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Boys & Girls Club of Harford County leader to step down
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Don Mathis, the executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Harford County, will be stepping down from his position on May 18 after 10 years with the organization. A search for a successor to Mathis has already begun, but Mathis was unsure Monday as to “where he would land.
Harford County (Map, News) - For the past 10 years, Don Mathis has been the face of the Boys & Girls Club of Harford County.
After May 18, that will no longer be the case, as Mathis has decided to step down.
“It’s going to be really tough to fill his shoes. I hope we can at least fill one of them,” said Tom Owens, president of the Boys & Girls Club of Harford County board of directors.
Owens said Mathis has been integral in helping the nonprofit — which specializes in providing kids in “at-risk communities” with an alternative to gangs and drugs — flourish from an organization on the verge of collapse in the mid-1990s to a program that is nationally recognized.
“It was time for a change,” Mathis, 59, said Monday about his departure. “It will be good for me and good for the agency.”
Mathis, a native of Philadelphia who now resides in Havre de Grace, said he feels comfortable leaving the Boys & Girls Club because the organization has a “solid board of directors and staff.” He admits that when he first came onboard, the nonprofit was not in the position it is now.
“Before I came in, they had to close down for a while because of a lack of funding,” he said, adding that now he oversees a budget of $1.7 million for all the individual Boys & Girls Clubs in Harford. “We have always made payroll,” Mathis said.
“We are going to deeply miss him and his leadership, but we have to move on, just as he is,” board member Vi Ripken said.
Owens said a committee has been formed to find a replacement for Mathis, and given Mathis’ reputation in the nationwide organization — overseeing expansion of the club and being able to create innovative funding streams — he hopes someone within the organization will agree to pick up where Mathis left off.
As for Mathis, his future is uncertain.
“I want to do something working with kids …” he said. “But I still have not yet found a good fit.”
mplum@baltimoreexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
We need to see an updated story on the center they celebrate 40 years this year.
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Examiner Reader said:
Funny that the point has been lost in this article.Better take a good look at what you get into.
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James Hall said:
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Examiner Reader said:
I guess the answer to my previous question is, "No, Mr. Corrigan is incapable of writing about anything other than Nonprofits." I guess the Examiner realizes that if he writes about anything else, Mr. Corrigan only spouts he own political views instead of reporting.
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Examiner Reader said:
While I realize that Mr. Corrigan has limited writing skills and he enjoys wearing out his Thesaurus in an attempt to impress people with his vocabulary, can't he write about anything other than Nonprofits?
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Examiner Reader said:
At least this time Mr. Corrigan wrote a variation on his theme of the past 10 weeks, instead of just the same story with different words.
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Examiner Reader said:
It seems as though the Examiner just lets Mr. Corrigan recycle the same story every week or so, and has let him do it for about the last 9 weeks. As much as I support recycling, I think it might be time for a new topic.
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Examiner Reader said:
It's only a matter of time. Plan thoroughly, consider all options, and where roadblocks are placed before you, find alternatives. Remember that during the Katrina evac, all the buses where in the up-scale part of town that the walkers from poor sections couldn't get to in time. Please be careful. People need you, but there are those who don't want you to succeed.
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Examiner Reader said:
With all the shady, non-taxed, I mean, so-called, non-profits in Maryland, working for a non-profit is working in the private sector.
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Huh? said:
"[T]his $1.6 million, 22-employee nonprofit has a track record to support its claim." Okay, fair enough. So, what's the track record? Also, if the org has helped about 1,000 women since 1994, that's fewer than 90 women per year and there are 22 employees! It had better be successful at that ratio. Another point: Not-for-profit is merely a tax status. It does not mean that administrators cannot earn a handsome salary. I am not suggesting that is the case here but there's a reason these places don't share that info without being asked.
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Examiner Reader said:
As a woman in recovery who needed balance in my life recovery houses such as M artha"s Place deserve to recieve all the available resources to help restore self-esteem, and save lives. How can we mimnimize lives by withholding funds. I am an alumni who's life has been restored because of Martha's Place! I thank God for Elder & Mrs.Harris for leaping out into an area many others have not and willnot accept the challenage to save lives!
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Examiner Reader said:
Hi! Thank you so much for printing this article. It is a wonderful summary of what this incredible organization does. My husband works for Jeff Singer. Jeff is an incredibly humble, gracious and loving person. He truly cares about each person who comes through his Center. He deeply appreciates the job that everyone does on a daily basis. One can only truly appreciate the magnificent compassion and respect this organization offers to our homeless friends by visiting the center and helping face-to-face, hand-to-hand and heart-to-heart as this family reaches out to those in need. Thanks again for helping to make our neighbors aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters and the assistance provided by these loving angels of mercy!
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Matthew C. Andrea said:
Please post the contact information for PlayPumps International. This concept is brilliant, fun and uplifting. Definitely something that I would like to support.
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Examiner Reader said:
When is Montgomery County going to realize that Casa of MD is taking them/us to the cleaners?
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