Looking Forward with the Boys & Girls Club of Bad River, WI
 In Club years, two years typically means a Club has barely gotten its feet wet. But for the Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club in Bad River, Wisconsin, two years has been filled with much growth and expansion. The Club has built a strong board, gained tribal pledges and recently headlined the news when they received a substantial grant from the Department of Health & Human Services’ Administration for Native Americans (ANA).
Nestled in a “bowl” on the south shore of Lake Superior, the Bad River Band of Chippewa Indians has approximately 450 youth. The Club is located in a small facility but according to Executive Director, Dede Maki, this does not deter them from serving members effectively.
 “Our Club is definitely not a drop-in place – our goal is to involve kids at all levels so they come back for many years to come,” Dede describes.
This futuristic outlook is built into many of the strategies the Club has developed in serving the community. The organization’s board of directors is currently developing strategies for fundraising, outreach and organizational planning.
The board has eight members – the majority are tribal members and all are housing authority or tribal employees and include a Club alumni! The Club is a separate entity – not a tribal entity.
 The Club recently received a grant from the Administration for Native Americans. The proposal they submitted included not only basic programming and outreach but also plans for strategic and organizational planning with the board.
Dede explains, “We can never take any funding for granted. Our Board tries to always look ahead so we can continue our programming, growth and outreach even if a grant is not renewed.”
The Board decided to also pursue many grants from BGCA such as Power Hour, Goals for Graduation and Imagemakers.
“Even grants that are considered small can make a huge difference in programming for the kids,” says Dede.
And making a difference is what they are doing in Bad River. The ANA grant is enabling the Club to increase their teen outreach and although attracting teens to any Club can be a challenge – the teens are starting to show up! The Club is staying open at night for the teens and is also implementing an extensive Junior Staff program.
The Club’s teens will be involved in the Tribal Youth Employment Program during the summer in which the Club is one of the worksites for teens. The Club itself often partners with Tribal Youth Programs (TYP) for cultural programs. The Tribe usually provides the budget for supplies and instructors and the Club offers space, supervision, and of course, the kids!
Dede and the Board have many goals for outreach and programming but stay focused on the basics of how to keep the doors open. And as the Club’s two year anniversary approaches, they have lots to be proud of.
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