Meg Day Winds Up Service to P3, Partners for HOPE
Russ Baldwin | Sep 23, 2011 | Comments 0
Staffing changes at the youth organization P3, now knows as Partners for HOPE, received a one month extension on their Criminal Justice Grant and approval for the action from the Prowers County Commissioners on Thursday, September 22. Personal circumstances necessitated the changes, which are also reflected in some budgeted line items, but will not impact the full grant of $200,000. Meg Day, the former director and originator of P3, is leaving the Lamar area due to personal reasons and Gary Hammer will serve in her place, along with Lori Hammer, the former director of the Teen Center in Lamar. In the Grant modification application, Day said the combining of the two organizations, and having the Lamar School District now act as the financial pass-through entity beginning this October, were two main reasons for the extension.
Day said the $200,000 grant will be reduced to $155,000 next year, and will probably be decreased in the third year of the three year funding cycle. As she has written the applications in years past, someone else will need to complete the application. Day said that the two story building on East Elm Street is packed, with about 85 to 100 students attending sessions each weekday. Elementary students attend between 3:30 and 5pm with middle and high school students taking part in activities between 6 and 8:30pm. The former director said P3, although based originally as an anti-alcohol/drug facility for area youth, has a full spectrum of activities for the youngsters which ranges from cooking and music lessons, to simply playing donated video games and doing homework after school hours. Students are bussed to the Teen Center headquarters after classes and then taken directly home after their sessions are over. She said part of the student increase in attendance was by simply being present at the Lamar Community Building during the past two years for school registration and enrollment. Day said more parents and students became aware of their existence through that simple action. There is no charge for the services provided by Partners for HOPE.
By Russ Baldwin
Filed Under: Commissioners • community • Education • Featured • Lamar • School • Youth
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