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As school closures continue through the end of this week, the Boys and Girls Club is opening its doors to all local kids from noon to 4 p.m. today, tomorrow and Friday.

“In a time like this, it’s critical for an organization like ours to be there and to do everything in our power to give kids here a sense of normalcy, and a place to go to be kids,” said Executive Director Douglas Eagles.

The Club is working in cooperation with the Asbury Park School District, which will also host games and activities for kids at the Asbury Park High School gym from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow and Friday.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County’s Asbury Park facilities include two floors of open game space, where Daye says various sports and games tournaments are very popular. The building also has a computer lab and a gym with space for basketball, flag football, four-corner, and an obstacle course.

Eagles attended an emergency management meeting on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 3, where he was asked if the Boys and Girls Clubs would be able to run programs on Sunday at Prospect Courts.

That Sunday Eagles estimated that they served around 140 kids, and gave away 160 bagged lunches to kids and parents.

When the power returned to the Boys and Girls Club’s location on 1201 Monroe Ave., the services for kids were moved back indoors.

Regular memberships for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County are usually $20 a year for children under ten years old, and $10 a year for kids ten and up. The Clubs also offer a childcare service that includes picking kids up from school at $60 a week.

To assist parents after Hurricane Sandy, the Boys and Girls Clubs are offering a discounted regular membership: kids ten years old and younger can join for $15 a year.

Staff member James Daye said that the previous activities held this week were popular with kids.

“We’ve had a big turnout. We closed at 4 p.m. yesterday, and they didn’t want to leave,” Daye said.

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