Boys & Girls Club opens in Ranchos

The Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley officially opened Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School.

Members of the community showed up to support the new youth program, as did local businesses and organizations such as Stewart Title and Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Authority.

"The community Boys & Girls Club wouldn't be here without a community," said Hal Hansen, executive director of the Western Nevada Boys & Girls Club."We've gotten great community support."

Hansen has been involved with Boys & Girls clubs for 24 years and said the organization is a vital part of the Douglas County community.

"All of the services weren't being met," said Hansen. "Not everyone was being served."

The Boys & Girls Club is a summer and after-school youth program where children can go to have fun and be supervised while their parents are at work.

The summer program offers games, arts and crafts, and recreational activities. The after-school program offers homework help and tutoring, educational activities and prevention programs, such as SMART Moves, a substance abuse prevention program to help youth resist peer pressure.

There are currently three Boys & Girls Club satellites in Carson City.

The Douglas County site is in the cafetorium of the middle school in the Gardnerville Ranchos.

Affordability is a major problem parents face when finding programs to take care of their children, and Boys & Girls Club is an affordable way to keep children busy. Cost is $15 a week per child.

"Parents are very happy," Hansen said. "One mother said that she is saving $400 a month on child care and can save up enough money to buy a house."

There are currently 185 children enrolled in the program, and on average about 85 children attend per day.

"Each kid has a card, and when they get here they swipe the card to scan in, and when they leave they swipe it again to sign out," said Justin Wass, a Boys & Girls Club employee. "It's really safe and a good way to keep track of everyone."

Hansen said that the children have responded positively to the program.

"The kids are great," he said. "Some kids have shown up a little unsure at first, but then they want to come back the next day.

"The kids are engaged. It's fun with a purpose."

The program is looking for donations and fundraising in order to continue its efforts and hopefully, in the long run, open its own facility.

"We need all of the fundraising we can get," said Sherry Dilley, a Boys & Girls Club worker.

Donations are accepted, but Dilley said to check with the staff before donating items or toys because of the limited space available in the Pau-Wa-Lu facility.

After a few years of hard work to get Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley on its feet, the staff is looking forward to getting the program underway.

"Now the fun begins," said Hansen.

Enrollment is ongoing and openings are available. For information, call 443-7642.