For working families in the Flathead Valley, finding a place for children to spend time during the summer can be challenging.

The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country is working to continue expanding and keep costs low to ensure more children can attend programs, the organization’s Vice President Pam Koller says.

The Whitefish Community Foundation in June awarded the Boys and Girls Club a $30,000 Kids Fund Grant to support the organization’s program for kindergarten through eighth-grade students in the Evergreen School District. This was in addition to their 2021 commitment of $100,000 over a three-year period to launch the Evergreen program, which has increased enrollment from 45 children during the 2021-2022 school year to 110 enrolled this most recent school year.

“We just needed that little bit of extra help to make sure that the kids have their fruits and vegetables and have healthy meals. Some of the kids are a little food insecure and have issues at home, so sometimes we do send some food home with them as well,” Koller said.

Staff has been doubled to keep up with how many children are enrolled. The Boys and Girls Club remains one of the most affordable summer programs for kids in the Flathead Valley, with an annual membership fee of $20 due at the time of submitting an application. Scholarships base need off of local schools free and reduced lunch programs are offered.

“We want to keep it affordable for families as much as we can and really fill that need for the community,” Resource Development Specialist Tracy Day said. “There are not many parents or caregivers who can take 11 weeks off work for the summer. So, we really just want to help the families locally and make sure that they have a safe environment for their kids to come and hang out during the summer.”

The Boys and Girls Club operates as a drop-off facility and has programming for elementary school, junior high and high school students. It’s open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and does not require attendance, but recommends that a child comes at least three times a week. The programming focuses on five core areas: character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, sports and fitness, the arts and recreation.

Students go on field trips to Glacier National Park, the Miracle of America Museum in Polson and to Fort Missoula, among other locations that have an educational element to visit.

In addition, Koller said the goal is to impart good values on the kids. Recently, they cooked meals for the Flathead Warming Shelter, an act of outreach that Koller said had children smiling from ear to ear.

“We like to teach morals and ethics to our kids, and just really be that rock when they need stability. And just know that there's always a safe place if they ever need it and they can just kind of come here with who they are,” Koller said.

It’s all about what the kids need at the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country, and Day said the community shows up for the program when they need it the most. Koller said they have a great relationship with the Flathead Food Bank and utilize their services frequently, as well as the United Way and many other organizations in the valley.

“We very much appreciate the local connections,” Day said. “And it's also through the generous support from partnerships within the valley that we were able to take on more staff and continue to grow the program.”

The organization continues to work toward opening The Hub in Columbia Falls, a community center for all ages. The facility aims to provide a bigger space for Boys and Girls Club programs, as well as serve as a place for seniors to spend time and for parents to connect with other families.

Koller said it’s been challenging at times to keep up with the fast population growth in the valley, and the community’s concurrent needs for their services. But at the end of the day, their kids are having fun and making friends and often don’t want to leave at the end of the day.

“And the parents, they're just so grateful, they know that we have a tough job and that we have a lot of kids. We have great relationships with all of our parents,” Koller said.

For more information on the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country, go to bgcglacier.org.

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing [email protected].