4.3. SR 01-20-1998~ity of
·
,lver
MEMORANDUM
Item #4.3.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Patrick D. Klaers, City ~nLnistrator
January 20, 1998
Boys and Girls Club of America
Councilmember Thompson and Mayor Duitsman have been attending
meetings regarding the formation of a boys and girls club in Elk River. As
the Council knows, the Lions Club is attempting to work with this
organization for the construction of a facility in Lions Park to serve the needs
of both organizations.
Attached are two recent Star News articles on a boys and girls club in Elk
River. I understand that the Mayor and Daryl attended a meeting in St.
Cloud the week of January 12 to further discuss a possible boys and girls club
in Elk River. It is appropriate for Councilmember Thompson to update
everyone on the progress that has been made in the last month or so. The
last update to the Council was on December 15, 1997.
13065 Orono Parkway ° P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
3oys ant'. Girls club chapt .r needed here
second initiative on behalf of square feet through the fund- directors. Last week, we raised the ques-
our youth is under way. It is the
campaign to establish a chapter
of the Boys and Girls Club of
~America in Elk River. This
~hapter would reach out to
youngsters in Otsego, Rogers,
Zimmerman and Elk River, as
well as the surrounding town-
ships.
In tandem with this effOrt is
t-he plan of the zealous Elk
River Lions Club to commit
$150,000 to the construction of
a teen center. It would be
.enlarged to possibly 6,000
raising efforts of a steering com-
mittee for the Boys and Girls
Club.
The Boys and Girls Club would
then program activities from
that center; which is conve-
niently located across from the
high schools complex.
Mayor Hank Duitsman, Rick
Briggs and Daryl.Thompson are
to be commended for organizing
the effort for a Boys and Girls
Club. They have lined up a blue
ribbon committee to launch the
campaign and set up a board of
The Lions Club, spearheaded
by the work of Harold
Gramstad, has committed a
substantial amount of money,
when initially the plan was just
to build the club a place to
meet.
This project and another
attempt by Mark and Annette
Watz to have a club cafe just for
young people gives us hope that
finally the leadership is realiz-
ing that young people need a
place just to be themselves -
outside of the school setting.
tion as to how high a priority
this community ranks the
development of its youth. There
is no greater demand on the
community at this time than
helping youth who need a place
to hang out.
Raising money will not be
easy, but we've seen it raised
when the leadership is con-
vinced and committed and
when the entire community
gets involved.--Don Heinz-
man
4,/Elk River Star News / Wednesday, December 17, 1997
4/Elk River Star News ! Wednesday, January 7, 1998
e has come' for Elk River, residents, bus ness commumty to unite for youth
The time has come for the City of' Lions Club stopped forward by corn- track record in working with youth, zens of Elk River will be proud of. mature the process.
Elk River, its residents and the busi-
ness community to join together for
the youth of our area. A small group
of leaders within our community
have a vision of starting a Boys &
Girls Club in Elk River.
This process all began a few
months ago when the Elk River
mitting $150,000 towards a building
for the youth of our community and
asked the City of Elk River to part-
ner in this project. As the process
proceeded it was decided a better
partner in this project would be the
Boys and Girls Club of America. The
Boys and Girls Club has a great
They have proven programs and
activities that give youth a positive
choice in our community. It is a club
that belongs to the youth with adult
supervision and counseling. ! believe
it will be a positive choice that the
youth of the community will
embrace. It will be a place the citi-
The community and its youth have
asked for a center with activities.
That opportunity has presented
itselfand with your help we can
make it a reality. We need more vol-
unteers and we need contribution.
The process has begun, the seed has
been planted and now we need to
~If.y.ou wo.u.l.d like to become a part
o~ tins exmung opportunity for our
youth call me at 441-3775. --Daryl
A. Th ompson