VACAVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB UNVEILS NEW RIDE

Thanks to generous community donors, the Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club has a new way to transport club kids around town and beyond.
On Friday, officials unveiled a large passenger van decked out in a wrap featuring images of club kids, activities and sponsors.
Despite the rain, kids, their families and community members came out in force to celebrate.
One notable guest — The Chick-fil-A cow.  “It was great,” said Anna Eaton, the club’s executive director.
As rain sprinkled the pavement, a short ceremony was held and elated guests cheered before heading indoors for homemade wintertime refreshments — cookies and hot chocolate. Adults gathered to talk and the kids, well, they ran for the covered patio for a variety of games. A little wet weather, of course, rarely hinders fun. Inside, Eaton shared excitement for the new transport and what it means for the kids.
“We’ve had issues with transportation ever since I’ve been here,” she admitted. “Sometimes, we’ve had to rent a van.”
Those rentals were time consuming, she said, as several people had to head over to the rental place to collect the van, get to the club to pick up the kids and, following an event’s end, return the van.
“It’s nice not to need that anymore,” she said.
The club does have another van, but it’s small and can’t fit all the kids. It can take multiple trips not only to transport all the children but also any stuff needed to go with them, she explained.
Last September, two businesses made the club’s year.
“Vacaville Rotary,Vacaville Dodge/Chrysler Jeep and our angel bought us the van,” Eaton said.
A naked white, the van needed to be outfitted with the club’s markings.
Thanks to wrap sponsors Kaiser Permanente, NorthBay Healthcare and Stumbaugh Realty, the job was completed.
Eaton added that, thanks to all supporters, the kids will get to go on more field trips and not have to worry about how to get there.
The community, she added, continues to be generous and Eaton said she hopes to maintain the community’s high level of involvement in the club.
For more information, visit www.vnbgc.com.
By Kimberly K. Fu, kfu@thereporter.com, @ReporterKimFu on Twitter