On November 14 the Branson Daybreakers Rotary Club held an informative and inspirational meeting at the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, 1460 Bee Creek Road, Branson. During the meeting Mike Mulnik, current Daybreakers Rotary Club President, presented a check for $1,000 to Stoney Hays, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Club for use with their 2024 programs.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ozarks provide vital afterschool and summer programs for school-aged youth in four clubs—Branson, Crane, Forsyth and Reeds Spring and serve approximately 2,500 kids between those four clubs.
According to Stoney Hays, every day between 400-500 kids come to the clubs after school, after being dropped off by school buses. Stoney is proud of the partnerships shared with local school districts and communities. The Club’s afterschool program works on homework, life skills, mentoring kids, good citizenship and making healthy decisions. Hays mentioned that the Club reinforces the importance of education. Children are also given a hot meal each day—sometimes the only meal they will have until their next meal at school.
The Boys & Girls Club is the area’s only full-time youth agency and is staffed by Youth Development Professionals. The student to Youth Development Professional ratio is 1 to 17. The Club is open every day after school (except holidays) and daily during the summer, giving kids a safe and fun place to go until they are picked up by their parents or guardians. Club membership is open to all kids ages 5-18. Membership dues are only $30 per year for the afterschool program, and $30 per week for the all-day summer program. No one is ever turned away because of financial reasons.
Josiah, a Club member as a child and now a drug awareness counselor/instructor, had this message: “Be to this next generation what you needed.”
In the midst of an opioid epidemic, opioid awareness and prevention are significant areas of importance the Boys & Girls Club addresses. As Hays explained, prevention is discussed with kids “as young as they will understand” because young children may be impacted by parents, older siblings, or incarcerated parents. Hays said opioids come in “many fashions” and children learn about the dangers of opioid addiction and the importance of never sharing prescriptions with anyone.
After the Rotary meeting, Roxanne Amundsen, Boys & Girls Club Resource Development Coordinator, discussed the Club’s purpose and life changing importance to children and families, and she gave Rotary Club members a tour of the facilities.
For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, visit their website: https://www.bgcozarks.org/