Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis Supports Utah’s Youth

Layton, Utah based insurance industry executive Val Stratford is currently the principal agent and owner at Stratford Insurance Group. Val Stratford supports many community groups and charitable organizations and has sat on several boards, including that of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis (BGCWD) from 2000-2004.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the oldest and largest organization in the US in support of youth with disadvantaged circumstances. The Weber-Davis chapter opened in 2000 to address the nearly100,000 Utah children who leave school every day without a safe place to go. BGCWD currently operates five clubs across Weber and Davis counties.

The clubs offer many specialized programs to support the health, wellness, and education of the youth they serve. SMART Girls, for example, is a program especially for girls ages 8-17 to learn about healthy attitudes toward fitness, diet, and body image. Sexual health is a central topic alongside nutrition and physical fitness, and the girls may discuss sexual harassment, date rape, and learn about the importance and accessibility of regular gynecological care.

Other programs focus on developing skills and interest in the arts as well as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The Club Tech Digital Arts Festivals celebrate computer generated art submitted by the youth, many of whom have taken one or more tutorials in website design, technology, photography, music, or film through the Boys & Girls Club. The festivals celebrate creativity and learning and foster a strong foundation in the arts as well as STEM skills.

Through these programs, the BGCWD strives to support Utah’s community of youth to help them evolve into responsible, productive, and caring adults.

Boys & Girls Clubs Expand Their Partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings

An accomplished Utah-based insurance professional with over 25 years of experience, Val Stratford serves as the president of Stratford Insurance Group, Inc., in Layton. Over the course of his career, Val Stratford has balanced his activities at work with various charitable endeavors. He is a longtime supporter of several organizations, including his local Boys & Girls Club.

In a recent press release, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America announced that it is expanding its partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings to provide Club members with more sports-based experiences. Boys & Girls Clubs across the country will benefit from the expanded partnership, which will direct more than $10 million to Club activities that promote sportsmanship, teamwork, and physical fitness.

Since 2013, the Boys & Girls Clubs and Buffalo Wild Wings have partnered to implement the restaurant chain’s signature charitable program, Team Up for Kids. The new agreement expands this partnership through 2020 and will help ensure that more Club kids benefit from participating in team sports.                            

The Layton Community Action Council and Layton Youth Council

As president, Val Stratford oversees the work of the Stratford Insurance Group, his rapidly growing insurance company in Layton, Utah. Val Stratford volunteers actively in his community, giving time to the Layton Rotary Club and serving as the executive director of the Layton Community Action Council.

The Layton Community Action Council brings together civic-minded residents and the young leaders of tomorrow to serve the people of Layton, Utah. The Layton Youth Council is an offshoot of the Action Council. It is open to Layton-area residents aged 13 to 18 who would like to make a difference in their community. All of the Youth Council’s activities and service projects are orchestrated and directed by these teenagers.

Youth Council members serve at least 50 hours annually. Past projects have included throwing a prom at the Autumn Glow Senior Center, fundraisers for the Davis County Domestic Violence Shelter, and creating emergency preparedness kits for local officials.