently our Torch Club is doing a fund-raiser by selling Boys & Girls Club candy bars,” Lawrence said. “So if you see BGC candy bars, buy them!”