On a typical summer day, kids are attending baseball camps, playing basketball, going on field trips or working on computers at the Ballard Boys and Girls Club, where the motto is "the positive place for kids."

All this makes the club a busy place with sports camps alone bringing in 150 kids daily. The club has an annual membership of 1,800 and also runs three day care programs in the Ballard, Magnolia and Queen Anne area. "This is one of the busiest clubs in the city. We're running 18 vans on the road to educational and fun field trips," said Director Mark Hendricks.

Recently, children in kindergarten to first grade took a ferry to Bainbridge Island, went to the Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island and saw the movie "Ratatouille" at the Majestic Bay Theatre.

Second and third graders took a ferry to Whidbey Island, played survivor at Golden Gardens and visited Jetty Island.

The club's fourth and fifth grade children went to Gene Coulon Park in Renton, Lincoln Park and Colman Pool, sailing with Sailing Sandpoint where they enjoyed a barbecue, stopped at the Seattle Art Museum's Sculpture Park.

The groups spend one day a week at the club. They call that club day and use that time to study different subjects. The fourth and fifth graders used their club day to attend an Etiquette Class.

Current and former Ballard High School baseball players have been teaching a baseball clinic on the club's field. The instructors included the Beaver's All-KingCo player Shawn Oughton and Josh Johnston.

Other former Ballard players like basketball stars, Ahnel and Raymond Butler, and Michael Johnson have worked with kids on their hoop skills.

Kids get to meet sports celebrities. Seattle Storm player Sue Bird and Seattle Sonics Damien Wilkens and Nick Collison have been guests in the last few years.

The Ballard Boys and Girls Club's Youth Development Strategy emphasizes character development.

Included in this philosophy is: a sense of competence, the feeling there is something boys and girls can do and do well; a sense of usefulness, the opportunity to do something of value for other people; a sense of belonging, a setting where an individual knows he or she has a place and where he or she fits and is accepted; and a sense of power of influence, a chance to be heard and to influence decisions.

Besides the boys and girls club regular programs, the club operates daycare centers at Salmon Bay, Lawton Elementary and Coe Elementary.

Between the boys and girls programs and the daycares, there is a staff of 50 employed in the summer months. Many counselors or teachers are college students looking to earn money to pay for their education.

"They love kids," said Hendricks.

Hendricks has been the director for 20 years. Athletic Director Bob Wenman is a 29-year veteran of the Ballard club.

When Hendricks took over the program, there were metal screens on the windows and barbed wire on the fence surrounding the field. The main building was in poor condition.

He set a goal of three years, to turn the club around.

Over the years, the baseball field was replaced, an older portion of the facility was torn down and rebuilt and a second floor was added with more classrooms.

The only thing left from the original building is the gymnasium, now 50 years old. At the end of summer, the floor will be resurfaced.

The Keystone Club is one program for youth ages 14-18 that implement community service projects. Kids in the Torch Club organize social recreation, health and fitness, education and service projects for the club and the community in ages 11-13. A Character and Leadership Development program trains young people to tutor kids.

A Ballard Youth of the Quarter is chosen four times annually. Those four compete for Ballard Youth of the Year and are judged by a committee of people from the community.

The latest Ballard Youth of the Quarter's are Spencer Sirotak, Brandon Fisher, Shannon Gallagher, Haley Bogas and Krista Nelson.

The winner goes on to compete for the King County Youth of the Year award. Two King County winners have come from the Ballard club. They include Billy Grose and Robert Cannon.

Four of the current counselors were members of the club when they were young.

"I have watched kids grow from kindergarten, to high school, college and start families. Many have come back to coach when they have families," said Wenman.

Wenman said the kids have not changed over the years that he has been at the club.

He has seen kids grow. Kevin Miller, head coach of the Ballard High School baseball team who was named KingCo Coach of the Year this spring started playing t-ball at the club when he was little.

Miller went from playing kid's t-ball, to become a star at Ballard High, the University of Washington and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics.

Ballard High football coach Alex Barashkoff and basketball coach Billy Rodgers were members of the boys and girls club.

"It's neat to see kids progress. It's still fun, it keeps me young. Now I'm getting kids of the kids coming back," said Wenman.

Primary funding comes from the fees charged by the three-daycare centers. Sports team fees break even, after uniforms and equipment is paid for.

The club has a Board of Directors that helps raise money for the operation. Board members donate money and solicit contributions to keep the club running.

"The Board gives us a cushion to have a profitable year and to put money away," said Hendricks.

The Ballard Boys and Girls Club has banners hanging all around the gymnasium with the names of supporters, some of them grew up at the club. Long time Ballard businesses have their names printed on poster boards.

Visit http://www.ballard-bgc.org. The Ballard area also has community center programs at the Loyal Heights, (http://www.loyalheights.org) and Ballard (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/Ballard.htm).

Dean Wong may be reached at deanw@robinsonnews.com