Christmas Challenge: Donate now to keep Boys and Girls Club doors open.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

Want to show your kids what the Christmas Season really means? Then here's an opportunity, and a challenge.

Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi President and CEO Billy Redd said yesterday that the organization will likely be closing three area facilities after December 31. Lack of funding has left the facilities in Bolton, Magnolia and Canton without the money to keep the doors open affecting more than 1,000 kids.

Billy tells me that one time donations are welcome, but what is really need to sustain the programs are long-term committments.

"We need folks to sign up for our monthly check draft program," he said. "We have people who are having a monthly check draft from as low as $5 per month to several hundred dollars per month."

So here is the challenge part. Sharon, Isaac, Rickey and I are pledging $20 per month. Surely your family can give that much to help out kids in need in our own community. Write "The Flora Harvester" at the top of the form before mailing it in, and the Boys and Girls Club will keep a running tally of how much we all give.

The Boys and Girls Club mission statement is “To enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens”. The group is a God centered organization that teaches the important of dedication to Faith, country, honesty and fair play. Who can deny these truths to be needed in our communities today.

Here's a few more stats Billy shared with me:

• 95% of Boys and Girls Clubs members graduate from High School
• 0% Pregnancy rate of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi members
• 95% of our members are on free or reduced-cost lunch programs at their schools.
• The Boys and Girls Club in Central Mississippi serves over 3,200 youth in six clubs (4-Jackson, Bolton, and Canton) each year and they spend over 750,000 hours a year in the Clubs.
• The membership fee for a child to attend the club is only $25.00 per year. However, the actual cost to serve a child is over $500.00 per year.

A poll of the Boys and Girls Clubs alumni in Mississippi show:

 • 57% said the Club literally “saved their lives;”
 • 95% said the Club was one of the best things available in their community;
 • 79% said the Club had a positive impact on their self-esteem; and
 • 70% said the Club had a positive impact on their ability to avoid difficulty with the law.

The education aspect can't be overstated. The stat I find to be incredibly important is that of the latest report card info. As of last week, the overall grade average of kids particpating in the Boys and Girls Club ranges from 81.41 to 88.24. Our future is pretty bleak if we can't find a way to instill learning in all children in every community, and the Boys and Girls Club is doing that.

Matthew 25:45 tells us that Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

We can argue all day long about geopolitics, race, personal responsibility and a number of other reasons these kids fall through the cracks. We can also argue about all the problems in other parts of the world. But, the simple truth is the Lord didn't put us in a different place, He put us here. It is here where we must work out in the real world our beliefs and attempt to do the most good.

To do your part to help, print and fill out the Pledge Form below and mail it to the address on the form. Remember to write The Flora Harvester at the top. Billy will give us regular reports on the tally.

Pledge Form