To keep kids busy, safe and headed in the right direction is the goal of parents and many youth organizations in town.
Many of those organizations depend solely on donations, like the Boys & Girls Club of Cottonwood, and donations are down.
To work on all of the goals, Cottonwood’s club has formed an advisory committee. The committee will help raise awareness, look at programs and hopefully find new ways to make money.
“We are hurting financially, but we’re not ready to close our doors — not yet,” Chris Quasula, the club’s director said.
The advisory committee first met Monday, Aug. 25, at noon, and will meet once a month at that same time. Quasula is looking for volunteers who want to serve on the committee.
“We chose noon so no one has to take extra time out of their day. Everything else we can do by e-mail,” he said.
The Boys & Girls Club in Old Town has children in after school, during spring and fall breaks, during the summer and one week of the holiday break around Christmas and New Years.
While at the club Monday through Friday, the children can enjoy games, movies, readings, computers, a place to do homework, pool, foozball and field trips to places like the Clemenceau Museum, or to play basketball in the old school’s gym.
Programs include activities to fulfill the core program of character and leadership development; education and career development; health and life skills; the arts and sports, fitness and recreation.
“We’re the positive place for kids,” Quasula said.
It costs $65 a month for a child to attend the Cottonwood Boys & Girls Club, but scholarships are available.
“Scholarships are a challenge. About 80 percent qualify and are here on a scholarship. We have to keep raising money to cover that,” Quasula said. His goal is for 1,000 people to donate $100 each.
That would be approximately enough money to cover the cost for 125 children for one year. The club averages around 60 children a day after school.
“What we make through the campaign will stay right here at the Cottonwood Club. We want to have all the kids who want to come here get a chance,” Quasula said.
Lu Stitt can be reached at 634-8551 or e-mail lu@larsonnewspapers.com
