"The national Boys & Girls Clubs of America has come under fire from a group of four Republican senators over the salaries and travel expenses of top executives.

We here in South Sound must not let the national controversy distract us from the outstanding work of the Boys & Girls Club organization, which has done an outstanding job mentoring youngsters.

In that vein, we salute Attorney General Rob McKenna, who recently announced a $101,700 grant program to help the nonprofit organization open clubs on reservations. It’s a great move.

Boys & Girls Clubs serve more than 159,000 youngsters every year in Washington state. However, there is only one club for American Indian kids.

McKenna hopes to offer more tribal youngsters the opportunity to participate in club activities.

He’s using a $101,700 grant — from a drug company settlement — to pay for at least two years of a coordinator with the Washington Association of Boys & Girls Clubs who will help tribes work with their local Boys & Girls Club associations.

“There’s a very strong interest in not only this tribe, but with tribes around the state making sure that our kids are taken care of,” said Chehalis tribal chairman David Burnett. The Lummi, Yakama and Quinault tribes also have expressed interest in having a club on tribal land."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Boys & Girls Clubs will benefit from grant (The Olympian 3/19)

Related Stories:
Grant to help tribes in Washington with Boys & Girls Clubs (3/23)