Boys & Girls Clubs extend summer hours, programs to keep your kids safe and out of trouble



MILWAUKEE -- Planning ahead to keep your kids safe and out of trouble. Because crime can come from idle time, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee are working to keep kids productive and constructive when school is out.

Excited about the opportunities for Milwaukee's youth, La'Ketta Caldwell is looking forward to summer.

"Great futures start here. When they come in our doors, the possibilities are endless. We are going to have youth who are transformed over the summer," said Caldwell, who serves as the senior program manager for arts education for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

This year, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee are extending the length of their summer club program, offering kids an array of activities.

"We have education programs. We have arts programs. We have sports and fitness. We have Camp Whitcomb/Mason" said Caldwell.

All of the programs are supervised and constructive, giving parents peace of mind.

"We want parents to know they have a safe oasis to bring their kids to," said Caldwell.



Police say sometimes being on the streets during after school hours or during the summer can expose kids to drugs and violence, so clubs like this are a great alternative.

"Sometimes during the summer, the crime rate increases. We want them to have a place they can go to where they can still be a kid," said Caldwell.

Milwaukee Police Department statistics show that last year, the most dangerous time for juveniles to become victims of crime was from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. And about one-third of all juvenile arrests happened between 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

To help address the concern, the club programs will now extend well into August, giving kids a chance to get out of a potentially negative environment and into a place where they can flourish.

"I believe we are going to be a part of the change that is going to happen in the city of Milwaukee," said Caldwell.

Right now, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee serve about 43,000 and there is room for more.