LISSA ALEXANDER
SOS Marketing Co-ordinator
Life for a pre-teen boy can be complicated, but there's something special happening at the SOS program Guyz Time that is making life a little bit simpler.
"I don't know what you guys do there (at SOS) but it's amazing," said local parent Jeanette Pike, whose son Tanner attends Guyz Time in Parksville.
Guyz Time has been successfully running at SOS in Parksville for a number of years and is now being offered at SOS' new Qualicum Beach location, in the Qualicum Commons building.
The free program is for boys in Grades 4, 5 and 6 and involves a number of fun activities that inspire confidence, healthy relationships and community awareness.
Pike said Tanner likes the group of friends he has met through Guyz Time and gets along well with the SOS facilitators of the program.
She said it lifts Tanner's spirit and she has noticed an increase in his self-confidence since attending the program.
"He has never had a negative thing to say about the program, he's so happy to go, and he comes home a much happier boy too," she said.
Jeanette said it's very convenient that SOS picks up her son from school on Mondays and takes him to SOS to take part in the program. SOS picks up Guyz Time participants from both Oceanside and Springwood Elementary Schools in Parksville and from Arrowview and Qualicum Beach Elementary Schools in Qualicum Beach.
Activities that happen in the program have included a trip to the fire hall, a trip to the police station, building a race track from recycled materials and racing matchbox cars. The boys have also made superhero capes from t-shirts and had a pizza-building party. A healthy snack is also provided in the program, and Tanner said he always enjoys snack time.
Wenda Allan, Child & Family Coordinator at SOS, explained that the program is a safe place for boys to connect and have fun. She added that SOS facilitators are skilled at working with children, mentoring them and guiding their social development.
There is plenty of room to join Qualicum Beach Guyz Time, which runs on Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Girl Talk, a similar program for girls in Grades 4, 5 and 6, takes place during the same time in Qualicum Beach. Both programs also run on Mondays at SOS in Parksville from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-registration for these free programs is required. Please call 250-248-2093 ext. 249 to register or for more information. For more on SOS, visit www.sosd69.com.