By: Cristina Kumka
Published: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Rutland Herald
Rutland County, VT

One national corporation stepped up to help the little people Oct. 15, literally.

Walmart, located in downtown Rutland, donated an $18,000 check to the Boys and Girls Club of Rutland County (BGCRC), funding the promotion of employee Brooke Nuckles to full-time teen outreach coordinator.

Nuckles, a former art teacher from California, said the donation will help fuel the mission of the county social service provider.

"I've seen generations of the teens positively affected by Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide," Nuckles said. "They've been saved off the streets."

Nuckles said her promotion goes beyond more pay — the additional funding will help the club reach more teens and take on tougher issues.

Nuckles vowed to hit the streets herself in a positive way, promoting services the club has to offer, from as simple as a place for teens to hang out away from drugs to the more complex — peer leadership and job training.

Instead of reaching only 20 kids a day in-house at the BCGRC, the donation will allow Nuckles to reach more at-risk youth outside club doors, according to Larry Bayle, the club's executive director.

"You never know who you aren't reaching out to," Bayle said. "We plan to make sure kids go back and get their GEDs, other employment skills and reconnect with the community."

The donation, the first of its kind by the corporation, was made possible by Walmart's State Giving Program, a nationwide campaign to donate to social service agencies in local communities where Walmart has established a store, said Tina Kremple, Rutland store manager.

The State Giving Program was designed to reach local programs other Walmart donation campaigns may have missed. Kremple said the corporation will stand by its commitment to local communities with which the company shares space.

"Our customers are from this community and our job is to give back to this community," she said.

Ann Herlihy, a member of the BGCRC board of directors, said the goal shared by Walmart and BGCRC is a simple one.

"Reach these children before something happens," she said.

According to Kremple, donations to programs that support local youth will keep coming.

Rutland Mental Health Services issued a press release after BGCRC's presentation last week, announcing it too will receive money from Walmart for one of its local programs.

For more information on services provided by BCGRC call 747-4944 or visit www.rutlandbgclub.org. For more information on Walmart's State Giving Program or to apply for a grant, visit http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving.