HARLINGEN — Sebastian Martinez faked left and then dribbled right past Santiago Martinez and scored.
Sebastian, 14, tossed a floating layup over his opponent.
Next, Santiago, 13, took the ball to the top of the key and dribbled once and then made a crossover dribble and hit a jump shot from the outside to tie the game.
The two were just shooting around after school at the start of the Christmas break at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlingen.
For many children and even adults, the Boys & Girls Club is like a second home where they can hang out with friends, eat a hot meal, join community service organizations and enjoy arts and crafts.
Sports leagues offer a vibrant opportunity to play and compete in basketball and other sports throughout the year.
“This is a great place to come after school,” Sebastian said. “I come to help clean the Boys Club and enjoy my time here.”
Sebastian is at the club most days. To make sure he gets some snacks while he’s there, he cleans up the courts and inside the facility after the children eat their meals.
He said he normally walks to the Boys and Girls Club after the school bus drops him off at home.
“The Boys and Girls Club helps me a lot and keeps me out of trouble,” Sebastian said.
The Boys and Girls Club mission is to help its members develop a greater sense of self-worth and personal value.
It strives to help students develop the realization they can do well in life.
“We do the best we can with the dollars we have,” said Gerald Gathright, the Boys and Girls Club chief professional officer. “We utilize Aim Charities to provide meals and snacks after school and in the summer.”
AIM Media Texas Charities of the Rio Grande Valley lists the Boys and Girls Club of Harlingen as one of its recipients for this year’s fundraiser campaign. AIM Media Texas is the parent company of the Valley Morning Star, The Monitor, the Brownsville Herald and the Mid-Valley Town Crier.
More than 5,000 children attend the Boys and Girls Club annually.
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