Diane McCoy cares for community's kids

Throughout the course of an average week, Diane McCoy plays the role of principal, mother, nurse, counselor and even police officer -- all in one job.

"That's what I love about it," she said. "No two days are ever the same. It's always changing."

As the area director for the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, McCoy can go from comforting a homesick first-grader to counseling a teenager over a romantic break-up.

"You deal with all levels of emotions," she said. "It's a wide array of crises from one minute to the next."

And that's why she stays.

"I honestly feel from the bottom of my heart I am making a difference in these kids' lives," she said. "That makes it worthwhile. It's just a warm and fuzzy sort of feeling."

McCoy, 48, began her career working with children as an in-home day-care provider for 10 years while raising her own two kids.

She and her husband, Doug, of 29 years, lived in Gardnerville for 23 years. She was a recreation coordinator in Douglas County for 13 years.

She served on the school board there for two terms, but had to resign early when her husband was transferred to Yerington with the Nevada Division of Wildlife. With her children grown and no other obligations, McCoy decided to form a boys and girls club there.

She ran the club for nearly two years before taking over as area director for Carson City's club.

She has established satellite sites at Empire and Bordewich-Bray elementary schools.

"We had to expand out because we have 1,800 members and a 7,000-square-foot building," she explained.

She looks forward to the 35,000-square-foot building planned to open for operation in June 2004 on Lompa Lane.

Not only will the added space help, but it will also bring more security.

"It will be more contained," she said. "We don't have any fences here, and that's really a concern to me."

McCoy grew up in Fair Oaks, Calif. She met her husband while she was a sophomore and he was a senior. They married in 1974.

"And I still like him," she joked.

Their children Jennifer, 26, and Brian, 24, live in Reno and Gardnerville.