LINCOLN -- City officials, school administrators, Kiwanis members and many businessmen are in agreement -- they would like to see a Boys & Girls Club in Lincoln, but there is much work to do before it becomes a reality.
Lynn Thomas, president of Kiwanis, told a crowd of 75 who attended the April 16 meeting there was still work to do, citing the Boys & Girls Clubs of America website that tells how to organize a club.
"We're still in the discovery process," said Thomas. "Next step would be to organize a steering committee.
According to the website, establishing a Boys & Girls Club usually starts with one or two individuals who initiate the idea.
Thomas said John Harvey, past president of Kiwanis, was one of the first to initiate a discussion on a club in Lincoln.
Now it has been a topic of discussion at recent Kiwanis meetings and at Lincoln City Council meetings. A group of citizens, which included Thomas and Harvey, visited Fayetteville's Boys & Girls Club last week, which is another step the website said should be done --visit nearby clubs.
Thomas said the meeting in Fayetteville was productive.
Three visitors attended the Kiwanis meeting to discuss Gravette's setting up a Boys & Girls Club -- Richard Page, superintendent of Gravette School District, Dan Yates, club board member, and Chris Schimer, chief personnel officer of west Benton County's clubs.
Gravette partnered with the Siloam Springs club.
Yates said the clubs were a great way to keep teens off streets and out of courts.
"Their future starts when they walk into a Boys & Girls Club," said Yates. He also discussed the cost of opening a club.
"We had to raise $100,000 to be a part of Siloam Springs club," said Yates. "It takes about $250,000 to have a unit. Some funds can come from United Way, some from organizations like the Walmart Foundation, some from local communities and [political] representatives in Little Rock. You have to rent a facility, pay utilities, hire a unit director, which is very important and you'll want someone who will be part of the community.
"This is not a freebie," said Yates, adding there would be a need for a three year commitment.
"You will also need to figure in transportation if the facility is not close to schools," said Yates.
Schimer said Lincoln needed to look at its demographics and statistics to see if there is a high crime and drop-out of school rate.
"It's important to look at this up-front to see if there is a need for a club here," said Schimer.
"Financially, there are grants and foundations but they don't always help with the same amount every time," Schimer said. "You have to count on yourself. What can you bring to an organization? Do you have the ability to support yourself -- that is very important. It is the key thing."
Schimer said there is "real value" in joining an existing organization, such as Fayetteville for Lincoln.
Page said they have a Boys & Girls after school program and the club facility.
"We have a lot of teachers paid out of grants," said Page about the after school program.
"The kids get remediation if they need it in math, science and English after school," said Page. "It's great for parents. When the after school program is over at 4:30 p.m., if the parents aren't off work -- the kids stay at the Boys & Girls Club. Otherwise, kids go home to an empty house."
Page said it took Gravette from start to finish six months to establish a club.
"I'm not concerned about raising funds for it," said Thomas. "It's the sustainability I'm concerned with."
Lincoln businessman Brad Woolsey said he's for establishing a club.
"I think it would be a great benefit for the community and great for the kids," Woolsey said, adding his only concern was the same one Thomas mentioned -- sustainability.
Lincoln District Superintendent Mary Ann Spears said she is supporative of a club.
"Anything we can do to help the kids is a win-win," said Spears.
Jerry Mizell, with the Lincoln Area Ministerial Brotherhood, attended the meeting and said he agrees with getting a Boys & Girls Club in Lincoln.
"I'm very much behind it," Mizell said. "I will do what I can to support it. All the L.A.M.B. ministers are for it."
According to the national website, a steering committee would be next on the list and then a community readiness assessment would need to be done, which would include a survey.
General News on 04/23/2014