PLYMOUTH — Boys and Girls Club of Marshall County, shuttered for a week by flooding here, will offer "reduced" after-school programs beginning Monday Jan. 21 at a new location.

Billie Treber, the club’s director, said members will be able to continue limited activities after school until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at Washington Elementary School, 1500 Lake Ave.

Children who normally took school buses to the club at its permanent location on East Jefferson Street will be transported to Washington School while the reduced program is necessary, Treber said. Children who normally walked to the club will be taken by the club’s van.

"We’ve already sent out notes (to club members)," Treber said Wednesday. Jan. 16

"We believe the schools see the Boys and Girls Club as a partnership with the schools and family," Dan Tyree, assistant superintendent of Plymouth Community Schools Corp., said Wednesday. Tyree said the best way the school corporation could help out was to find a temporary location for at least some of the club’s activities because of its importance to the children in the community.

Treber said LifePlex also offered facilities at its location west of downtown and, while she greatly appreciated the offer, transportation issues could not be worked out.

Tyree said Washington was chosen because it is one of the few schools in Plymouth whose gym is not used throughout the winter period, and there was also space available for arts and crafts activities for club members.

Treber said club board members expect the operation at Washington to last about two weeks, while repairs and alterations are made to the club site.

"We hope to re-open (at the club) Feb. 4," Treber said, citing work already under way.

She said the floodwaters "took out both furnaces" located in the building’s basement, and also "got into the ductwork and electrical panels."

Banner Electric is moving utilities to the main level of the building, Treber said, and "Hopefully, by the end of the week, plans for the furnace" will be finalized. The board is in the process of determining how many units may be required and where to place them, she said.

Another firm has contracted to provide sanitizing of the building, including mold mitigation, before club members return, Treber explained.

Tyree said the change in location for the program will result in a bit of a delay for students who rely on the school shuttle, because of heavy traffic patterns that time of day, but that he and transportation director Rick Scott are committed to doing all they can during the club’s transition.

Tyree concluded, "When you weigh the benefits to the children, I think we can all stand to wait a little bit."