As the Missouri River continues to rise, the threat of flooding in the Carter Lake area has forced Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands into damage prevention mode. As reported earlier in the week, Carter Lake Unit operations and Camp Nakomis have been moved to the South Omaha Unit for the remainder of the summer months.

Club staff and volunteers have now shifted their focus to mitigating the potential damage, should rising water tables or flood waters reach the Club. On Tuesday, nearly 20 volunteers pitched in throughout the afternoon to pack up the Club into four full-size semi trailers that will be moved to higher ground. Their efforts have not come a moment too soon as the Army Corps of Engineers is expected to release additional water in the coming days, putting further stress on the levees protecting the area.

click here for more photos Carter Lake flood prep

Please stay tuned to our website www.bgcomaha.org, or our Facebook page for updated flooding information as we receive it.

Dear Parents/Guardians of Carter Lake Members and Campers

Carter Lake Mayor Kramer has alerted the Carter Lake Community of the potential of flooding as a result of an increase in the underground water table; the Corps of Engineers is confident the levee system will hold. The Club is taking the potential threat of flooding very seriously. The Mayor’s alert has provided sufficient time for the Club to implement mitigation measures designed to ensure the safety of our members and provide safe, positive alternative opportunities for Club members, and to reduce property damage.

Effective June 6, 2011, as a preventative measure, Club and Camp activities will be moved to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands South Omaha Club, located at 5051 South 22nd Street.

Camp Nakomis bus pick-up points will remain the same; the buses will take the campers to the South Omaha Club. Staff have made changes to the program to ensure the campers will have a variety of fun activities, including access to the Club’s swimming pool (parent permission is required), and transportation to nearby lakes for fishing.

Parents’ of Club members and Campers will receive more information through email communication as well as via the BGCM’s website, www.bgcomaha.org. Parents can call Josh Towey, Carter Lake Unit Director at (712) 347.5687 for more information or BGCM’s Administrative Office at 402.342.1600.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will the Carter Lake Club and Camp be closed?
This depends on the amount of water and extent of damage to the Clubs’ buildings and camp structures. Over the next several weeks we will continue to monitor the impact of the rise of the underground water table on the Club and Camp. This issue is projected to be with the community for several months potentially through September.

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Boys & Girls Clubs of America held its annual conference last week in New Orleans, LA. The conference was officially launched by BGCA Chairman Emil Brolick (COO of Yum! Brands, Inc.) as he greeted attendees. Sharing her vision for the Boys & Girls Club Movement, BGCA President and CEO Roxanne Spillett discussed the work of the National Commission on Impact and its recommendations to achieve deeper, Movement-wide impact for the youth we serve.

“The National Commission counseled us that at the heart of this vision is our Club Experience, and that the greatest impact lies not in curriculums and structured programs alone, but in the fabric of the everyday Club Experience,” said Spillett during the opening session.

Representatives from Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands were there to hear the message, and also to attend powerful workshops and and educational sessions. Along with great insights and rekindled passions, they brought back with them two national awards presented to BGCM at the conference.

The first was the Merit Award for Program Excellence for Overall Program for Clubs with budgets less than $500,000, presented to the Carter Lake Unit. This means the Carter Lake Unit is one of the top two Clubs within the entire BGC Movement. Over 4,000 units from across the country competed for this honor.

The second award received was a Bronze Marketing & Communications (MAC) Award for Comprehensive Marketing Strategy. BGCM received this award for excellence in overall marketing, communications and development strategy, including its use of direct mail and email communications; special event fundraising and promotion; and social media strategy. This is BGCM’s fifth MAC Award and the first in the Comprehensive Marketing Strategy classification.

Ricardo Ariza, Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Creighton University and BGCM board member, will be honored at the 2011 Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Dinner on June 2, 2011. Inclusive Communities is a human relations organization confronting prejudice, bigotry and discrimination through educational programs that raise awareness, foster leadership and encourage advocacy for a just and inclusive society.

Ricardo is this year‟s recipient of the Otto Swanson Spirit of Service Award. This award was named for one of the early founders of the organization and is given to an individual or organization whose life or chosen field of work exemplifies the mission of Inclusive Communities. Ricardo’s dedication and commitment to the Omaha community, education, and the pursuit of peace and justice for everyone makes him more than worthy of this award.

Ricardo was very humbled and honored upon receiving word that he would be the recipient of the 2011 Otto Swanson Spirit of Service Award. He joins a prestigious list of people who have received this honor including Senator Brenda Council (1999), Councilman Ben gray (2001), and Creighton’s Father John P. Schlegel, S.J. (2003).

Please join us in congratulating Ricardo on this esteemed award – an extremely appropriate recognition of a man whose mantra is, “we are all one human family.”

On Wednesday April 20th, 18 Members and 2 staff of the South Unit were invited to Creighton University for an Easter Egg Hunt. The members were very excited to see all the eggs partially hidden in a garden area. After a countdown, the members rushed to fill their bags with the wonderful treasures hidden amongst them.

After all the eggs were located, the kids were invited to stay and participate in other activities, like coloring in Easter-themed books provided by Creighton, drawing on the sidewalks with chalk, and a very long and exciting game of tag. The members were also visited by the Easter Bunny, which made them very happy. Thank you to Creighton University and the students who participated for a wonderful afternoon!

Click here to see photos on the BGCM Facebook page