The Boys & Girls Club of Hot Springs, in fear of losing its national charter, has decided to explore the possibility of a merger with the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County, representatives of the two organizations say.
Members of the 13-person local board voted earlier this month to proceed with setting up the merger, but the Saline County board has yet to vote on the option of absorbing another club, said Jasen Kelly, chief executive officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County.
"We would love to see the community wrap their arms around this club so it can maintain it's autonomy. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Saline County had no interest in merging with another organization anytime soon," he said.
"However, after many hours of dialogue and data collection, it's perfectly clear that if there is no merger soon, the Hot Springs club will close its doors."
A board comprised of members from both clubs would oversee the four- to six-month merger process. Kelly said all programs and employees would be up for evaluation, but nothing is guaranteed.
The club's interim director, Rennell Litzsey, said it operates with a limited staff of two full-time and two part-time employees who run all the daily operations, including athletics and after-school programs. Children who attend the club have access to after-school meals, tutoring, physical activities and dedicated mentors, Litzsey said.
The Hot Springs club is one of the oldest still in operation, first opening its doors in 1947. It has remained privately owned and funded through grants, fundraisers and community support since it opened.
According to the Hot Springs club's board president, Scott Dews, the merger would relinquish all assets connected to the property and distribute it between a third-party trust and the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County. The third-party trust would inherit the several baseball fields on the property, while Saline County's club would inherit ownership of the parking lot and building.
Dews said the club began looking at the possibility of a merger last fall, but an influx of donations postponed the conversation until this past June.
"I feel we've done our best to sustain the club best we can given the situation," Dews said.
The Hot Springs club has an average daily attendance of around 50 children, not including children participating in seasonal sports, Dews said. They typically serve children from lower income, single-parent families.
Dews and Kelly said they hope a merger will increase participation numbers and restructure the educational programs offered by the club.
The Saline County club is known for its strong after-school programs, geared toward providing positive mentors and college readiness, but with less emphasis on its sports programs. Kelly noted they still have the largest sports program among other clubs in the state.
The athletic director for the Hot Springs club, Steven Degrasse, said he is fearful of what will happen to the various sports programs offered at the club that may not appear profitable to new management.
"The kids coming here typically don't have access to other community sports leagues due to a financial situation at home, lack of transportation or whatever it may be. If they don't have somewhere that they can come and play, then they end up on the streets," Degrasse said.
"A lot of the kids we see would probably be in jail if not for this place," he said.
The Hot Springs club would be the third acquisition for the Saline County club, which acquired the former North Garland County Boys & Girls Club, now operating as the Saline County Club's Cedar Mountain unit, after learning it was at risk of losing its charter.
The average daily attendance spiked with over 600 new children enrolling in their programs the first year. The merger also allowed them to make significant improvements to the building itself.
"It was a financial and management issue that led us to explore the possibility of a merger," said Scott DeBoer, who served as vice president of the North Garland County club board throughout the merger.
DeBoer said he feels this is a great opportunity for the club in Hot Springs to improve the services they provide to children in the community and maintain operation.
He said 56 clubs across the United States are looking at merging with stronger, more successful clubs that have proved they possess the capacity to adapt to the changing needs of children within the community.
"The influx of money alone would be enough to keep the doors open, but we can't guarantee we will keep our charter. Money alone would not allow us to increase the quality of the programs we offer," Dews said.
Dews said he had been in contact with "top city officials" seeking a way to keep the ownership in local hands, but the feedback he received was that the city did not want to take on an operation in decline.
City Manager David Frasher confirmed the club had informally approached the city about assuming ownership and operational responsibilities, but he said the city was not in a position to offer support other than the $30,000 it contributes annually from its General Fund.
"The city has confirmed, and budgeted, to continue its annual services agreement with the club through 2018 at the same amount as prior years," he said in an email earlier this month. "Unfortunately, given the city's current obligations to continue programming at Kimery Park, we do not have the resources to assume responsibility for the Boys & Girls Club.
"By all appearances, the club has had a profoundly positive impact on the lives of many of our young people over the years. The current board members to whom I have spoken are thoughtful, capable and appear to have worked very hard to find a solution to the challenges faced by the club."
Local on 11/29/2017