Mark Hendricks has accepted the transfer to Federal Way, according to Brad Thoreson, chair of the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of King County. Meanwhile, Federal Way Director Shelley Puariea will be taking his place at Ballard.

Thoreson said once Hendricks understood what was going on and the rationale behind the decision, that he decided to go ahead with the transfer.

He said that Hendricks, with his personality and his ability to procure alternative funding streams, had the ability to expand the Federal Way Boys & Girls Club in a meaningful way. For Hendricks, Federal Way is also where he lives.

Thoreson promised that Ballard was not getting sideswiped in the deal, and mentioned that Shelley Puariea was also a long-time, well-loved director who has especially strong programming and is just as good with kids. (For lovers of the ever-mustached Hendricks, it may be hard to swallow.)

As for the way the decision was announced, Thoreson was not happy.

“It was an absolute, unmitigated disaster,” he said.

He said it was maybe not a decision that should have happened quite at this time. He said so many things started happening all at once, “300 miles per hour.” He wished the community was engaged more and that more notice was given.

“It was mismanaged, it certainly could’ve been done better,” he said.
Still, Thoreson said that the move would have happened at some point or another and that it was in the best interest of expanding both clubs.

Thoreson said he has been spending the last couple of days responding to questions from concerned community members. He guessed he probably talked to over a 100 people on the phone and has responded to about 300 emails, and is planning to respond to more.

Thoreson asked that the Ballard and Federal Way communities give their new directors a chance and let them show how capable they are and how that everything’s going to be OK.

“I think everything’s gonna be fine,” he said.