Beech Tree News Network

Yesterday I resigned as Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Butler County,Inc. I served fifteen years as a volunteer board member and was board president several years. I began serving as Executive Director in October of 2013 when Stan England stepped down because of health reasons. It was our plan for me to serve about four years. I have been truly blessed to be able to serve in this capacity. I have had a wonderful Board of Directors to work with, and an outstanding staff including Amanda White, our Unit Director at Morgantown, Samantha Camus, former Unit Director at our NBES Site, and Haley Ford, our current North Butler Unit Director, and many outstanding high school, and college students who work on a part time basis. Thanks to numerous grants, generous companies, individuals, local churches, and other civic organizations our budget has grown as have the number of children served. In 2017 we will serve over 1,000 Butler County children. This number includes almost 500 club members, and over 500 students who will participate in an eight session drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention program called Smart Moves.
I thank our parents for entrusting their children with us. We have the best kids in America. I especially want to thank Anita Jenkins and the Housing Authority Board for making our club possible, and Superintendent Scott Howard and the Butler County Board of Education for your tremendous support of our program. The thing I am most proud of during my tenure is the opening of the North Butler Elementary School site in the fall of 2015. This chartered site is averaging about fourth kids a day at our after school program. Four of my grandparents were born on the north side of the river. All four of them taught school in one room schools during portions of their lives. I believe each one of them would be so proud of this program. During my lifetime the north side has been short changed in many ways. As of now all kids in Butler County have equal access to a quality after school program. Another source of pride for me is the person our board selected to be our new Executive Director. Jodi Chambers will begin her duties on March 6, 2017. She is a recent graduate of WKU and will take our organization to a new level. She and our board have big plans for the future. Once again I say thanks to all who have supported our kids in any way. You are helping improve Butler County one child at a time!
Sincerely,
Bruce White