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Nov 19, 2009 5:28 pm US/Central
Rockwall Boys & Girls Club Facing Money Shortfall
ROCKWALL (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Boys & Girls Club of America
A club that keeps children off the streets is facing its own challenges right now - and it's all about money.
The Boys & Girls Club of Rockwall County faced the possibility it would be forced to close.
This is an after-school ritual. A safe place for nearly 200 children - a place to have fun and learn. Most of these children don't have an alternative.
"The danger is if there's no place for a child to go and you can't afford child care, guess what? They're going to be at home or they're going to be out here in the parks walking around or riding their bikes. There's not going to be any parent supervision" says Boys & Girls Club Director Nan Ross.
But the club is facing financial challenges, and in large part the recession is to blame.
Grant money has been cut, large donations dried up and parents looking for an inexpensive place for their children led to rapid increase in membership.
"We're undergoing some restructuring to make sure that this place does not close, absolutely does not close because it's meeting a vital need in the community and the community sees that" says club trustee Chris White.
Local businesses are trying to help. Christmas trees invite patrons to invest in the children of Rockwall by buying supplies or sponsoring a child. And this club believes it has averted a crisis.
Karen Straughan of Straughan Properties is doing what she can. "Certainly Rockwall needs the Boys & Girls Club and we don't want to see the doors shut. We want this opportunity to be here for these children."
While they are optimistic here, they are giving themselves until mid December to raise $50,000.
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