Boys & Girls Club welcomes Carson Valley location

For more than a year, a coalition of volunteers has been working to become part of the Boys & Girls Club family. Early next week, that dream will become a reality.

An agreement between the Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley and the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada is expected to be finalized Wednesday.

Under the agreement, the Carson Valley club would become an extension club of the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, based in Carson City.

"It is something that is badly needed in this community. We are glad we were able to get it done for 2007," said JoJo Townsell, chief volunteer coordinator for the coalition.

The Carson Valley club, while technically reporting to the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, already has an established board of directors to oversee operations.

Carson City Club Director Hal Hansen said, "We are really excited about the opportunity to serve more kids. We already serve kids who live in Carson Valley whose parents work in Carson City."

Now that the Carson Valley club has become officially recognized as part of the Boys & Girls Club organization, it must raise one year's operating budget before it can begin any programs.

The preliminary estimate to do that is about $125,000, compared to the Carson's annual budget of $1.5 million.

First on the list for Townsell is an after-school program, based out of one of the Douglas County schools.

"We hope we can have something ready by summertime or hopefully sooner," Townsell said. "We are guestimating between 150-200 kids will take part, but we don't know until we open the doors."

Despite being an extension of the Carson City club, the coalition will be responsible for its own fundraising and will be able to keep anything they raise directly.

Hansen said he doesn't see the new club hindering the Carson City club's fundraising efforts.

"I don't think it will affect us at all," he said.

People making contributions are being asked to make note of which club they would like their donation to go toward.

The coalition has already raised more than $40,000 of their goal and think fundraising will become easier with the agreement.

"It's a great Christmas present for Carson Valley," Townsell said.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.