Weather closed schools Thursday, but the Boys & Girls Club had two locations open to help parents



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The weather led school district officials to close some schools in southeastern Wisconsin Thursday, January 8th -- including the state's largest school district, Milwaukee Public Schools, but the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee had two locations open -- as an option for parents who needed childcare.

"We can`t stop the cold from coming, but we can definitely make sure that the kids have a place to go," Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Chief Operating Officer Denisha Tate said.

For the first time in years, two Boys and Girls Club locations kept the doors open Thursday despite the severe weather.



"(Thursday) morning we received so many thank yous. One mom said 'I didn`t know what I was going to do and then I saw you`re open' and she said 'thank you Lord -- I know where to take my child,'" Tate said.

She wasn't in the classroom Thursday, but 10-year-old Akira James said she learned a lot at a place she calls her second home.

"Actually I learned how to do most multiplication and division. I mostly learned how to do that stuff here," James said.

At the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, kids are split up into age-appropriate groups to participate in educational activities.

All school-aged children ages four to 18 are accepted and many new members joined the club Thursday.

"You can join today and start today, so we had parents come in. The membership fee is $5 for the entire year," Tate said.

About 100 children were dropped off between the two locations within the first couple hours they were open Thursday.

Seeing the difference this has made among all of these families, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee officials say they plan to continue staying open no matter what it looks like outside.

For more information on joining the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to view a FULL LIST of closings via FOX6Now.com.