The director of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club is responding to reader comments in a letter submitted to Laurel Patch after a story ran last week detailing that the club was likely to lose its summer camp funding.

Director Levett Brown has submitted financial tax records from 2010 to Laurel Patch and penned a letter in response to Peter Lewnes, a reader who inquired about how the club spends its funding and if staff members at the club receive salaries.

The letter is posted below:

Club’s Mission since 1954

Mission Statement: Our mission is to work in partnership with citizens of The Greater Laurel Area in providing quality recreational and enrichment programs for the purpose of improving the quality of life for our youth and their families. To accomplish our mission programs are designed to encourage, teach and instill our children the positive values of: Good Sportsmanship Fair Play

Cooperation

Vision:

We will provide after school programs, which will include sports programs and enrichment programs. Provide unlimited programming for area youth. Core Values: Recognizing the dedication and skill of all members, we will create and maintain a safe and secure environment for our members. We are guided by: Service to our members and their families, Integrity, Honesty, Accountability, Professionalism, Compassion, Respect, and Safety. All members, staff or volunteer, of LBGC will continue their efforts to remove any obstacles that limit opportunities for members to participate due to discrimination, because

Again Mr. Lewnes you have misspoken/and are circulating misinformation to the public via the Laurel Patch. I have enclosed in this correspondence the club’s 990 report that is available to the public. As you note in that document facts are the LBGC Board of Directors are all volunteers and in fact not compensated. Historically, board of directors of non-profit organizations are not compensated. Additionally, current board of directors inherited a facility that was already rundown and unsafe for youths and adults to participate.

Again thanks Laurel Patch for giving the club the forum to present documented facts to the public.

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Do you think the club is justified in how it spends its funding? Let us know in the comments section.