The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
The Boys & Girls club has become a staple in Portage County and has provided university students with a platform to success.
Brittany Von Ebers, former student of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, is the director of development and marketing at the club. Von Ebers started as an intern, and eventually applied for her boss’s position when her boss left. Ebers has been working at the club for almost three years.
“Usually the reason that a lot of the kids come back is because of the college students that are working with them and there are some families that I don’t know what they would do if they didn’t have the club,” Von Ebers said.
The club provides after school and summer programs for children and the membership fee is only $10. Von Ebers said that the fee is the result of fundraising events that are orchestrated by the club.
“The event coming up is the biggest one. We have 800 people coming. It is the wine and cheese event. There are about 100 different wines that are going to be served,” Von Ebers said.
Through fundraising last year, the community raised over five million dollars for the club’s new building in Stevens Point. The building officially opened in December.
“We have been operating for about two months or so. We are using the old building for one of our programs that deals with some of the toughest kids,” Von Ebers said. “We have kids in there that are court ordered to be a part of the Boys and Girls Club.”
Kevin Quevillon is the club’s executive director. Quevillon believes that the club brings the community together by providing a safe environment for children.
“While parents are working hard, their kids can come to a safe place after school. I would like to think that the Boys & Girls Club adds to the quality of life in any community,” Quevillon said.
Quevillon feels that the university helps the club flourish, especially because the club employs around 60 students at any given time.
“I tell my colleagues across the country that our club being in a college town lets us do so much more, because of the university and because of the number of students that we get to work here,” Quevillon said.
According to Quevillon the club has hired students from a variety of different departments on campus.
“We are known as a place for college students to gain experience and work here. We have been able to hire from the best and the brightest from campus,” Quevillon said.
Luke Laufenberg, junior sociology and social work major, is one of the many students that works at the club. Laufenberg is the assistant program director and said that the club has helped expand his career opportunities.
“I think it’s been a great experience, the club works really well with college students,” Laufenberg said.
Caroline Chalk
Reporter
cchal845@uwsp.edu
