Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana will be opening a number of their Club sites for summer programming. On June 1, Cedar Lake, Duneland, Portage, South Haven and Valparaiso Clubs will be re-opening their doors to provide youth with the Best Summer Ever!
Registration for Summer Kidstop is now open with limited slots available. In order to register for Summer Kidstop, a child must have an updated Club membership and there is a $20 registration fee per family. To register, call Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana at (219) 764-CLUB for weekly summer fees or register online by visiting bgcgreaternwi.org/summerregistration.
Following the safety protocols established by Governor Eric Holcomb, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana is implementing a number of precautions to ensure the safety of Club members, including limited room and building capacities, non-contact curbside pick-up and drop-offs, and taking the temperature of anyone entering the building.
As an added layer of safety, Club members will be given their own Welcome Back Boxes containing essential supplies they carry throughout the day. Vice president of operations and human resources Kris Condon said the boxes are stocked with supplies specific to different age groups, as well as hand sanitizer, water bottles, and stress relief items like tangle puzzles to help ease any anxieties Club members might be feeling. Condon said the goal is to eliminate the need for Club members to share supplies. Supplies are being provided through funding from Porter County Community Foundation, United Way of Porter County, Legacy Foundation, Foundations of East Chicago, Crown Point Community Foundation, and The John S. & James L. Knight Fund at Legacy Foundation.
In order to ensure the well-being of Club members, Boys & Girls Clubs staff have undergone training in sanitization and safety protocols, including disinfecting all common areas, restrooms, and supplies, as well as social distancing programming that requires a 1:10 staff-to-Club member ratio and timed activities to control traffic in and out of rooms. Additionally, all Club staff will be required to wash their hands every thirty minutes and wear masks that cover their faces and noses.
“We want kids to be able to come to Club, have some fun, and engage in the kinds of structured activities that get their minds going and reinforce the concepts they learned in their shortened school-year,” states Ryan Smiley, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. “The safety or Club kids is absolutely our top priority. We wouldn’t be reopening if we weren’t comfortable with our ability to keep them safe and give them a great summer camp experience.”
