"Diamond in the rough:" Boys & Girls Club offers sanctuary for kids during Milwaukee unrest

MILWAUKEE -- In the midst of Milwaukee's unrest sits a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club. Programs ran as normal on Monday -- and parents are thankful for it.

When the violence is so close, it is impossible to ignore. However, it is not unimaginable to overcome.

"For the most part our parents understand the Boys and Girls Club here in Sherman Park is truly the diamond in the rough for this community," said Marco Morrison, Boys and Girls Club manager.

The club, as expected, is pushing forward with summer activities, mindful of what is happening around them.

"Yeah, we have open and frank conversations with our members. We leave the opportunity open to them to want to express their feelings, their opinions and their frustrations," Morrison said.

Morrison said Sylville Smith, the 23-year-old man fatally shot by a Milwaukee police officer on Saturday night, was a member many years ago.

"But that was before my time," Morrison said.

Morrison said the club is needed more than even when violence is prevalent.

"The message is, if you want a positive place for a young person to go, we are not suffering from lack of opportunity," Morrison said.