Boys and Girls Club looking to increase safety

Image
  • Boys and Girls Club looking to increase safety
    Boys and Girls Club looking to increase safety
Body

By Jacob Stock

The Cuero Record

 

Across the nation, one emergence that every school district and after-school program have in common is finding ways to increase security and safety for their students. After the recent tragedy that took place close to home in Uvalde, at Robb Elementary School, the conversation of implementing and expanding safety measures is something deserving a much closer focus.

The Boys and Girls Club of DeWitt County (BGCDC) is a program seeking help in improving the overall safety measures of the club. As a nonprofit organization, the BGCDC is operated mostly on fundraisers and grants that often limit the Club as to where it can spend its funds. Many grants are often restricted for specific events or programs, limiting the amount of money that the club can use for improvements.

“We make plenty to do what we need to do, but certain grants that we receive are restricted,” said Megan Boehl, the programs director, on the overall steps to running the BGCDC.

The current building the BGCDC calls home is a much older building that is in need of updated security renovations. The Club has been operating at the 1015 E. Courthouse location since 2014 when the former city building was donated. Having roughly 100-150 members, and a daily average of 85-95 kids, safety is their overall number one priority.

“Our number one concern is the safety of our club members in anything and everything we do. I think what made us really buckle down and look at what we do, as a whole, was the Uvalde shooting. It left us thinking if that would have been us, there’s really not much stopping that guy from walking in,” said Boehl on the driving force behind the proposed renovations.

The BGCDC has recently reached out to the Cuero Police Department to seek recommendations on how to make the building safer. The driving force behind the idea is making sure all club members are safe during their supervision.

“We feel, right now, we are doing the best we can with what we are given,” said Boehl. “We do have safety features in place, and we do go over the rules having drills with kids throughout the year, but it is not where it needs to be. It is a very old building.”

Read the full story in this week's edition of The Cuero Record. Call 361-275-3464 to subscribe.