Parent and Family

This old Chinese proverb provokes much thought. While some may disagree that it takes a village to raise a child, and to what extend the village should be involved, it is a simple fact that all children come in contact with people other than just their immediate family members (teachers, coaches, church leaders, Boy and Girl Scouts, neighbors, music teachers, aunts, uncles and on and on). Unfortunately, our children could also come in contact with drug dealers, gang members, internet preditors and more. We MUST give them proper tools to sort the good from the bad.

Family, is of course, the best and ideal resource for a child. Today's families are diverse in many ways, sporting single-parent families, grandparents being the main supporters and role models and gay marriages, to name a few. No matter how we feel individually about any of these situations, the fact remains that children need to be loved and nurtured. They need positive influences in their lives, no matter who they are or where they come from.

Many, many Oklahoma children are raised in generational poverty and are not given the tools to raise themselves out of it, because the family structure is not strong enough to assist them. These children must be provided for and nurtured by other outside entities.

The Boys and Girls Club is a place a child can participate in after-school programs no matter what their background or where they come from or go home to. All children are precious and it absolutely vital that they are loved, cared for and directed in a way that teaches them that they are important and special - NO MATTER WHAT!