Boys & Girls club continues legacy of support

Snohomish County Boys & Girls Clubs Executive Director Bill Tsoukalas and Area Director Marci Volmer presented to the Monroe City Council last week, providing an overview of the club's history of service in the Monroe community.

The Monroe Boys & Girls Club was the fifth club opened by its overarching organization GÇô the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. In 1981, when the Monroe club first opened, it was located in the bus barn on the Frank Wagner Elementary School campus. Initially, it was just called Boy's Club, but in 1982, the name was changed to include girls. It took the national organization eight more years to follow suit.

The club operated in the bus barn for many years, until maintenance issues became too problematic.

"On Inauguration Day 1991, there was about a 90-mile-an-hour wind that blew through, and it blew the roof off of the bus barn,GÇ¥ Tsoukalas said. "It really brought to reality that the temporary quarters really should be temporary, and we needed to start looking for something more permanent. And that's when you stepped in as a city.GÇ¥

At the time, the City of Monroe had recently sold a large piece of property located along U.S. 2 to the developer who would eventually build the Fred Meyer store. The city took the funds from the sale and sought input from the community as to what they should do with the money. A questionnaire was sent out, and the responses received by the city indicated overwhelmingly that the community wanted some type of facility oriented toward kids.

"I think almost 90 percent of the responses came back and said it's time that we did something more for the kids,GÇ¥ Tsoukalas said.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County was formally selected to occupy a new facility that would be constructed on a piece of city-owned property located at 261 Sky River Parkway, which is where the club currently sits today. The 15,000-square-foot club, which opened in 1997, included a games room, crafts room and gymnasium.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County entered into a 30-year lease with the city, agreeing to operate the Monroe club from 1997 to 2027.

In 2006, the Boys & Girls Clubs had some funding left over from its capital campaign that constructed facilities in both Snohomish and Lake Stevens. The funding was utilized to extend the footprint of the Monroe facility to include a multi-purpose room, teen center, kitchen and computer lab.

So far, 2015 has been a year of change at the Monroe club. In January, Monroe City Councilmember Jeff Rasmussen stepped in as the unit director, and in April, the club was selected as a recipient of the Comcast Cares Day volunteer program. As a result, the club received a complete facelift, including cleaning, new bathroom fixtures, fresh paint, a new outdoor garden and recreation area, refreshed teen room and more.

Along with the physical improvements, a $25,000 technology grant from United Way enabled the Monroe club to update its technology and implement the new Monroe Sqord program.

Through its programming, the Boys & Girls Club strives to provide a continuum of services for the kids who need them the most. Volmer highlighted the club's three basic areas of priority, which include academic success, good character and citizenship and healthy lifestyles. The club offers programs like Sqord, Power Hour and Youth of the Year, which have been strategically conceptualized to target those distinct areas of service.

During Power Hour, kids who drop in after school are given a snack, along with the opportunity to receive help with their homework.

"We have a great partnership with the school district, as far as knowing which kids need which kind of help,GÇ¥ Volmer said. "We're really being intentional about the time that we have with those kids.GÇ¥

Research was conducted in the Arlington School District, which examined the academic levels of fifth-grade students who used the club's services versus students who were non-members. Across the board, students who were members of the Boys & Girls Club performed at a higher level than those who were not.

"We know that this is the case across the county,GÇ¥ Volmer said. "It does make a difference GÇô having a safe place those vital hours between 3 and 6 [p.m.]GÇ¥

Monroe is the first club to implement the Sqord program, which falls into the healthy lifestyles category. Kids have wristbands that track their activity level, similar to a Fitbit. They can compete against members of staff and each other, which encourages movement and exercise. Additionally, the club offers sport leagues, including volleyball, flag football, basketball and soccer. Approximately 600 kids play sports through the Boys & Girls Club in Monroe. -á -á

The Monroe club has approximately 1,200 members and serves-á between 200 and 300 kids per day.

Each morning, the club provides a hot breakfast for about 50 kids, and every afternoon approximately 100 kids are served a snack. Membership costs vary dependent on the level of services, from $30 a year for a basic drop-in membership, to child-care services, which are more costly because they include transportation to the local schools. A total of 89 kids are enrolled in the child-care program.-á -á

The club works to accommodate families regardless of income level. Each month, the club gives approximately $6,000 in scholarships to low-income families who need the support.

"One thing I love about the Boys & Girls Club is that we don't turn people away based on ability to pay,GÇ¥ Volmer said. "Everything's very affordable.GÇ¥

The community can support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County is various ways including volunteerism and donations. To find out more, visit bgcsc.org/snohomish-clubs/monroe-club/, or contact Athena McAlarney at volunteer@bgcsc.org.