Storms close VB boys, girls club

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Storms close VB boys, girls club

Monday, April 14, 2008

Van Buren Press Argus-Courier - Van Buren,AR*

by KENNETH FRY, Press Argus-Courier Editor

http://www.pressargus.com/articles/2008/04/14/news/news02.txt

Storms which battered the area Wednesday night and Thursday morning

have left the Boys and Girls Club of Van Buren without a home.

" The club is closed until further notice, " Chief Professional

Officer Jeff Inness said Thursday afternoon as he, Van Buren Mayor

Bob Freeman and club board members toured the rain-soaked building

in the city park, site of the boys and girls club for 50 years.

A damaged roof soaked the gym floor, duct work and electrical lines

and threatened computers, books and other materials utilized at the

club which serves from 80 to 100 youngsters on a daily basis. The

first contractor to look at the building declared it unsafe and not

useable.

" Mold is one of the big things right now, " Inness said. " You can't

put a kid in an environment full of mold. The dangers are too great. "

One bright spot did occur Thursday afternoon when club secretary

Faldon called the parents of the after-school club members.

" Ninety percent asked if they could volunteer to help cleanup, "

Inness said. " They offered to help any way they could. They were

willing to sweep, mop, whatever. It was a good feeling. "

Cost estimates on repairing the building are being totaled. Inness

and the board of directors met Thursday night to assess options for

the club's future.

" We want to be on the same page, " Inness said. " We were briefed on

our insurance and on ways contractors might help us get back on our

feet. "

Club directors also looked at possible sites for relocation.

" Even if we had the money, " Inness said, " how long will it take to

get the repairs done? Where will we go? "

Inness said the roof, which was repaired in 2001, is gone.

" The contractor said it cannot be patched because of the moisture, "

he said. " We cannot relay shingles without creating major structural

problems. "

Inness said Wednesday night's hail caused majors splits all across

the roof. " It looks like someone beat it with a baseball bat. It is

not even safe to be in the building ... not to even use as an

office. "

As the board weighs the club's options, Inness said the club might

consider a temporary location.

" We cannot close the door on any option out there, " Inness

said. " This is one of those things and some of the kids have gotten

through worse. But, we must work hard to recreate the Van Buren Boys

and Girls Club. "