Anderson works to start area boys and girls club

IRONWOOD - Dustin Anderson, program director with Boys & Girls Club of the Northland, addressed students at Luther L. Wright Monday about the possibility of starting a Boys and Girls Club chapter that would serve Gogebic and Iron counties.

Anderson, who is from the Ironwood area but works for the organization's Duluth, Minn. branch, said that if the group did form, it would be under the umbrella of the Duluth chapter.

Anderson spent time detailing some of the activities that the members in Duluth get to participate in - including trips to the Boundary Waters and tickets to Minnesota Twins games - as well as some of the events that Ironwood may participate in.

In addition to the special events, the club tries to provide a variety of recreational and community events as well as educational assistance and volunteering opportunities for members.

"We want kids to know that civic engagement is such an important thing in today's world," Anderson said.

Members tend to be given a lot of freedom to do whatever events they find interesting, Anderson explained, creating the ability for a wide range of programs to be offered.

"There's always a ton of things to do at a Boys and Girls club when you walk in there. You're never really forced to do something, you go in there because this is your spot and you're going in there based on what you want to do," said Anderson. "It's a really cool thing."

Anderson also said that the affiliation with the Duluth group would open all the Duluth events to members of the local chapter.

Above all, Anderson said the group tries to provide opportunities for its members.

"Opportunities are one of the biggest things that we have at our Boys and Girls clubs," said Anderson.

The organization's website lists its mission as enabling "all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." The organization has over 4,100 clubs across the country which serve nearly four million children and teen's annually, according to the website.

Anderson said he wants to bring the group to Gogebic and Iron counties because he sees a distinct lack of activities for young people in the area.

"Just talking to people - youth and adults - we just feel there is a need for more to do in this community for (the area's youth", Anderson told the Daily Globe after one of his presentations. "... We want to provide more for them to do ... so they get more invested in their community."

Although the location of the club hasn't been selected yet, the Ironwood Memorial Building and The armory were discussed as possible homes. Anderson said he hopes to have the group started, which would require a 100 kids to join the group, by October 2016 if not earlier.

Although still in the early stages, Anderson said the next major phase of starting the group was the development of a business plan and seeking businesses willing to sponsor the group.

Anderson said that a previous attempt to start a chapter in the area had largely fizzled out but a renewed effort that began last October led to the decision to restart the process with a clean slate. He added that this time, the effort to start a chapter has really developed the backing it needs and believes there is enough of a push to get the group started.

Anderson also addressed Bessemer students on Tuesday.

For more information on the group, contact Anderson at 715-718-1654 or [email protected].