Barely a month ago, Rita Pruette and Clifford Jackson discovered they had the same idea: Blountstown needs a Boys & Girls Club.
For Jackson, his first introduction to the program was when he took local kids to Tyndall Air Force Base to participate in basket games that were sponsored by the organization.
He found out there was a lot more to the Boys & Girls Club. “I started looking into what they offered,” he said. “They mentor kids, teach life skills and stress education.” They also offer programs in the arts, sports, fitness and careers.
“There’s really nothing to do for our kids in our communities,” he said. The Club’s after school program would give them a place to go, something to do and an opportunity to learn and develop skills they might not learn about in their day-to-day lives.
Pruette’s realization stemmed from a much more serious situation. A few years ago, a 13-year-old girl came to the doctor’s office where Pruette, a nurse practitioner, was working and asked for a pregnancy test. The test showed she was not pregnant. The girl was disappointed and explained that her boyfriend wanted her to have his baby. Pruette urged her to begin using birth control pills and supplied her with three months’ worth. The girl said she would use them.
The same youngster showed up a few weeks later for another pregnancy test. This time it was positive. She was happy but Pruette was worried. How could a 13-year-old mother raise a child who wouldn’t repeat those poor choices? How could this young girl, and one day, her child, learn about personal responsibility and the many options the future offers?
She started to do a little research.
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At Thursday’s Super Council meeting at the library in Blountstown, Pruette gave a presentation on the changes being made in young lives through the Boys & Girls Club.
One of the most remarkable statistics she presented was a 50 percent drop in teen birthrates over a seven year period in Milwaukee, WI. The city went from 52 births per 1,000 in 2005 to just over 25 births per 1,000 in 2012.
She cited local statistics that showed Calhoun County’s 2013 teen birthrate at just over 56 per 1,000, with much the same number in Liberty County. Just the previous year, in 2012, Liberty County’s teen birthrate soared at 78 per 1,000. She would like to see those numbers drop to fall in line with the success Milwaukee has established.
How did they do it? She says a program like Boys & Girls Club of America had a big role in bringing that rate down by encouraging kids to stay in school, take care of their health and avoid risky behavior while developing a strong character.
Her presentation included a checklist of some significant findings about the Club from the Florida Tax Watch group, which points out that kids taking part in the after school programs have higher reading scores,less school absences and lower dropout rates.
She and Jackson are gathering a list of endorsements from local organizations and community leaders as they work toward establishing a club.
While it will cost about $50,000 to get started, once in place, the club will be mostly funded by grants, Pruette explained.
They’re looking into ways to find a location and raise the start-up money. They will be working under the umbrella of the Mayhaw Community Action Group, using their 501 C3 status as a non-profit organization.
They’re already aware of a $20,000 grant that’s provided to newly-formed clubs to purchase computer equipment, and there are many other grant sources they can work with after getting on their feet.
What they need right now is community support. If you would like to help, you can do so by adding your name to their endorsement list and writing a letter supporting their efforts. For more information, contact Rita Pruette at ritasmithpruette@yahoo.com, or Clifford Jackson at cjackson1963@live.com or (850) 209-1684.
To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, visit www.bgca.org.