Boys and Girls Clubs give Navajo Nation charter of its own

By Pamela G. Dempsey
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Boys and Girls Clubs of America awarded the Navajo Nation its own charter on Wednesday and now Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. said they are "ready to roll."

"I've said all along we're going to open these doors," Shirley said during a press conference held on Thursday. "Right now, we're ready to open the doors. We have money to give to these units."

The tribe plans to open clubs under its own charter through the Department of Youth, operated under the Division of Diné Education.

"With this collaboration, we'll do so many things," said Leland Leonard, director of the Division of Diné Education. "Not only for the kids, but the parents as well."

Leonard said the Department of Youth and the tribe's charter, which brings in established and proven programs and curriculum, addresses serious problems on the Navajo Nation, such as the achievement gap that places Native American students 15 to 20 percent behind the dominant society in academics.

"We're closing the achievement gap and lowering crime rate," Leonard said. "The services are sorely needed."

The Diné Expansion Office, under the Office of the President, previously contracted these same services with the Boys and Girls Club of Navajo Inc., a non-profit, non-tribal organization based in Shiprock. Together, the two parties developed 14 clubs across the Navajo Nation.

However, relations between the two broke down over funding, forcing the non-profit to shut its doors permanently. The clubs served some 8,000 kids on the reservation. The non-profit, now faced with the revocation of its own Boys and Girls Club charter, is seeking $1.2 million in funding from the Navajo Nation Council.

Shirley said he will veto the legislation, if approved by the council, if the non-profit has plans to use the money for future operations instead of past debts.

Shirley also said the Expansion Office has given an open invitation to the non-profit's clubs to join forces with the newly chartered Boys and Girls Club of the Diné Nation.

The new charter, said Spencer Willie, director of the Expansion Office, will allow the tribe to access more funding, and, subsequently, better services, for the clubs.

"This is what we've been working for the past few years," Willie said.

Glen Purmuy, senior vice president for service to clubs for Boys and Girls Clubs of America, said the national organization was glad to welcome the services back to the Navajo Nation, as the non-profit was inconsistent.

"We know that won't be the case here," Purmuy said. "We look forward to cranking up services to the young people."

The non-profit has until April 9 to appeal the revocation of its charter. While the non-profit has said it will do so, Purmuy said the national organization has not received a response to the letter it sent notifying the non-profit of its revocation.

While it's possible to have two chartered organizations for the same Native American community, Purmuy said he would question the need for it.

"I don't know the necessity to do that," he said.

Willie said two areas are immediately ready to open their own Boys and Girls Club, located at the LeChee Chapter and Tohatchi.

By working with the Department of Youth, Willie said the Expansion Office will eventually phase out.

"As we move through the evolution process, the positions pass on to the Department of Youth," Willie said. "There's no longer a need for our office."

— To contact reporter Pam Dempsey, call (505) 879-1707 or email pamelagdempsey@msn.com