The Herald Bulletin - 5:26 p.m.: Wilson club struggles with debt; United Way may place club on one-year probation

Thu, Nov 26 2009

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Rodney Nichols, director of the Wilson Boys & Girls Club, introduces employees of Meijer, Tia Keffer, from left, Crystal Thomas, JoAnn Verdin and Rob Benedum. Tia Keffer and JoAnn Verdin, two secretaries at the Anderson Meijer store, asked their corporation to donate $2,000 after learning about the problems facing the Boys & Girls Club.
Richard Sitler / The Herald Bulletin

Byvonda Hendrix displays a check donated by Meijer on the wall in the entry of the Wilson boys & Girls Club. Tia Keffer and Joann Verdin, two secretaries at the Anderson Meijer store, asked their corporation to donate $2,000 after learning about the problems facing the Boys & Girls Club.
Richard Sitler / The Herald Bulletin

Representaves from the Anderson Meijer store and members,staff and supporters of the Wilson Boys & Girls Club pose for a picture. Tia Keffer and Joann Verdin, two secretaries at the Anderson Meijer store, asked their corporation to donate $2,000 after learning about the problems facing the Boys & Girls Club.
Richard Sitler / The Herald Bulletin

Tia Keffer and Joann Verdin, two secretaries at the Anderson Meijer store, asked their corporation to donate $2,000 after learning about the problems facing the Boys & Girls Club.
Richard Sitler / The Herald Bulletin

5:26 p.m.: Wilson club struggles with debt; United Way may place club on one-year probation

By Barrett Newkirk

Nichols said the Boys & Girls Club’s annual budget is about $250,000. This year the organization received $12,000 from the United Way, down from about $20,000 the year before, he said.

But recently some surprise donations have started to come in.

Tia Keffer and Joann Verdin, two secretaries at the Anderson Meijer store, asked their corporation to donate $2,000 after learning about the problems facing the Boys & Girls Club.

“I know they need it,” Keffer said. “We just thought it was a good program to put money in since it has to do with the children.”

Other companies have also responded with donations or pledges, Nichols said, and he is awaiting the outcome of a grant proposal to the county for $40,000 for drug education programs.

Max Howard, a long-time Wilson Boys & Girls Club board member, said decreased funding has in the past impacted staffing and services, but right now demand is at a critical level.

“As the local economy has gone down, the needs for what we provide over there has gone up,” he said.

The United Way, however, believes funding dictates services.

“If you don’t have the money to do it, then you can’t do it,” Nancy Vaughan said.

Because the Boys and Girls Club of America has agreed to work with the local chapter and help it reorganize, Vaughan said the United Way made an unprecedented recommendation of the one-year probation, rather than give a 30-day warning before deciding to cease donations.

For now the Wilson Boys & Girls Club’s United Way funds remain in tact and it has time to strengthen its financial reports.

“This is a long-term issue,” Vaughan said. “It didn’t happen overnight. It’s not going to be fixed overnight.”

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