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.
