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Holmen students poured in right at the closing bell of the school year. They were heading for the Big Bash, where they were treated to music, prizes, games, snacks and a performance by the La Crosse High Rollers Jam Skaters. The event was held to attract membership in the Holmen Outreach site of the Boys & Girls Club.
Kristen Zwirgzdas, youth development coordinator for the club, said she was pleased with the turnout for the event’s debut in Holmen.
“There are a lot of regulars here. I’m hoping we get large numbers for the Holmen club,” she said. “A lot of kids still don’t know about it. They still don’t know this a safe, fun environment where kids can hang out with their friends. We welcome all kids of all backgrounds.”
The Holmen club, which opened in October 2007, is a partnership between the Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse and the Holmen Area Partnership for Youth. Zwirgzdas said average attendance for the Holmen club is 15 to 25 youths each day.
The new site coordinator, Ben Mahlke, will become a familiar face to the regulars. Mahlke grew up in Holmen and is a senior at Viterbo University.
“I’ve been part of the Boys & Girls Club all my life,” Mahlke said. Now, as a married man with a baby on the way, Mahlke works for the Boys & Girls Club at the Mathy Center in La Crosse as well at the Holmen Outreach center.
“I want to be a positive influence to the community,” Mahlke said. “I grew up in Holmen, and there was no outlet for kids. I know a whole lot of kids who can use the Boys & Girls Club in their life and who need more positive influences. It’s not just about giving kids a place to hang out, but making a difference in a kid’s life and give them the support they need to help themselves and become better citizens.”
Some of the new programs are designed to help youth develop leadership skills. “We’re going to have them take part as junior staff,” said Ashlee Page, a youth development coordinator for the club. “We are going to have them take on leadership roles in group activities such as brainstorming for fundraising ideas.”
Page said they also are starting a new program focusing on fitness, health and wellness. Even though they will have the same goals, the girls and boys have their own groups, the Smart Girls and the Y’z Guys.
The club is for all students going into sixth through 12th grade. Youth can join any time, and membership is $10 per year. The Holmen summer activities officially start June 25, but the first event is a trip to Mount Olympus in Wisconsin Dells on Tuesday, June 23.
This summer, the club meets at the Holmen Lutheran Church instead of Holmen High School. The hours for the club at the church are from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
In addition to activities at the church site, there are at least six off-site activities throughout the summer: the Mount Olympus trip for $20, a Big Bash at Airport Beach for $2, trips to the House on the Rock for $15, a free trip to Perrot State Park, a trip to Niagara Cave for $10 and a a trip to Pettibone Beach for a beach bash for $2. Prices include transportation and lunch.
Youth can register for the Mount Olympus trip by coming with their parents to the church by 8 a.m. the day of the trip. Parents will be asked to sign a consent form for the trip and for paymen. They also will be given a membership form that can be returned later with a fee.
For more information, call the Holmen Outreach site at 399-4566.
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