Supervisor Ingram calls for return of Westmoreland Parks & Rec

In the Northern Neck, a number of youth groups over the years have been dedicated to helping kids learn, grow, and do something constructive. The Northern Neck Boys & Girls Club is one example and has been a huge hit since it set up shop in Westmoreland last year.

BGCNN got its start on April 1, 2008, hitting a capacity of over 100 kids when it began in Kilmarnock. This would happen over and over again in each county on the Neck where the Club started operating. Now, BGCNN services Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland, offering both after-school and summer school programs to kids ages 6 through 18.

The BGCNN, getting ready to shift its operations into its summer program, held an open house event last week to allow parents to have a meet and greet with staff and see what was done to prepare the old Washington & Lee High School.

Getting BGCNN to come to Westmoreland was a key objective for Supervisor Matt Ingram for some time, and he was finally able to make it happen after he was elected. He spoke on the importance during the Board’s regular meeting as he made everybody aware of the open house.

“Anybody that knows me knows that I’m heavily involved with and want to push youth programs in this county, like the Boys & Girls Club that was started here last year,” commented Ingram. “I want to talk about some of the opportunities that we have and don’t have here for Westmoreland’s youth.

“Boys & Girls Club started last year with a summer program. We had over 200 attendees, or youth citizens of Westmoreland. If you don’t know what the Boys & Girls Club is, you really need to find out, because it is such a wonderful opportunity and example of what the Boys & Girls Club of America does.

“It provides citizenship training, leadership, mentorship, a safe place to learn, nutritious meals, and so much more. Whether it’s the after-school program or summer school program, it keeps the youths engaged so that they can become future leaders. Too many times, people will talk about how Westmoreland County doesn’t change, about the opportunities or lack of opportunities for our citizens, especially young people. It’s because of that that the Boys & Girls Club is near and dear to my heart, and we need to keep it going.”

“This is not just a babysitting facility,” he said. “The kids are being engaged, they’re playing, exercising, moving, getting help with homework and mentorship. We’re training them to be good citizens.”

Getting the Boys & Girls Club here was only one facet of Ingram’s push for youth outreach, however. The closure of Westmoreland’s Parks & Rec department has been a huge sore spot for him.

“For whatever reason, Westmoreland Parks & Rec was closed some years ago, and that has been a massive shame,” said Ingram. “All we have right now in place is paying the YMCA in Richmond County for a satellite office, and I don’t think we get the right bang for our buck from them. I feel we need to bring back Parks & Rec so that we can engage those young people that might not be able to go to the Boys & Girls Club. We can offer that program and keep these young people off the streets. I’ve seen where lack of parental involvement, lack of positive role models, and some poor decision-making can lead these people.

“If we can’t support our youth, then why are we doing everything up here? I’d like to urge the Board members to look at bringing the Parks & Rec department back, and I think we can use the old Washington & Lee High School for that. In fact, let’s not just worry about the young people, but start a gym that’s open to the public, where they can get classes, exercise, and a workout, allow them to engage not just the body but the mind as well. I do believe that idle hands are the devil’s work.” Ingram would echo many of these statements at the open house. But he was just one of several speakers that evening.

Giles Scott, the acting CEO and operations director, kicked things off last Wednesday evening as people were sitting down to a free dinner courtesy of the chef at the Northern Neck Tech Center. Scott emphasized how big of a year this was for the Club and the importance of the community’s support.

“We’re excited to have this facility after opening it up last year,” stated Scott. “We’re excited to see so many more kids coming into our buildings for our after-school program, and we’re really excited to start our summer program this June. I hope that you are getting registered as club kids and families or to participate as volunteers—we need everyone in this room to help the kids grow and develop in a positive way. That’s what we’re here to do as the Northern Neck Boys & Girls Club, and we would not be able to do this without volunteers in the community.”

Scott also gave a major shoutout to Westmoreland County Public Schools and the County government for helping to make all of this possible, stating outright that this would never have been possible without either.

Scott introduced the Westmoreland Club’s director, Jhamari Gordon. Born and raised in Lancaster, Gordon has spent five years with the BGCNN since 2021 as a receptionist and made it a point to get to know everyone. He also worked for a couple of years at the YMCA, which gave him valuable experience in handling kids with learning disabilities.

“Each child needs a safe haven and someone to be a mentor, to provide that leadership in their daily life,” stated Gordon. “I love seeing the kids’ faces each and every day. We all have a different vibe and energy with them between me and my staff. I could not have run this site without my staff. I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

Iris Lane, who served on the Westmoreland County School Board, also had plenty of remarks to make. The Westmoreland native spent 30 years working in the U.S. Department of Education before retiring in 2009 and moving back to Westmoreland, where she now operates an education consulting firm in Montross.

“From the time I retired until now, I have always been an advocate for education, and one of the things I advocated for the entire time I was on the School Board was Westmoreland County getting a Boys & Girls Club,” Lane commented. “What I didn’t know, though, was that you needed to have a secret ingredient to get one started, and for us, that was Matt Ingram. He made it happen, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this now. I’m involved with this because it’s the right thing to do. Our children and youth deserve to have access to a high-quality education, including a Boys & Girls Club.”

Lane called attention to the 7.7 million kids and teens left unsupervised after school and another 25 million with no access to any sort of after-school program.

“This organization enables every boy and girl to reach their full potential and achieve a great future. Thank you,” she said.

“Growing up in Westmoreland County, we saw a lack of opportunities for our youth here,” Ingram commented. “We saw the need that we had to not only occupy their minds, but get them up and active. As I said before, I firmly believe that idle hands are the devil’s work. The school system does a good job, but they can’t do everything.

“Why do kids sometimes stray and get in trouble? Well, if there’s nothing to do in this county and nobody to watch them, what do you think is going to happen? So it’s very important for organizations like the Boys & Girls Club to occupy and give these kids a safe place to go after school or during summer, because these kids are our future.

“The best return we could ever make on our investment is in our youth. They are the future. If we don’t teach them how to become good leaders and citizens of Westmoreland County, then we’re not only doing a disservice to ourselves, but we are also failing them by not giving them the opportunity,” he said.

“It’s been one year since the Boys & Girls Club came here. I come here every now and then in the evenings. It’s such a joy to hear the kids laughing, playing, and having fun, to hear this building come back to life. This is a great partnership with Westmoreland County Public Schools to utilize this space, and I want to thank them for that—it truly is a partnership, and we need more partners.”

School Board Superintendent Cathy Rice voiced her support for the Boys & Girls Club and addressed potential concerns parents might have about conflict with Summer Academy.

“I’m super-excited that the Boys & Girls Club has come to Westmoreland County,” stated Rice. “We want to see lots of children take part in the program, and all of the great things that have been said about the Boys & Girls Club? We agree wholeheartedly.

“I also want to make sure that parents understand that if their student needs to attend Summer Academy for the school division, that does not stop them from signing up for the Boys & Girls Club summer camp. Our Summer Academy is only active in June, and the Boys & Girls Club will be running their summer camp much longer. You don’t have to choose one or the other—your child can do both. We encourage you to sign your children up for the Boys & Girls Club, because the more kids that come here, the more fun everyone will have. I’ve seen the lineup for the summer—great things are planned.”