Donated van will help transportation at Boys & Girls Club

Officials of Variety Children's Charity pose with Boys & Girls Club officials and members in front of donated van.

The Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley received a valuable resource for transportation purposes this week with a van donated by a charitable organization.

Variety Children's Charity of Southern California on Wednesday donated a new 15-passenger van, which will help the club transport children to and from school and on field trips. Administrators of Variety joined Boys & Girls Club officials and club members in a dedication ceremony at the club, which has well over 300 members at its location on Garbani Road next to Menifee Valley Middle School.

Variety's Children's Charity has been in existence for 78 years. Its Southern California division has donated 260 vans to charitable organizations since 1962, said Elizabeth O'Neil, executive director of the organization.

"We focus in three areas: mobility, education and health care," O'Neil said. "We love to support organizations like this one that serves so many kids. We want to help give them the opportunity to get the kids out and fill a need here.

"We believe all the kids should be able to have a safe way to get to the club. I have to hand it to the club and John (executive director John Whann) for being persistent. When they first applied for the van, we had just given away a couple, so it was on hold for a little bit. Later, when it was in the budget, we came for a visit, met the staff and saw that they are an incredibly dedicated staff.

"The daily attendance is so impressive and the programs are amazing. We knew they had this need to transport the kids to a safe place after school."

Whann said he has dealt with Variety Children's Charity before and admires the work they do.

"It's a top-notch organization and what they do is amazing," he said.

Transportation for children to and from the club before and after school is vital in Menifee because of the lack of busing provided by the Menifee Union School District. RTA previously donated two buses to the club, which also has helped in transporting children to area schools and on field trips.

For information about the Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley, visit menifeebgc.org

Club members made a banner to thank Variety Children's Charity for the new passenger van.