PHOTOS: Boys & Girls Club Kids Challenge Congressman Himes to Government Quiz

On Wednesday US Congressman Jim Himes, from Connecticut’s 4th district had a tour of the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Himes is in his 7th term, for his 14th year in office.

Club director Cristina Vittoria explained that the club only briefly closed down at the start of the pandemic, moving virtually for a couple months. But they quickly reopened for in person activities because the club kids’ parents included many essential workers.

Vittoria said the Boys & Girls Club strives to remove financial barriers to kids becoming member and to attending camp. Between the Teen and Clubhouse kids there are about 200 kids a week, and another 180 at Camp Simmons.

The cost is just $175 per week; $150 for early birds.

“We give out about $60,000 to $70,000 per year in camp discounts,” Vittoria said. “Even $150 or $175 is a barrier for some families. We want to make sure that no matter what, a family has the option to come to camp here.”

The Club works with Dept of Human Services to connect with families, and that said this summer camp all three camps were sold out: Teen, Clubhouse and Camp Simmons. Wednesday was mid-week of the 8th week of camp.

The highlight of the visit was a lightning round of trivia where campers competed with Himes on their knowledge of government.

In lightning rounds of Quizlet’s 4^th grade government quiz, club kids were fast on the button and clearly had been studying up on the branches of federal government and state capitals.