Boys & Girls Club to expand into Scott City

The Boys & Girls Club of Cape Girardeau will become more of a regional organization with an impending name change and an expansion into nearby Scott City.

Carol Childers, who has been the organization's executive director since March, said she is passionate about making sure area children have a safe, productive place to be when school is not session, whether that means after school hours or during the summer.

"We are here for the people who need us the most," Childers said.

Pending approval from the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the local agency's name will become Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Missouri.

Childers said she hopes to have the name change approved "before the beginning of the school year -- even sooner, if possible."

Much work is going on behind the scenes to expand the not-for-profit organization's offerings, but the first truly visible step will begin in the fall at one of the school buildings in Scott City, which already has been approved as a child-care site for underserved children.

If a $60,000 fundraising goal is met in time, the school will serve 30 to 50 children by the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.

Right now, the existing Boys & Girls Club serves 103 children in grades K-4, plus a few in junior high, with a $350,000 annual budget.

But in Scott City, about 22 percent of children ages 5 to 10 years old are home alone between 2:30 p.m., when school dismisses for the day, and 7 p.m., when their parents arrive home from work.

Childers said the reason is affordable after-school and summer care options are scarce.

Childers said there is a general lack of child-care infrastructure throughout the local region, including services for older children.

"The biggest segment that we're so missing out on is the preteen through high school, because those are the ones who are going to drop out," she said.

Ideally, at-risk children should be reached by sixth grade. In terms of children in elementary grades, Childers also would like for the new Boys & Girls Clubs to be able to reach children in all area elementary schools.

Right now, the agency serves Cape Girardeau's Franklin and Jefferson elementaries only.

Childers, who replaced Jeff Jernigan as leader of the local organization when he left to move to St. Louis, has a professional background in banking.

She also served on the Boys & Girls Club board for two years before taking over as director.

She is working to enlist the help of supporters from a variety of area businesses, including Southeast Missouri State University.

Anyone interested in learning more is encouraged to call the local office at (573) 335-7141.

ljones@semissourian.com

388-3652