Keeping The Faith
Each day, as the tsunami of ever changing news washes over us, it is all too easy to lose hope and focus as we struggle just to determine, which way is up. However, while these daily uncertainties are difficult for most, they are simply overwhelming for Club members who need us most. For those young people who normally struggle for consistency, the Boys & Girls Club is a beacon of hope and opportunity desperately needed to navigate this chaos and continue their journey toward a GREAT FUTURE.
Now, more than ever, it is the chaos facing our members, which drives our organization and our team to focus on our mission and do everything reasonably possible to provide as much consistency as we can. To that end, I want to share what our Club professionals, with support from the Club and Endowment Foundation Boards, have done to modify the Club experience to keep the faith with our members and help them stay the course to a bright future.
A Daily Experience
The Bair Family Clubhouse has reopened to provide a full day experience for current members who are homeless or have parents working in the medical field or as first responders. In order to serve these members and keep everyone as safe as possible, our incredible team of Club professionals re-wrote “the book” on running a Boys & Girls Club, which now includes an aggressive set of new safety and sanitation procedures. Now that we are a few weeks into this new environment, I am pleased to report that the new experience is working and we are providing a GREAT experience for our members who can join us each day.
A Remote Connection
In addition to the daily experience at the Bair Family Clubhouse, our Club professionals are creating new “remote” opportunities to engage members who are not able to attend their local Clubhouse. The development of this innovative programming continues and I am excited with the progress made through our team’s amazing ingenuity and creativity.
Stay the Course
In closing, I want to extend a very heartfelt thank you to each of you for your ongoing generosity. Thanks to you, not only can the Club do amazing things on a “normal” day, but also can pivot on a dime to re-create a Club experience that can do amazing things in a time of chaos and uncertainty. While we do not know what new challenges will come tomorrow, I hope you will continue to stand beside us as we stay the course and be the beacon of hope to those who need us most can rely on.
Brian Dennis, President & CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County
When will we know if summer session is going to happen or not? My son is ready for club.
Update as of June 5, 2020
Dear Terry,
Castle Rock Clubhouse
We are pleased to announce that in partnership with Billings Public Schools and following safety guidance from the Yellowstone County Health Officer, we will re-open the Castle Rock Clubhouse on Monday, June 15th to serve up to 100 members. Summer participation will continue to be invitation only and these new spots will be for school-year members from the Castle Rock and Medicine Crow Clubhouses including those currently attending the Bair Family Clubhouse.
More Members at Bair Family
With the Castle Rock and Medicine Crow members leaving the Bair Family Clubhouse, we will invite more school-year members from the Bair Family, Lockwood and McKinley Clubhouses to fill the vacant spots.
Lockwood Clubhouse
The conversation with Lockwood School on opportunities to provide in person programming this summer continues but we do not have new information to share.
While we are pleased to open the Castle Rock Clubhouse, we know more kids need the Club and we remain focused on finding opportunities to provide service to more young people. Please monitor our Facebook page and website for the latest information and if you have questions or need to talk to someone, call me at 406-245-4457.
Sincerely,
Brian Dennis
President & CEO
Would like to send a donation in my brother Kevin Stenberg’s name and I need a mailing address.