Boys and Girls Club of Collier County taking precautions to prepare for summer program

Monday is the first full week of summer break for students in Southwest Florida, and one community resource is coming to the rescue of many families.

The good news is the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County’s Naples and Immokalee locations can accept a few more students for their summer program.

The kids we met are excited to be back and one grandparent even said it has given his son more time to run his business.

“His dad was taking care of his virtual learning at home, so he had to basically hire a part-time employee to put up the slack that he wasn’t able to do,” said Art Griffiths.

When students check-in for the day, staff will give them a temperature check and makes sure they put their mask on before walking into the building.

The club won’t be offering transportation, which means all in-person field trips are canceled.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served in the classrooms as opposed to the lunchroom, and staff has come up with all-new activities to accommodate social distancing.

This is new territory for students and staff, and it took weeks of planning to get here. Megan McCarthy said their cautious approach makes it a safe place for kids to interact with others while social distancing.

“We were really concerned when we opened, worried if we were going to have the ability to keep kids in masks, and are they going to stay away from each other, and that has proved a non-issue. I think kids are so desperate to be among their friends and in an environment that is familiar to them that isn’t home,” said Megan McCarthy, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County.

McCarthy said the club is working closely with the Collier County School District to create a plan for next year.

They are prepared to serve as more than an after-school care program if your student will be spending less time in the classroom.

For more information, visit the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County website here.