Boys and Girls Club should have kept Odom

To the editor:

Kudos to the staff of the Boys and Girls Club, it sounds like you're doing a wonderful job. You had a good example to follow.

Can you tell us the name of the gentleman shown in the photographs included in the article? Isn't it Jeff Odom? Isn't he the former branch manager of the club? Wasn't he the one who was instrumental in getting the Club here in the Valley?

Wasn't he the one who found the current location for the club? Didn't he work with Nye Ford to obtain the van the club is using? Wasn't he responsible for starting the school outreach programs at Goose Bay Elementary and Tanaina Elementary?

Wasn't he the one who was in charge of running the program since its inception and up until March 2001? Didn't they have so many members last year that additional staffing was required? Many people knew about the Club and the fine work he was doing.

While we wish you the best of luck, Mike, credit should be given where credit is due. Jeff did a fine job, and we were all very sorry to hear about his termination.

Someone should let the national offices of the Boys and Girls Club know about the apparent racial discrimination that is happening here in our state. Too bad that the Southcentral Boys and Girls Club, located in Anchorage, didn't feel the Valley was diverse enough to have Jeff Odom "be a match" for our Valley. What a shame that it cost a good man his job!

Dawn Webster

Wasilla