An open door for helping hands

Jennifer Kho

WESTSIDE -- Just a year ago, it was one of the county’s poorest Boys &

Girls Club branches.

Today the Westside Boys & Girls Club is flourishing, with an increase

in funding helping to create new programs, although there is still a

great need for volunteers.

“Our kids are doing better in school and the feedback from the

teachers has been very positive,” said branch director David Lewis. “We

want to set as many different experiences for the kids to take advantage

of as possible. We want to use those programs to boost self-esteem, to

give kids incentives for doing better in school and to make them better

people.”

Lewis began his job in December with a goal of raising between $50,000

and $70,000 this year. So far, the club has raised $50,000 and will

continue to seek donations toward the current school year for another

month, Lewis said.

The organization is using the money for a new science club and an

enhanced arts and crafts club, as well as a new drama and dance program,

a dance team, a soccer league and a media lab scheduled to begin in

January.

Another new activity is the club’s Christmas program, which began in

September. Students who complete their homework at the club receive

points, which can be traded for field trips and are redeemable for

Christmas gifts Dec. 16.

“I’m doing my homework a lot more because of the points,” said Jose

Hernandez, a 10-year-old member of the Westside branch. “And they help

you with the homework if you need it.”

New programs have attracted new students -- more than the club can

handle, Lewis said. The program’s volunteer base has not kept up with its

growing finances, enrollment and number of programs.

Currently, six adults -- four staff members and two volunteers -- are

tutoring between 140 and 160 children daily, he said.

“Our volunteers have never been a very strong part of the program,”

Lewis said. “If we can knock [down] the ratio of children to volunteers,

it is going to make the program even better. We’re pretty good about

retaining our volunteers, but just getting them in for the first time is

difficult. Everyone is busy with their own lives, but even a commitment

of one or two hours a week for five or six months would really help.”

Kelly Whitten, a volunteer, confirmed that the program needs more

help.

“More tutors would provide a broader perspective,” she said. “We are

spread kind of thin.”

Velinda Cervantes, a 10-year-old student, said she would welcome

interaction with more volunteers.

“They help us when we have questions and tell us how to work out

problems. But sometimes when you have a question, you have to wait a long

time for someone to help,” said Velinda, who signed up this year because

of the club’s new programs. “They could also take us on more field trips,

get more games going and help us figure out more of the things we need to

know for our futures.

“The programs are good because they are experiences that give us new

ideas. It’s a pretty new idea for me to think about what I might want to

do in the future. Now I think I might want to work in a hospital. I would

volunteer at one if I were old enough.”