January 11, 2021 at 11:43 a.m.
Pending funding, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwoods will open at Central School this summer
Pending funding, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwoods will open at Central School this summer
By Stephanie Kuski-
Central Elementary School has been named as the new location for the Rhinelander site with the goal of opening this summer.
Kyle Parish, detective sergeant at the Rhinelander Police Department, announced in late 2019 his intention to establish a Boys & Girls Club in Rhinelander, which sent him on a long and winding path to collaborate and eventually partner with Angel Zimmerman, CEO of the Langlade County Boys & Girls Club.
Since then, the group has been fundraising in earnest for several months throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, having already raised approximately $37,000. But the club first needs to reach a total of $50,000 for their capital campaign before they can hire a full-time executive director and officially open at the Rhinelander site.
"Our goal is to raise enough funds so that hopefully this summer we can open with a school-based site at Central School," Zimmerman noted.
Zimmerman said the goal of getting the club up and running by the summer was the result of a feasibility study which found that there are limited summer daycare options for families in our area. Since the Boys & Girls Club summer program costs $100 for the 10-week session, the hope is that more families will take advantage of this option rather than trying to afford other summer daycare alternatives.
"Nobody is ever turned away if they can't pay," Zimmerman noted. "We always find a way to get them a scholarship."
"Everyone talks about racial inequality, but I think in our area, it's more about economic inequality," Parish added. "A lot of these kids we deal with just can't afford to go to places and this would be a very cheap alternative where they can still get mentorship."
The summer program would typically run from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Youth are broken up into smaller groups based on age, with two staff members assigned to each group ranging from approximately 15 to 20 kids.
"They'll focus on academic programming, the arts, good character, citizenship and healthy lifestyles," Zimmerman said. "Then there will be a mix of fun in there."
Youth will be spending a lot of time outside during the summer program, she added, and field trips will also be planned to afford youth the opportunity to visit places they might not have a chance to otherwise. The summer programs will also provide children with breakfast, lunch and a snack.
During the school year, the Boys & Girls Club will also offer an after-school program. With the location at Central School, many students can simply stay in the same building after school or be bused to the location from other schools in the area. Students from first through 12th grade will have the opportunity to get help with homework, have a nutritious meal and get involved with STEM projects as well as other arts and crafts.
"It rounds the kids out," Parish commented. "It's not directed specifically at sports or specifically at science or specifically at arts - it encompasses it all so that way, everyone is included."
Older students will also have the opportunity to mentor younger students, and members of the community can also get involved in volunteering. Parish said he's already gotten responses from several high school students as well as other community members noting their interest in these mentorship opportunities.
Partnership with the School District of Rhinelander is an added bonus since it allowed the Boys & Girls Club to secure Central School as the future location of the club, which was a big help since the club will no longer need to purchase a building with all the amenities necessary to facilitate their programs.
In addition to partnering with the school district, there is also potential to collaborate with other community organizations down the road in an effort to jointly support Northwoods youth.
"We're not looking to compete with anybody, we simply just want to serve the kids that need us most," Zimmerman noted. "There's lots of kids that aren't being served in Rhinelander and Oneida County and we want to work together with everybody, whether it's the food pantry or YMCA. Here in Antigo, we're working with any group or organization that serves kids... So we really want to be a part of the community and work together with everybody."
With the rebranding of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwoods, there is also potential for other cities in the greater Northwoods to jump on board and establish their own club as a partner. This way, cities like Minocqua or even others outside of Oneida County could also establish a local Boys & Girls Club.
In Langlade County, the Boys & Girls Club has been in existence for 20 years, with Zimmerman supporting the cause for 16 of those years. In response to COVID-19, the club had to shut down following Gov. Evers' Safer at Home order in March of last year, but Zimmerman said the club was able to reopen in June for their summer program.
She said the club was able to make it through the entire 10-week program without a single child or staff member contracting the virus. Zimmerman credited mask wearing, hand washing and consistent COVID-19 screening as reasons for their success. Although their numbers have been about half of what they normally would be, she said attendance is starting to increase again. This is crucial since many of those youth haven't been at the club since early last year even though the need for these services often persists.
Especially following a year plagued by financial instability and general uncertainty, the need for a safe space for all local youth, regardless of income, to do their homework and have a hot meal after school comes at an especially important time in our community.
Indeed, COVID-19 has presented a number of challenges for the local Boys & Girls Clubs to overcome and fundraising was no exception. Although the club receives state funding and federal grants to support their programs, the organization relies mostly on community support and donations.
In order to get the Rhinelander site up and running this summer, the group needs to raise a total of $50,000 by that time. For that reason, the club is seeking community support to help get the project underway.
Those interested in donating to the cause are encouraged to visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwoods website at https://bgcnorthwoods.org and follow the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwoods - Rhinelander/Oneida County on Facebook for more information.
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