The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
POLICE GIVE $35K TO HELP CHILDREN
Boys & Girls Clubs sites to provide in-person and tech help for students
Mayor Jack Bradley, Police Chief James McCann and Police Capt. Roger Watkins presented a $35,000 check to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio to help support ClubSmart Learning Centers and the student athletes served in Lorain.
McCann and Bradley stopped by the clubs’ Desich Family Campus, 4111 Pearl Ave., Jan. 19, to present the check.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio Lorain County Regional Director Mike Conibear said the funds will go to enhancing educational and recreational programming for ClubSmart Learning Centers, where youngsters in virtual-only education settings can receive in-person and tech help with their schoolwork.
“We have our virtual learning centers here, Westview Terrace (2218 W. 24th St.) and Southside Gardens (3010 Vine Ave.) locations,” Conibear said. “Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio is extremely thankful for the enormous support Chief McCann and the city of Lorain have given us during this challenging time.
“The donation will help sustain our programming immensely for our kids that we have.”
"We did our analysis, and the best bang for our buck is the Boys & Girls Clubs because they do a lot of school stuff for the kids." — Lorain Police Chief James McCann
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio Director of Operations Tony Dimacchia said the funds will help students have opportunities.
“Recreation, they just wanted to make sure we have the focus on the student athletes in Lorain and give them the opportunities they may not have otherwise,” Dimacchia said. “It could also be giving them new tennis shoes if they play basketball, football equipment ... they just want to make sure we fill the gaps.”
Dimacchia said the funds also will assist with the learning centers.
“We’re also working on this esports arena initiative with the mayor,” he said. “We want to leave it openended for the dollars with the learning centers to do everything from improving the facilities, helping with the academic needs of the students that we are serving and or enhancing our technology.
“We’re just fortunate to be in a conversation and receive their support.”
The funds
McCann said the money is from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
“We have to donate 10 percent of deposits,” he said. “So, when we have really big cases like the ones that involve gangs, drugs or gambling, or other things like that, we have to donate 10 percent of the deposits.
“It goes to help an agency, that’s a nonprofit, that works with the city. We did our analysis, and the best bang for our buck is the Boys & Girls Clubs because they do a lot of school stuff for the kids.”
Conibear said the pandemic has changed things at the organization and the learning centers have students similar to a traditional school.
“Our staff oversees the kids and we, just for an example, have 50 to 60 kids in here right now doing their school work virtually,” he said. “Parents have an option now to come here and we also have a site at Garfield (Elementary).”
Dimacchia said the group offers a well-rounded program for the students.
“It is tough because we are not doing what we are usually doing. We aren’t going on field trips or having folks coming in the building for special events. We just keep working from home, and things have been working very well.”
Bradley said the donation is a continuation of what the Lorain Police Department wants to do.
“The Lorain Police Department is always looking for different charities to donate to, but the Boys & Girls Clubs does so much good, for not just the city of Lorain, but all of Northeast Ohio,” he said.
“(Boys & Girls Clubs) give out so many meals to children that aren’t getting the meals that they would normally be getting at school. Their kitchen is serving an abundance of meals and it’s kind of a meeting place for kids in Lorain. Now that they affiliated with all of Northeast Ohio, it really has expanded the coverage that they have.”
Esports
Bradley also talked about the esports program that is coming.
“We are working in conjunction with the Boys & Girls Clubs, in conjunction with the Lorain Police Department, on an esports program,” he said. “So, we have been meeting on this program for a couple of months in conjunction with Pam Carter, our Third Ward councilwoman, and also Rey Carrion, our Sixth Ward councilman, and we are hoping that in the next month or two we will have this program running at the Boys & Girls Clubs.”
Bradley said the program works really well with current social distance requirements
“We were talking about getting something developed for youth, and with COVID, we didn’t think that basketball was a good thing to develop,” he said. “So, we kind of came up with the idea of esports.
“We felt that we could spread people out, and yet develop that competitive spirit, teamwork and dedication. We are hoping that we can attract youth, to not just play esports, but watch esports.”