Boys and Girls Clubs in Indian Country

Thanks to a generous donation from Brian Wilson, NIKE's Business to Business Manager, the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Peck received $1000 worth of exercise equipment to compliment the Club's current fitness program.

Brian learned of the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Peck from Sam McCracken, NIKE's Native American Business Manager. Sam, a Fort Peck tribal member, is also on the Native American National Advisory Committee to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "He is always looking for ways to benefit his hometown Club through help with national initiatives" said Jody Ackerman, the Club Director. When Brian mentioned the donation he was planning, Sam naturally encouraged him to send it to the Fort Peck Club. Brian was very happy to do so. "The Boys & Girls Club of Fort Peck is very grateful to NIKE, Brian and Sam for the support they give to physical fitness programs. Without the support of caring people like this on a national level, Reservation Clubs, especially in rural areas, have a hard time finding the resources locally to support all of the important programs these Clubs provide" Jody added.

The B&GC of Fort Peck's fitness program now includes new basketballs, exercise mats, yoga mats, hand weights, weight belts, jump ropes, resistance bands, strength balls, (NIKE's contribution), a Total Trainer weight machine and two Band Flex weight machines (supplied through funding from a previous Tribal Drug Elimination program), and an exercise bike and stair stepper, donated from local community members.

Thanks to all of the equipment donations received, the Club again has a very nice weight room available to the community. Anyone interested in using the weight room at the Club can do so by volunteering time with the Club members in exchange for time in the weight room. Interested persons may contact Jody Ackerman at 406-653-2020 for more information.

To find out more about the Boys and Girls Clubs programs, or to register to Walk With Me for diabetes, contact the club at 918/825-9843 or 918/824-1908.