The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor plans to maintain and grow its presence in Frankfort and Clinton County, even as recent leadership changes stir concern among local families and supporters. Executive Director Susie Michael and Development Director Brande Seibert are no longer with the Boys and Girls Club of Clinton County. It is Kaspar Media’s understanding Michael’s position was terminated and Seibert subsequently resigned.
Seibert had no other comment except the following:
“I have resigned from my position at the Boys and Girls Club. I can’t thank the community enough for their continued support they had shown me during my time as the director of development”
Susie Michaels could not be reached for comment.
CEO Duane Wilson says the organization remains committed to serving as many children as possible with strong programming and local partnerships. According to Wilson, the Boys and Girls Club of Clinton County serves “about 250 to 300 children” on a regular basis. School based programs may enlarge this number significantly. Boys and Girls Club is currently most active with Frankfort Community Schools and Clinton Prairie School Corporation.
Mission and Local Commitment
Wilson affirmed that the club’s mission in Clinton County is “to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.” He said that mission drives every operational decision made for the Frankfort programs and the broader Northern Indiana Corridor organization.
Tied to that mission, Wilson emphasized three internal “distinctives” that guide strategy: reach, impact and sustainability. “We want to reach as many kids as possible with the best possible programming as possible for as long as possible,” he said.
Summer Food and Daily Programs
Wilson confirmed that the club’s summertime food program in Clinton County will continue this year with similar scope to last summer. “We have one of our staff members [who] coordinates all of the summertime food program, and we’ll make sure all those things happen just as they have happened,” he said, adding that the goal is to “bring more to the club” if possible.
During the school year, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor operates multiple sites in Frankfort and Clinton County, including the main building on West Green Street and school-based programs in local districts. Wilson estimated that between 250 and 300 young people are currently registered in Clinton County, noting he did not have the exact figure at hand.
Facility Upgrades Backed by Local Donors
The club’s Frankfort facility recently underwent a two-phase remodeling effort supported by local philanthropy. Wilson said some interior work was completed first, followed by improvements to the front entrance. “We were able to remodel the entryway to make it safer and actually just make it look so much nicer inside,” he said, crediting “very generous donors, local donors in particular” for making the project possible.
Community leaders have long pointed to the role of local donors in building and sustaining the Clinton County club, including the late Bill and Jean Beard, whose gifts supported both the club’s structure and other youth-serving organizations in the area.
Leadership Changes and Community Concern
Recent staff departures, including longtime local leader Susie Michael, have raised questions among Clinton County residents about the future direction of the club. Wilson said he understands why the community is upset but could not discuss personnel matters in detail. “Whenever there’s changes in a tight-knit community, it has ripple effects,” he said. “We want to support the families, we want to support the kids, and that’s where we remain committed while we understand change is challenging.”
Wilson stressed that decisions are made with youth at the center. “Every decision that we make has to be filtered through what is in the best interest of the kids and who are the closest ones that impact the children,” he said, adding that this remains the organization’s “number one objective.” He also expressed gratitude for Michael’s long service, noting that the organization and community are “grateful for the…years, the long service that she gave to this community.”
Fundraising, Sustainability and Local Presence
The club previously employed a locally based development director through a grant-funded position in 2024. Wilson said that role is under review. “There is a great need for local fundraising. That was the importance of that position,” he said. He noted the organization is weighing whether to repost the job or reassign some duties to an existing Southern County development director while still maintaining a local fundraising presence.
Wilson repeatedly linked staffing and structure decisions to financial realities and long-term viability. He described reach, impact and sustainability as the framework that led the organization to expand services in Frankfort and as the lens through which it evaluates future growth in Clinton County and beyond.
Looking Ahead: Expansion and Partnerships
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor now operates 38 club sites across six counties, serving more than 5,000 youth, and is actively expanding its footprint. Wilson said that in Frankfort, the goal is not only to maintain existing programs but eventually to expand beyond the city to reach more young people in the county.
He described ongoing conversations with local partners, including city officials and community organizations, aimed at strengthening youth programming. “We do have to look at what does it mean to reach as many kids as possible, as the best we can, for as long as possible,” Wilson said. “That’s what’s good for kids,” he added, framing that priority as the driving force behind future collaboration and growth.
Boys and Girls Club is supported in part by the United Way for Clinton County.