By Sarah Rae

Boys and Girls Club asking for community’s help

Jun 21, 2016 | 5:28 PM

A local children’s program has almost doubled the amount of kids it serves.

The Battlefords Boys and Girls Club helped nearly twice as many kids in 2015 as the year before. Now, they just have to catch up to the demand financially.

Executive Director Nicole Combres said because the number of kids is so high, expenses have skyrocketed.

“It’s fantastic that we’re having an impact on that many children, but it also does create some concern for us financially,” she said.

Combres said the club had an impact on 551 kids in 2015. The supper program expanded to four days a week instead of two, so staff were sometimes serving an after school snack, an evening snack and supper to 30 to 50 kids in a day. Combres said the club also expanded its soccer and hockey programs and added a hip hop dance program.

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The Boys and Girls Club is totally free for participants and has no core funding. Combres said it relies entirely on fundraising, donations and grants. She said the club is looking at other fundraising opportunities, especially ones that could provide more stability.

There will soon be a monthly donation option for people in the community, called 40 for 40. Combres said because the club has been serving the Battlefords for 40 years, she’s asking for community members to commit to donating a certain amount of money every month.

The suggested amount is $40, but supporters can donate however much they would like. Combres said a monthly donation is more reliable than regular fundraising because it is money the club knows is going to be there each month.

Combres said the club is going to face some challenges this year, but she’s counting on help from the community.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have the community’s support for 40 years and we’re hoping the community is ready and willing to give us their support for another 40 years,” she said.

Sarah.rae@jpbg.ca

@sarahjeanrae