History of Boys & Girls Clubs of
South Puget Sound
Our
organization has been built around a rich history that started
on 25th and Yakima in 1940. The Tacoma Boys Club at
711 South 25th Street located on the site of
Longfellow School, was dedicated on April 24, 1942.
The $25,000
colonial structure was located in an area with a high rate of
juvenile delinquency. It was founded by Judge Fred Remann to
fulfill the social needs of boys 6-16 and
provide
them with proper guidance, while keeping them occupied and out
of trouble. The Salvation Army owned the facility and provided
the Club with a yearly budget. After some time there was a
struggle that ensued when the Boys Club wanted to proceed with
doing business on their own. Eventually they separated from
Salvation Army.
The Clubs served many kids in the area and soon
became very popular leading to the development of other new
Clubs beginning with the South End in 1954. The Eastside Club
soon followed beginning operations in the Hillsdale Community
Center and the Northwest Club started as an athletic association
that eventually evolved into a Club operating in a remodeled
church at 30th and Cheyenne. A capital campaign was
held in 1979 leading to the construction of the current Davies
and Gonyea Branch opened in 1981, which was spearheaded by Doug
Gonyea.
In 1965 recognizing the need to develop an
association with all Clubs in Tacoma, Boys Clubs of Tacoma and
Pierce County was formed. In 1982 the organization officially
changed its name to Boys & Girls Clubs of Tacoma and Pierce
County. During this time Boys Clubs of America changed its name
to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of
Tacoma and Pierce County began formally serving girls as
members. The Clubs worked hard to develop training and facility
improvements that would provide equal access and inclusion for
girls.
Other communities saw the importance of the work
being done in Tacoma. A group of business leaders, with strong
support from the Lakewood Rotary Club, established the Lakewood
Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tacoma and Pierce County,
operating out of Lakeview Elementary from 1993-1996. In 1996
construction began on the branch facility adjacent to the
elementary school and a new Club was dedicated in 1997 as the
Lakewood Branch.
In July of 1996 the organization hired Gary Yazwa
as the new CEO with the task of bringing the organizations
resources and talents together. The focus would be on the long
range stability and assuring the future of the Clubs. This
would include beginning a plan and strategy for improving
facilities and improving the infrastructure that would support
the organizations long range goal of providing quality
facilities, quality programs for youth and quality staff
supported by dedicated board members.
A board retreat was held in October of 1996.
Discussions began at that board retreat and a plan was adopted
to restructure and merge all Clubs in Tacoma. Board of
Directors of each Branch Club formally signed merger and
restructure documents and officially changed the name of the
organization to Boys & Girls Clubs of Pierce County.
In 1999 the Board approved the $5.9 million
Campaign for Kids designed to improve and enhance the
existing Clubs along with providing dollars targeted at staff
retention, worker benefits and training. In 2001 the Campaign
for Kids $5.9 million goal was exceeded by nearly $1.3 million,
reaching a total of $7.2 million.
Construction and renovation took place during the
campaign and in 2001 the first BOTTLAB, (Building
Opportunity Through Technology) a 4,000 square foot state of the
art technology center, opened at the East Side Branch. In 2002
and 2003 renovations to the East Side, D.A. Gonyea and Al Davies
Clubs were completed, finishing the first phase of the growth
and development plan. Membership was around 10,000. The new
look to the facilities attracted more kids and got the board
even more excited about the organizations future. As more and
more communities witnessed the success of the organization and
in response to many requests to move into unserved or
underserved areas in 2002, the South Pierce County Branch was
formed and began by operating 4 Outreach Sites in Bethel and
Franklin Pierce School Districts. In 2003 the Outreach program
expanded to include three additional schools.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of West Sound was started in the Belfair
area and was operating successfully when it joined our
organization in 2003 becoming the North Mason Branch Teen
Center. As part of the North Mason Branch two outreach sites
also began operating in two elementary schools in Mason County.
As a part of the strategic plan the organization
set its sites on reaching out to unserved or under served
communities. This led to yet another name change better
reflecting the current and future areas the organization planned
on serving over the next ten years. In 2003 the organization
became Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound.
In 2004 Outreach Services expanded once again to
reach youth in the Fife and Puyallup School Districts. There
were a total of fifteen Outreach Sites within the Bethel, Fife,
Franklin Pierce, North Mason and Puyallup School Districts as
well as partnership programs within the Tacoma School District
and several BOTTLABS within private organizations.
As the plan for growth was happening the board took a bold step
that will forever be a statement as to the importance of raising
the bar and taking the organization to the next level by
responding to the many communities that need and wanted Boys and
Girls Clubs. A new model was developed around “HOPE Centers”
(Home of Opportunity, Possibility and Empowerment), which
are designed to share buildings, staff and resources to better
serve youth and families.
After a lead gift from the Gary E. Milgard Family
Foundation on June 16, 2004 the Board of Directors unanimously
approved moving ahead with plans for a three-phase
$60,000,000 “It just takes ONE Campaign”. The goal
of the campaign is to build Hope Centers anchored with Boys &
Girls Clubs and including partnerships with other agencies
enabling the organization to leverage facilities, dollars and
talent. As dollars become available, up to seven new HOPE
Centers are planned as part of the ONE Campaign. The first of
these Centers, the Gary and Carol Milgard Family Hope Center
(GCMFHC) in Lakewood was dedicated on September 6, 2007 with the
grand opening on September 10. Construction will take place on the Jim
and Carolyn Milgard
Family HOPE Center (Gig Harbor) in the summer of 2008 with the Tacoma Regional
HOPE Center (which will replace the South End Club) to
follow. The
other locations include East Pierce County, West Sound, and
South Pierce County (Mid County).
In 2006 a new branch opened in Bremerton with
strong local support from community leaders and the Bremerton
School District. The South Kitsap/Port Orchard Branch
followed in the summer of 2007, with support from the South
Kitsap School District and the community. With the expansion of
services west of the Narrows Bridge, it was decided that
consolidation of board efforts in Kitsap and Mason Counties
would benefit the whole area. This board will be tasked with
forming a long range strategic plan for these areas.
