Santa Maria Boys and Girls Club considers all-day service as Omicron spreads

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - As Omicron continues to spread, more people are calling out sick from work.

Managers at the Boys and Girls Club in Santa Maria say they’re getting busier
during the Omicron surge.

"We are pretty full all of our facilities are full but we are taking kids we
will do everything we can to not turn anybody away," said director of marketing Kelly White O'Neill of the Boys & Girls Club of Mid Central Coast.

Managers say safety remains their number one priority as more kids join the program

"We are being very vocal with … yes we’re all still wearing our masks yes
we’re all still washing our hands … because it’s not just for their safety
but for all of their friends for here too we want to make sure they
understand the implication of protecting her friend," said program assistant Mary Bolton of the Santa Maria Boys & Girls Club.

But managers are considering whether to reopen an all-day
service as the facility fills up.

This would allow the organization to accommodate more families in need
during COVID-19.

"Without us they have nowhere to go a lot of these parents work … and we’re
here to support the family and take care of them and make sure they’re
doing their homework before the parents pick them up," said club director Patty Lopez of the Santa Maria Boys & Girls Club.

If there’s a need for an all-day program, managers say they’re ready to go.

"We are ready to make the change to flip the switch … if we have to go back
to all day services here," said O'Neill.

Throughout the pandemic, the organization opened its program to an all-day
service when schools turned to remote learning.