5.8. SR 06-07-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A letter from the Executive Director WHY IS THERE A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN OUR COMMUNITY? We are a special place, operating when the schools are closed. We provide a safe, caring, educational, and self esteem building place for youth, during after school hours and during the summer, The fundamental premise of the Boys and Girls Club of Elk River is that young people are too important a community asset to leave to chance. In a world of blended families, families where both parents work - (many out of the community), single parent families, and with the ever present temptations of legal and illegal drugs, many kids need a supportive sanctuary where they can learn about themselves and be mentored, At the Club they learn about setting positive personal goals, and learn skills which will help them achieve their dreams, in an enriching environment rather than roaming the streets in their quest for fun and identity, At Club sites in Elk River and Zimmerman, over 90 kids per day. between the ages of 5 to 20. learn the fundamentals of good citizenship during after school hours while having fun at the same time! Homework tutoring is just one of the many character building programs. The creation of the Club had its origins in a Community Youth Task Force study com- pleted in 1996, it concluded. among other findings that there was a need within the com- munity ....,to create safe places for youth to gather." As time passed. Community leaders became additionally concerned with the dramatic increase in juvenile crime and influx of gang activity, The first Boys and Girls Club open in Elk River on November 29, 1999. and in Zimmerman in 200 I, as a response to student and community surveys. The clubs served over 700 youth in direct memberships in 2003, and each year about 4000 other youth, The Club's mission is "To inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens." THE CLUB - A SAFE HAVEN FOR YOUTH IN TROUBLED TIMES. The needs served by the Club have not gone away! The Sherburne County Attorney continues to open juvenile felony and misdemeanor files on local youth, Several years ago, Elk River had one of the highest teen suicide rates in the country and continues to report "epidemic" rates of attempted suicide. Drugs and alcohol are readily available to even the youngest in our communities, Bullying behavior in our schools is on the rise. Once child behavior reaches a certain negative point, costly counter-measures are required such as out of home placements. In Sherburne County, it costs $67 to $212 per day to place a local child with a foster family or in other juvenile facilities. In 2003, 93 kids were placed out of the home for a total expense to the taxpayer of $648,428. Our Club sites in Elk River and Zimmerman respond to these alarming statistics by provid- ing a range of healthy, fun and educational activities during the high risk times of aher school and summers; by providing and enforcing a drug free zone at our two facilities; and by offering adult and youth mentors whose primary role is to influence Club members into making healthy life-style choices. We do this at a cost of $300 per child for an entire year! We serve all youth, and parents and children often tell us that the Club helped them to stay focused, and helped them to "make it", and sometimes excel in times of need. HOW ISTHE CLUB FUNDED Only 4% of the Club's total budget is paid for by member dues, Maintaining these low membership dues is a deliberate choice by the Club's Board of Directors, The Board feels that no child should be excluded from benefiting from membership in the Boys and Girls Club of Elk River, The Club is a local non-profit charity, with a 20 member board, and with membership in a national organization, Most revenue is from individuals, businesses, grants, some corporations, and local service organizations such as the city, Uons, and etc. How you can help--- It costs money to provide a trained and professional staff to work with your children, as well as to maintain two facilities that are flexible enough to provide a variety of activity choices to BGCER members, It also costs more money in the long run to not support the Club, its staff. facilities and programming, because the Club offers a positive alternative to the negative influences on our children that are here today and certainly will be present into the near future, Now is the time to help this community organization. Sincerely, Duane Howard - Executive Director Our Board and Staff Executive Commitee 2003 Todd Plaisted, President Laurie Kerr, Vice-President Don Heinzman, Secretary Bruce Bromen, Treasurer Board Members 2003 John Babcock Jim Barthel Jeff Beahen Linda Braun Don Carlson Deb Dehn Jayne Dietz Harold Gramstad Scott Gudmundson Roger Hebeisen Patsy Kropuenske Nelda Remus Darryl Thompson John Weicht h ~ Administration Duane Howard, Executive Director Lana Huberty, Asst. Director Operations/Program Director Rhonda Peterson, Office Manager/Rental Coordinator Amanda Stone, Program Director Elk River Julie Luttrell, Program Director Zimmerman Our staff is dedicated and well educated having: Mas- ter's, Bachelor's and Associate Degrees in Education, Psychology, Administration, Park and Recreation, Busi- ness and the Arts, In addition, we employ highly recom- mended students from area schools. f) ~ .....