Audrey Gomez
The Sweet Home Boys & Girls Club started last week about $8,000 short of its $40,000 March 31 fund-raising goal.
As of last Saturday, it had not only met that goal but was $1,225 toward the next benchmark – $20,000 more by May 31.
“I think with the work of the ad hoc committee and seeing social media or our thermometer, it kind of shows the need,” said Senior Branch Director Dave Bauer.
A group of concerned citizens formed an ad-hoc committee in February in response to news that the Sweet Home branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Santiam may close. The club had been running at a deficit for a decade.
The group, with former Sweet Home club board president Ron Moore acting as chairman, includes Larry Horton, Jim Cota, Mike Hall, Melissa Wise, Bryan Gardner, Erin Regrutto, Scott Melcher, Dave Barringer, Wendi Melcher, Heather Search, Milt Moran and Rachel Kitson-MaQatish.
“I’ve talked with most of the business owners around town and our community has really stepped up and helped us reach our goal,” Bauer said.
Several business are donating portions of their products to the Sweet Home Boys & Girls Club.
“Hoy’s Hardware is donating $5 to the Boys & Girls Club for every carpet cleaning rental between now and the end of May,” Bauer said.
Among other contributions, The Point is doing a “dollar up” campaign – customers may add a dollar to their bill. OK Feed is donating a dollar from selected dog food purchases, and an A&W fund-raiser for April 13 is in the works.
Youngsters who attend the club helped out too; they held a car wash fund-raiser on Friday, March 27.
“It was a fun thing for the kids to do,” Bauer said. “We raised $191.”
A donation from a Sweet Home resident gave the effort a big boost.
“We had a donor step up with $5,000 on Thursday or Friday that put us over the top,” Bauer said.
“We’re very excited that we made our first goal,” he said. “We’re looking forward at the next one.”
So far, the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam has not decided to raise rates. Club officials don’t want to make access to the club cost-prohibitive.
“If people can afford to give more, maybe they would like to be part of the monthly giving campaign,” Bauer said.