Boys and Girls Club to open in Strathmore
Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter
Strathmore residents Tari Cockx and Shannon Zieman have been working towards bringing the Boys and Girls Club, BGC, to Strathmore. The club does not currently have a facility in Town, but is working towards one. There have been Needs Assessment studies done for Strathmore and surrounding communities, and according to the studies Strathmore needs something like the BGC.
Remax Horizon has donated office space and a boardroom table so the club can host the leadership programs for the 10 to 17-year-olds.
If the BGC gets the go ahead for summer camps they will be looking to rent space.
“The camp will run out of the Civic Centre, and the Hope Community Church and Sacred Heart Academy will have us on the days the Civic Centre can’t,” said Shannon Zieman chair of the Strathmore BGC.
“The schools have offered their gyms for us to rent, but if we don’t have money, we can’t pay for it,” said Cockx.
The women are looking at setting up day camps for the summer. The camps will be starting July 5, with the last day being August 27.
The camps will be available to children aged 6 to 12, and the cost is $120 per week. Registration for the summer camps started on May 13; so far, only 30 kids have registered for various weeks. In order to be able to provide the camps, the BGC need 160 kids to sign up.
“It’s a fun, action packed summer camp, just like any other summer camp, you just don’t sleep there,” said Cockx.
The kids will get to participate in things like inline skating, crafts, treasure hunts and various sports.
“Our budget right now is based on 160 spots being filled. If we get more community donations we could probably run at half the amount of kids,” said Cockx.
“This is the first thing we are working on, we will still be working on putting on a regular fall schedule,” said Isa Sinclair, a Strathmore resident.
So far the group has received a donation for $500 from a member of the community who wishes to remain anonymous. Without registration being filled, or donations, the BGC can’t hire someone to be camp leader, get sports equipment or craft supplies.
“If summer camps don’t go, we’ll look at trying to get a facility for smaller programs,” said Cockx.
“The biggest thing is, we’re looking for support. We have to have summer camp registration done by June 4 to have the program run,” said Zieman.
Right now the club can go ahead with the leadership program thanks to a donation from Remax Realty, and if schools donate the space the club could hold cooking classes or other indoor classes. The club will also offer before and after care for the summer camp kids. Camps will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and for a half day on Fridays. The leader of the day camps will be there an hour before and after camp so that if parents need to drop off their child earlier or pick them up later, they can. It will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and would only cost $20 or $10 if a person only needs before care, or just after care. The BGC and their summer camps have been in Calgary for a number of years and many parents are grateful for them. They provide families with an alternative means for child care options, especially if their day home provider leaves for a vacation.
The Airdrie BGC was established in 1979 and will be guiding the Strathmore detachment with ideas and suggestions.
The final date to register for the summer camps is June 4. To order a registration package call Shannon at 403-325-0134 or go to TD Drilling @ 126G Canal Gardens.