The Clinton County Boys & Girls Club held its annual meeting Monday afternoon where they presented their Youth of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and took a look ahead at the 2019 year.
This year’s Youth of the Year award went to Frankfort High School senior Troy Allen.
“He’s been coming here since he was six,” said Clinton County Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Susie Michael. “He started working for us about two years ago. He’s just the greatest kid, he’s nice, he’s polite and he’s so appreciative of everything. It was an easy choice for us this year.”
The Volunteer of the Year went to the Coomer Family, who were represented by Jeff and Chance Coomer.
“We always have a lot of good candidates for this award,” said Michael. “But the Coomers this year just went above and beyond. When they contacted us for the pumpkin patch, I thought this was going to be a lot of work. But, they did everything and I mean everything. What we did is we went out, sold pumpkins and got the money. It was so heartfelt.”
Board President Ben Pfeffer talked about the expansion that has already begun.
“We have determined that our focus must be to expand services and fulfill our responsibility to be the Premier Before and After School Resource for all of Clinton County,” he said. “Our expansion began last year, and we are quickly outpacing the forecast for 2019 already. It is our goal that more children utilize the facility, experience programming to help them be better people and be safe from potential risks and harm.”
Pfeffer also talked about another expansion.
“The Clinton County Boys and Girls Club will open its doors for the teens up to and including 18 years of age to have their own hangout room, equipped with TV, games, computers and Wi-Fi,” said Pfeffer. “This program will have development opportunities in tutoring, STEM based education, partnering with Purdue University, the new Spaceport program, and other outside resources. We will fulfill our continuing mission to reach out to the youth, provide safe, structured programs to get them off the streets and out of potential trouble.”
Michael added they expect to expand their hours of operation after spring break and hopefully have the Teen Center going by mid-summer. She said he will be looking for a grant through the Community Foundation or avenues such as that.
Another part of the expansion is that Shine On University Day Services of Lafayette, who is a special needs adult and children services provider, designed to make the lives of individuals with cognitive, physical disabilities and autism reach their dreams. With that in mind, Shine On University Director Tammy Frost and local volunteer Gena Carson have approached the Clinton County Boys and Girls Club to house a version of their program, which Pfeffer said will begin offering in late March.
“We are very excited and encouraged that new programs, coupled with our successful increases thus far, helps us to attain the goal as the County Wide Premier Provider of Before and After School Childcare,” said Pfeffer.
Michael added the club has increased its average daily attendance from 92 to 96 percent and they now have over 600 members.