MUST READ---From Sr. Cecilia Fandel

To the community:

Being one of the organizers to initiate the idea of a Community Recreational Center to North of Howard and to work for 12 years with hundreds of community members to make it a reality, I think you know my perspective of keeping the Field House for all the Community.

However, a new idea has surfaced and almost is to a decision point without the input of the total community. I propose that we place this question of a Boys and Girls Club in perspective, and listen to all of the community so that the will of the community will be honored.

First of all, I want to thank all the community members and organizations who put their blood, sweat and tears into making the present Gale Community Center a physical reality.

Secondly, I want to thank the youth programs run by Howard Area Community Center, Family Matters, Starfish, and Good News Partners Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, and Northpoint Advancement Center at one point of their history, and Triangle Park Corporation which ran summer events for youth, including co-sponsoring with the Howard Area's seniors club a softball program every Sat afternoon with snacks for 2 years. Your efforts have been persistent and long standing, going back 20 years. You need to be applauded, recognized and included, and not squeezed out in this effort to bring additional youth outreach to the area.
I would like to break down the debate about the Boys and Girls Club into four questions:

Should we have a Boys and Girls Club in the Howard Area in addition to the existing youth programs?

Should it take over the space in the field house whose original intent was to be used by the entire community and not just 6 - 18 year old youth?

Should it be located in other location, e.g. Gale School, which has available space, including gyms, assembly space, classrooms, already dedicated to educating youth, and utilize space in the field house when necessary?

Should this be debated in a full community meeting or behind closed doors with only a few community players sitting around the table?

Thank you.
Sr. Cecilia Fandel