A 501(C)(3) charity.
Tax I.D. 95-3766860
Location:
Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Desert
56525 Little League Drive
Yucca Valley, CA 92284
(760) 365-5437
Mailing:
Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Desert
P.O. Box 402
Yucca Valley, CA 92284
2010 Board of Directors:
President - Vickie Bridenstine, Owner of Games 4 U
1st Vice President - Alan Rasmussen, Field Rep for Supervisor Neil Derry
2nd Vice President - Donna Davies, Retired HR Specialist
Treasurer - Cynthia Kraemer, Owner of Realty Professionals/Windermere
Secretary - Jill Akalski, First American Title
Board Members: Syndi Carlson, Vickie Chambless, Chris Claire, Tom Geiger,
Jim Harvey, Susan Metzger, Jack Rarick and Tracy Stockman
President - Vickie Bridenstine, Owner of Games 4 U
1st Vice President - Alan Rasmussen, Field Rep for Supervisor Neil Derry
2nd Vice President - Donna Davies, Retired HR Specialist
Treasurer - Cynthia Kraemer, Owner of Realty Professionals/Windermere
Secretary - Jill Akalski, First American Title
Board Members: Syndi Carlson, Vickie Chambless, Chris Claire, Tom Geiger,
Jim Harvey, Susan Metzger, Jack Rarick and Tracy Stockman
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Donna Davies Middlebrough left the corporate world in the early 1990’s after twenty-five
years in the human resources management field. Her last position held was as Senior
Vice-President of Human Resources for Imperial Corporation of America (ICA), a multi-
billion dollar financial services holding company based in San Diego, CA.
After relocating to Yucca Valley with her husband and dog, she immersed herself in the
local community and has served on the boards of the Hi-Desert Nature Museum, the
Morongo Basin Historical Society, the Cactus Sew-Ables Quilt Guild and Hearts of Yucca
Valley, to name a few.
Donna is excited to be on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert and looks
forward to being a part of “growing the next generation”.
Cynthia Kraemer is the owner of Windermere Real Estate, Realty Professionals of the
Morongo Basin. Cynthia has been a broker in the area for 19 years and lives here locally
with her husband Benny of Monument Homecrafters General Contracting and her children
and their families. She is the grandmother of 5 and is very active in the local community.
Cynthia is a past President of Soroptimist Intl of Yucca Valley, a two-time President and
15-year board member of the Desert Communities Association of Realtors, founder and
past President and 15 year board member for Yucca Valley High School Career
Pathways Program, is on the Board of Directors of Rotary of Yucca Valley and is a 16-
year Board of Directors member of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi Desert. Working to
give children a better future is her passion.
Jill Akalski has lived in beautiful Yucca Valley since 1999. Before moving here, sheI
was born and raised in Banning, California. She and her husband have 2 beautiful little
boys, ages 4 and 7. Jill works as a Title Sales Rep for First American Title and Escrow
and enjoys working with the community very much. Jill says “Although I never
personally attended a Boys and Girls Club when I was growing up, I definitely have a soft
spot in my heart for the club. Getting kids off the streets and somewhere safe is a very
important purpose that our local club handles beautifully.”
Vicki Chambless is a local High School Teacher with 8 years of teaching experience,
7 in the local district. She has a vast career of working with the youth in our community
as a 10-year AWANA leader, 4 years as a soccer coach, 1 year as a high school
volleyball coach, and 2 years of coaching softball. She is a member of the local
Evangelical Free Church of Yucca Valley. Before becoming a teacher, Vicki worked at
CMC registering Marines for college courses,proctoring GED tests, publishing the
College’s class schedules and catalogs and maintaining the registration database. She
recently also started teaching a college tennis class. Vicki aims to make a difference in
her community by serving in various capacities and being a good example to the youth.
Vicki is an import to the desert. She originates from St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated
from California Baptist College in 2001 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in
Kinesiology and went on to earn her teaching credential from California State University,
San Bernardino in 2003. Vicki has raised three beautiful daughters who are all either
college graduates or attending college.
Susan Metzger has been married to her husband Jim for 20 years. They have been
Yucca Valley residents for the last 6 years and truly love living in the desert. They have 2
sons – Joshua and his wife Katrina live in Yucca Valley as well, and Caleb is serving his
country in the Navy and is currently stationed in Rota, Spain.
As a health and wellness coach, Susan teaches people how to reach and maintain a
healthy weight and optimize their health. In addition to owning their own business, she
and her husband have been foster parents to over 20 children and have a heart to reach
out to our local youth in need.
Susan is very blessed to be a part of the Boys and Girls Club!
Vickie Bridenstine
Vickie Bridenstine is a Civil Engineer (currently unemployed). She and her husband are also owners of a small business named Games 4 U. She moved to Yucca Valley in 1990 from Irvine, CA. She and her husband, Terry, raised their son (a past club member) here in Yucca Valley, enjoying the small town atmosphere. Vickie is active in the community and her church. She is President of the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce, a Planning Commissioner for the Town of Yucca Valley and has been active in various community activities. She believes that we should all try to make a positive difference in our community.
She firmly believes that “it take a village to raise a child”. As a past working parent, she knows the importance of having a safe, healthy, happy place for children to go after school. In addition to providing a safe haven, the Boys and Girls Club teaches kids to respect themselves, other children and adults. She is proud to be involved with the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Desert; a valuable asset to our community’s children.
Jim Harvey fell in love with the Hi-Desert after visiting a friend here in 2000, and moved here permanently from Chicago just a few months later in 2001 with his wife Catherine. They enjoy living in Johnson Valley, where Jim is an active member of the Johnson Valley Improvement Association.
Jim currently sits on the Board of Trustees for the Lucerne Valley Unified School District. He is President of the Homestead Valley Community Council, and the Executive Director of The Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy. Jim's profession is Internet Consultation and owns I Candy Website and Graphic Design.
"There is no greater privilege than serving on the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Desert board. Every child deserves a fair chance to succeed in life, and this organization helps make that happen for many of our community's children."
Jim currently sits on the Board of Trustees for the Lucerne Valley Unified School District. He is President of the Homestead Valley Community Council, and the Executive Director of The Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy. Jim's profession is Internet Consultation and owns I Candy Website and Graphic Design.
"There is no greater privilege than serving on the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Desert board. Every child deserves a fair chance to succeed in life, and this organization helps make that happen for many of our community's children."
Tracy Stockman is Vice President, Desert Region Real Estate Division Pacific Western Bank.Tracy Stockman began her banking career over 13 years ago upon graduating from Yucca Valley High School with First Community Bank, now Pacific Western Bank, in Yucca Valley. After 2 years of various operational duties Tracy joined the Desert Region Real Estate Division. As Vice President, Tracy manages all construction and commercial real estate lending for the Morongo Basin and the Coachella Valley and is responsible for financing exceeding a half billion dollars over the past 10 years.
Tracy is involved in the community through organizations including as a member of the Desert Valleys Builders Association and various chambers of commerce, a spokesmodel for the United Way of the Desert, and serving as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Leadership Coachella Valley and as a Member of the Board of the Desert Contractors Association. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Coachella Valley and a 2011 graduate of Hi-Desert Medical Center’s Leadership Academy.
After working exclusively in the Coachella Valley for 11 years Tracy returned to work part-time in the Yucca Valley branch in 2010. She is happy to be working back in the hi-desert and serving her local community. She and her husband have two children ages 10 and 4. A lifelong Morongo Basin resident, Tracy is excited to serve the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert and make this community a better place for our children.
Tracy is involved in the community through organizations including as a member of the Desert Valleys Builders Association and various chambers of commerce, a spokesmodel for the United Way of the Desert, and serving as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Leadership Coachella Valley and as a Member of the Board of the Desert Contractors Association. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Coachella Valley and a 2011 graduate of Hi-Desert Medical Center’s Leadership Academy.
After working exclusively in the Coachella Valley for 11 years Tracy returned to work part-time in the Yucca Valley branch in 2010. She is happy to be working back in the hi-desert and serving her local community. She and her husband have two children ages 10 and 4. A lifelong Morongo Basin resident, Tracy is excited to serve the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert and make this community a better place for our children.
Christopher Claire was born in Palm Springs. He grew up in Yucca Valley attending YVES, JTES and YVHS. Chris received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration at UC Riverside and has worked at Wells Fargo for 14 years. He also is a volunteer on Habitat for Humanity.
