Wellington Boys & Girls Club welcomes new director

By Gary Raham
Wellington Correspondent

Jean Duer, former education director at the Fort Collins Boys & Girls Club, has been promoted to the position of extension director at the Wellington unit of the organization. She will be replacing five-year veteran Nicole Harr, who has accepted a new position on the West Coast.

Jean is no stranger to many of Wellington's children, including four-year club member Chelsea Martinez. The Loveland, Fort Collins and Wellington clubs get together during the year for some events, including their annual fund-raiser.

Located in city park in Wellington, the club is housed in the long building just north of the basketball courts and skate board area and sandwiched between two playgrounds at 3815 W. Harrison Ave. Children can be seen spilling out of the building between 2:30 and 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on days when school is not in session (including winter and spring breaks). Summer hours run Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One of Duer's goals for the club is to expand its hours to five days a week during the school year. To that end, she plans to become active in local organizations like the Wellington Economic Development Association and a newly created Youth Advisory Committee. This latter group, consisting of concerned parents and community members, would ultimately like to see the senior center, the Wellington Recreation Sports Association and the Boys & Girls Club merge into a common recreation district. Duer said she is excited about getting to know and work with the Wellington community.

Currently, the Boys & Girls Club is supported by a combination of grants and donations. The town of Wellington provides $1,000 toward the cost of operations plus the use of the building, and the town pays all utilities and maintenance except phone service. A Budweiser grant of nearly $6,000, combined with local business and private donations and countywide fund-raisers, allows the organization to keep club membership minimal for participants: $5 per year. Even that fee can be earned through work at the club.

That $5 per year provides lots of great activities and learning experiences for youth, including book clubs, pottery and music lessons, computer lab, games, crafts, sports activities, field trips, cooking classes and more. The goals of the club include providing children with positive self-identity; educational, employment, social, emotional and cultural skills; community involvement; health and well being; and a "moral compass."

"I encourage the community to be involved with the club," Duer said. "I would love to have them say 'I like what I see here.'"

Parents are welcome to drop by anytime to get a quick tour and take a look at the monthly calendar of events. The club provides a safe place for children and teens as well as a new social environment. Children from 6 to 18 years old may attend, so older youth can often mentor younger ones. Since many siblings attend together, the club often feels like an extended family.

Duer can be reached by phone at 568-7338 or by e-mail at bgcw@frii.com.

Donations can be designated specifically for local use by writing a check to Wellington Boys & Girls Club and either dropping it off at the Harrison Avenue address above or mailing to Program Support Building, Larimer County Boys & Girls Club, 103 Smokey St., Fort Collins, CO 80525.