Jim Ventress is the executive director of the Boys and Girls Club. He has a charm about him that can move the most cynical adult and reach the most inner heart of a child. It's a wonderful sight to watch him move about the club, giving a high five to a youngster or quietly asking a teen-ager to remove his hat. The Skyblue Mesa club of my brother's days has long since closed, a victim of the recession. Recently, a club on the campus of Emblem Elementary School had to be closed so students on the overcrowded campus could use the building for much-needed classroom space.
Transportation is provided to the club for a nominal fee.
These three clubs see an average of over 300 children on a daily basis. The Newhall Club alone can service over 200 kids on a given day. Newhall has four full-time staff members. A recent partnership with California Institute of the Arts offers teen members opportunities for top-quality instruction in photography, public art, dance and music. Ventress sees the club as part of a triangle with home at the top and schools and the club at the base supporting the family.