BNSF News

BNSF Railway Foundation helps Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club in Skagit County, Wash., stay open full

2013-08-29

Through a donation by the BNSF Railway Foundation, the Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club in Skagit County, Wash., is now able to be open full time to better serve the needs of area youth.

The club has only been open two days a week because of difficult budget cuts.

"Our goal was to get the Mount Vernon club open full time. We talked about what funding would be needed to have five-day-a-week planning," explained David Conover, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Skagit County.

To help with keeping the club open full time, the Foundation donated $50,000. "BNSF is pleased to be able to help the Boys & Girls club better serve the needs of area youth," said Courtney Wallace, BNSF regional public affairs director. "Organizations like the Boys & Girls club provide such an important service to allow children in our community to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens."

Conover emphasized the Foundation donation's positive impact on the club. "Mount Vernon is a community that has an economically disadvantaged group of families and kids that need that consistent after-school care," said Conover.

The donation will also enable the club to handle the increasing number of kids who utilize its resources. "Previously our attendance was 30 to 45 a day, and our attendance will jump to the 120 range. That would not be possible without the foundation's donation. It's going to have a huge impact on the lives of these kids," he added.

The Mount Vernon club will be open five days a week from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Sept. 9. It will also offer teen nights on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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