KINGSTON — Boys &Girls Club of North Kitsap is a nonprofit located in the Village Green Community Center in Kingston.

The club offers before-and after-school childcare for all kids age 5-18.

The club offers camps during spring, summer and winter breaks, as well as a variety of quarterly programs.

Currently, the club is planning its annual Gala Auction. Join the North Kitsap Boys &Girls Club for its eighth annual Gala Auction at 5 p.m. April 22 at the Village Green Community Center.

Tickets are $50 per person, $80 per couple or $300 for a table of 8. Tickets include two drink tickets, dinner, live music and the opportunity to bid on any number of auction items. Tickets are available at: http://m.bpt.me/event/2823146 or in person at the Boys &Girls Club.

In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them.

Boys &Girls clubs offer that and more. Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

Boys &Girls Clubs offer a safe place to learn and grow — all while having fun. The nonprofit is a place where great futures are started each day.

Programs include Torch Club, teaching kids about giving back to the community; Smart Girls and Passport to Manhood, offering teens a chance to learn how to transition into adulthood; and Triple Play, comprised of three components — Mind, Body and Soul.

The club helps young people learn to make smart food choices and promotes physical exercise. It offers sewing with local seamstress Beth Anne Galloway, music lessons with local musician Rupert Kettle, and monthly teen nights when the club stays open late and invites teens to stay and have fun in a safe, comfortable environment.

Another perk to the North Kitsap Boys &Girls Club: daily homemade meals and afternoon snacks. They are the lowest-cost option locally. The club is currently serving and providing transportation for young people from Gordon Elementary School, Wolfle Elementary School, Kingston Middle School and Kingston High School.

Members are welcome from anywhere but will need to provide their own transportation.

— Contact the Boys &Girls Club of North Kitsap at http://bgcsc.org/snohom ish-clubs/north-kitsap-club/