Bemidji Boys & Girls Club Will Re-Open with Limited Full-Day Program

The Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area will re-open on a limited basis on June 8 with a full-day, fee-based summer program that complies with new COVID-19 guidelines and procedures. Registration is open to children going into 1^st through 5^th grade. Space will be limited.

Group sizes will be kept at a one to nine staff-to-member ratio all in separate spaces to minimize contact between groups. Depending on demand, the Club anticipates re-opening with a maximum of 54 children in the building at any time, about half of the usual attendance in the summer.

At this time, no plans are yet finalized to open the Tween or Teen Center, something not likely to happen until the fall at the earliest.

The full-day program will run June 8 through Sept. 4, the start of school, with a one-week closing on June 29-July 3. Registration priority will be given to those who commit to a five-day program and to current Club members. The fee is $20 a day, is made possible only with donor support and does not cover all costs.

The full-day program is eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) for those families who qualify. CCAP, along with donor support, will help keep the program affordable for those families most in need.

The Club re-opening has been planned with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Minnesota Department of Health, and Sanford Health. The Club will continue to consult with medical leaders at the state and local level and follow state directives under the leadership of Governor Tim Walz.

Procedures include additional cleaning and sanitation practices and extensive staff training on best practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Children and staff will be required to follow new safety procedures, including daily temperature checks and health screenings before entering the Club building.

Even though all safety precautions and practices are being implemented as recommended by the CDC, the Club cannot guarantee there will not be COVID-19 exposure to parents/guardians, staff, youth, or others engaging in the Club’s summer program.

If a child or adult demonstrates any COVID-19 related symptoms, the Club will notify public health officials who will then work with the individual, or family, and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). If an individual receives a positive confirmation of the virus, MDH immediately takes the lead in all communication, including when and what is communicated to staff and families, as well as dictates the corresponding responses, including the potential temporary closing of the Club.

For more information about the summer program and COVID-19 safety guidelines, visit bgcbemidji.org.