Members of the Board of Directors for the Marshall County Boys and Girls Club appeared before the Marshall County Commissioners Monday to updated them on the progress of hiring a new director and to let them know how the clubs are doing. This is an annual visit in preparation for the Commissioners 2019 budget requests.
Board President, Art Jacobs was joined by Interim Executive Director Andy Purviance. Jacobs told the commissioner that former Executive Director Billie Treber resigned a couple of months ago and the decided to look at different options in filling the executive director’s position. In discussions of attributes they were looking for, the board decided they weren’t sure what they needed so they contacted the National Boys and Girls Club who agreed to pay $30,000 to have the Elkhart County Boys and Girls Club do a complete evaluation of the Marshall County chapter, checking out programs, staff, funding and facilities.
Jacobs said it would be October or November before they started the Executive Director search.
Purviance, from the Elkhart Boys and Girls Club told the commissions they provide a fund and safe place for kids to go after school and all day during the summer. He said, “Fun and safe isn’t the whole game. It’s required but what we are really trying to do is build good adults in the communities we serve.” He said the used trained kid club professionals in front of the kids so they build a positive relationship, mentor and roll model and use teachable moments when the child is about to make a bad choice or just made a bad choice. They are developing kids characters without them even knowing.
In Plymouth the Boys and Girls Club has a new state-of-the-art kid building which allows the club to offer serviced to more kids. The new building has a room for children from kindergarten, first and second grade and a teen room which split the kids into three areas. The Plymouth club is focusing on growing into the new space. Currently they have 130 to 140 kids daily and their goal is to grow that number to 200.
In Bremen the club is in the school building. Purviance said they partner with the school who provide licensed teachers after school to assist with homework help. They are focusing on children in Kindergarten through third grade making sure they are successful so as they progress they have a solid foundation. Next summer they will work with pre-K students to prepare them for success in kindergarten.
During the last several years the Marshall County Commissioners have budgeted money for the three Boys and Girls Clubs: Bremen Culver and Plymouth. This year the amount was $5,500 per club. Commissioner Kevin Overmyer said, “I wish we could open up more money for you folks.” He said with the Sheriff’s report on the expanding jail population he’d rather see the county help young people make better choices to keep them out of the system and the Boys and Girls Club offers that assistance.
