Letter: Pot sales cash a concern

The Boys and Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties is a valuable resource for local kids.

Modeling and teaching healthy lifestyles, and learning to be responsible and law-abiding citizens is at the core of its values.

In order to teach youth these ideals, we must be willing to live and practice them ourselves. The fact that the local chapter recently accepted a cash donation from Numerica Credit Union is concerning. Numerica is one of the few banking institutions that accept money from marijuana retail stores.

Most financial institutions shy away from doing business with state-licensed drug dealers as they could be charged under the federal Money Laundering Control Act. With marijuana being a threat to adolescents of all ages as well as against federal law to sell, why would such a caring organization as the Boys and Girls Club let drug money pass through their hands at the expense of children?

I agree that donations of any kind are needed, but where are the morals, responsibility and positive modeling of the adults who are trusted to teach our kids the same. Let’s learn to practice what we preach and not be hypocritical.