by Sherry Bowman-Kluck
In these tough economic times, many towns, businesses and schools in our area have significantly cut back or eliminated funding for youth programs and its constituents. This is not the case with the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center. [private]On Thursday, December 12, this community driven organization generously donated $200 to assist with the purchase of game jerseys for the Taconic Valley Youth Basketball Program. The funds were made available through a Stewart’s Grant that the PVMCC applies for annually.
Jeanne Ferland, President of the PVMCC, said that more now than ever is the time to work together as a community to benefit our youth. She simply states, “The Taconic Valley Youth Basketball Program reaches a lot of our area’s youth in a positive manner,” and, “We [the PVMCC] are willing to help out in as many aspects as possible to promote this voluntary and valuable organization.”
Both Joe Burdick and Kyle Jansen, Coordinators of the TVYBB, adamantly insist that had it not been for the support of the PVMCC in the last four years, the basketball program would not exist. Why the unyielding tone of appreciation? The Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center has provided its building as a practice space, sometimes in excess of 4 to 5 nights a week, at no charge or fee to the basketball program. In addition, the PVMCC has graciously contributed monetary donations for supplies and award banquets.
The TVYBB has made some momentous strides this year with the recent driving force of Kyle Jansen and the strong foundation and vision of Joe Burdick. After two years in the making, the program was finally able to obtain a hefty insurance premium, a necessary requirement to receive approval from the Berlin School District to use its gym facilities. Having a “home court” with a full-sized gym now allows TVYBB to participate in League Play. This involves a more competitive program for the third and fourth, fifth and sixth (travel) grade teams and an ability to work more on fundamentals with the first and second grade teams. Along with a more competitive and comprehensive program comes more regulations like paid referees and expensive jerseys. To help defray these costs this year, player fees to join were minimally increased and a small cover fee is charged at the door to pay game referees, but it does not cover all the expenses.
With community support like the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center leading the way to help other community organizations like the Taconic Valley Youth Basketball Program, the benefit provided to the area’s youth is well rewarded. Makenna Jansen, a fifth grade player on the girls team, sums up her views best, “I love playing this year! Our team looks like a real basketball team with jerseys. We have real refs, play on a real court with rules, and we have a lot of games.”
Community donations are encouraged and welcomed to help with this not-for-profit program’s increasing costs. Please contact Kyle Jansen or Joe Burdick with any questions or to make a tax deductible contribution.[/private]