The Kids Club of Harney County is set to open on June 15 with new director at helm

Formally known as the Boys & Girls Club, the Kids Club of Harney County will open its doors on June 15.

Ater many hours of meetings and soul searching, the board of directors decided that it was in the best interest for Harney County to break away from the national organization and form their own private club. “The Boys & Girls Club of America is an excellent organization and is truly dedicated to kids and giving them opportunities and a safe place to go after school and during the summer,” said board member Ron Wulff. However, living up to the minimum standards and paying the yearly dues was becoming increasingly difficult financially, which ultimately resulted in closing the doors until more additional funding came in.

The board now feels they have a sustainable operational plan that should relieve a lot of stress on both the board members and the community. They will now be able to open the club with a much lower operating budget, and still provide all the programs and activities the kids love to do. The monthly operating expenses will be a fraction of what they were last year due to the changes put in place.

Carrie Winstead was selected to be the executive director of the club. Winstead was chosen because of her experience with working with children and the business aspect she brings to the club.

Board member Wulff said, “Winstead has a great deal of passion for the kids and is determined to make the club a success and provide a welcoming environment for the kids to come and enjoy themselves.”

Winstead has already been working on an operation plan that will rely more on volunteers and less on paid staff members. She has been spending a great deal of time talking to various educational programs that require internships of the students to obtain work experience. So far, there has been a tremendous number of inquiries of people wanting to volunteer their time to be part of the club.

The club will open Monday, June 15, and provide a safe place for the kids to go and interact with one another. Winstead plans on having a weekly theme to give the kids focus. She hopes to introduce them to a wide variety of activities and learning experiences. “Many of the programs will be structured but there will be plenty of time for the kids to just be kids and have a good time,” Winstead said.

By the time the doors open, the club will have a new look. New fencing has been put up; there are plans of landscaping the premises, including planting trees and bushes. A new logo for the club has been chosen, and a fresh coat of paint should make the place look like new.

The board is very excited about this new beginning. This year’s Diamonds in a Glass fund raiser raised enough money to pay off all of the club’s debt and put some money into the bank. Thanks to some additional donations from various community members, and especially the Commission on Children and Families, enough money has been raised to get the club through the summer after which the next big fund raiser starts.

The Kids Club has taken over the Burns/Hines 5K walk/run race which will be held Saturday, June 20, and with the support of Valley Golf Club, a golf tournament will be held July 10. Winstead is currently taking classes to learn how to write grant requests, and she is also working with grant writers from out of the area to obtain funding to grow the club.

The board of directors would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the club. The board would like to bring on additional board members and is asking for people who are interested and willing to making the Kids Club grow and prosper to contact Winstead and express your interest.

The Kids Club office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to stop by or call 573-7036.