A series to share #smiles across our community through the achievements of our local youth, brought to you by Olsen Orthodontics.
(Casper, WY) – Community members arrived in the early hours of September 13, 2023, to celebrate kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming. The Breakfast honored Mitch and Lilly Zimmerman, who have spent their life as champions of youth, serving on boards in Casper, going on mission trips, and coaching youth sports. Preliminary dollars raised through the Game Changers annual giving campaign total $601,892. All proceeds support impactful programming.
Many shared stories of the impact the Club has had on so many in this past year. Gayle Andress, the co-chair of the event, shared a family testimonial about how the Club has made an impact on a single mother of two members. Gayle quoted the mother: “They say it takes a village to raise children, and I’m glad the Club is part of my village.”
For the second year in a row, Isabell Norris, a Junior at Dubois K-12 School, was named Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming’s Youth of the Year. Isabell’s touching story describes a life of learning responsibilities at a young age due to her mother’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the recent passing of her father. She said that the Club taught her how to be a leader, and she can always count on the Club to be there for her when times are tough. Isabell will go on to the State Youth of the Year competition in February and was the recipient of a $7,500 scholarship from the late Ruth R. Ellbogen, who endowed the Scholarship Education Fund of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming Foundation.
Lance Neiberger was this year’s recipient of the Mick & Susie McMurry Cowboy Code Try Award for his work on suicide prevention. Lance has served on the Natrona County Suicide Prevention Taskforce for 17 years, and in that time has brought awareness of the issue of suicide to many different groups, organizing the Annual Suicide Prevention Walk, and speaking in schools.
The keynote speaker was Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, and best-selling author of “American Wife”. Taya talked about how life will put Club members into challenging life circumstances, but the Club will help them be equipped to face any of those obstacles.
Ashley Bright, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming, said, “Thank you to this amazing community for their continuous support of the mission of the Boys & Girls Club. We are so thankful that we get to serve in a community that cares so much about their youth.”