As many of you know, the Bailey Extension of the Boys & Girls Club closed after the 2010 summer program, due to lack of funding. Recent stories in the Flume and High Timber Times have explained this dilemma. The Advisory Board for the Bailey Club is fervently trying to raise funds so we can reopen this valuable resource for our children. Several of the folks on the Advisory Board got the Bailey Drop-In Center started.

As you may remember, the Bailey Drop In Center was started in the aftermath of the Platte Canyon High School hostage situation and shooting in 2006. Emily Keyes will forever be in our hearts and memories since that day. This crisis made it crystal clear that we needed a place for children in our com-munity with trained staff and activities so our kids are not home alone, especially with the long commute most of their parents have to and from work.

Just over a year ago, in order to strengthen and expand this resource, the Bailey Drop In Center merged with the Boys and Girls Club of Park County to start the Bailey Extension. Thanks to this collaboration, the Bailey Extension grew to providing over 100 children a safe place to go and healthy, research-based programs to help the children in our community learn and grow.

Now, due to a lack of funding and the need to find a permanent, year-round location, the Bailey Extension of the Boys and Girls Club has had to temporarily close. The Advisory Board, which has been active since the inception of the Bailey Drop In Center, is very actively seeking needed funds in addition to a permanent location for the Club. This is a very critical time where we need the support of our mountain community. We need local businesses, civic groups, individuals, families and homeowners associations to step up to the plate and say that we all care about our kids and their safety.

Please help us to help our kids! Financial contributions in any amount are greatly appreciated to reopen our Bailey Club. (Note “Bailey Extension” in the memo on any checks.) If you know of anyone else who may help us with this cause, let us know! We do want supporters to know that if, for any reason, that the Bailey Club is unable to garner enough support to reopen, that funds will go to help the very important South Park Club, so either way, the children will benefit from your tax-deductible donation.

Would your business or civic group be willing to host a fund raiser? Would your church be willing to have a "Second Collection" for this? We have until the end of February to raise $20,000 for a matching grant from the Corporate Boys & Girls Club. If we cannot meet that goal, Bailey will no longer have this valuable resource. We have 5% of the money at this point. More info can be seen on Pinecam.com: www.pinecam.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=123572 Thank you so much for your time and consideration of this request. Together we CAN make this happen. For questions or ideas, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely, and with thanks,