As School Year Winds Down, Boys and Girls Club Still Going Strong

Staff Photo by Elizabeth Lane

Jessica Page, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Dumplin Valley, sat down on Wednesday to discuss the program’s decision to open a Strawberry Plains location, as well as discuss events occurring over the coming months.

Part of the push to build the new club was a feeling of isolation by much of the community, and a need to provide a positive environment for youth. “People want their children to have a safe place to go after school and not have to worry about negative influences.” Page explained. When asked about the interest and support of the community, Page said, “It just caught on like fire. Strawberry Plains Presbyterian Church was the initial place to offer us a home. They quickly identified our needs and stepped out on faith, and we stepped out right along with them.” With the help and utilization of the Life Center offered by the church, the Strawberry Plains branch of the Boys and Girls Club community opened its doors on November 23, 2015.

Boys and Girls Club continues to be a helpful mentor within the community during the school year and the summer months. In the school year, the club offers programs and incentives that provide club members with the proper tools to help them not only in education, but also in life. Page described what the program meant personally, “Boys and Girls Club is, to me, a safe place for kids to learn and grow unburdened by their circumstances. It is an opportunity to teach them all that we can while allowing them to still enjoy their childhood.”

Wednesday also marked the club’s first fundraiser of the year, the Todd Collins Golf Classic, which started 15 years ago. The Boys and Girls Clubs also has several field trips and gatherings for members to be involved in over the summer. Information on these events are available on the social media pages of area clubs.