With new Bradenton facility, Boys & Girls Clubs will serve even more youth in Manatee

Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County has helped generations of local kids learn, explore interests and develop healthy life habits through summertime and after-school programs.

On Monday, the organization took a step into the future with a ribbon-cutting at a new 37,800-square-foot facility.

With a capacity of up to 550 kids, the DeSoto Boys & Girls Club, located at 5236 30th St. W., will allow the organization to serve hundreds more children with extracurricular study, arts, sports and more.

Built adjacent to the previous DeSoto club building, the expansive youth center includes a gymnasium, study areas, game rooms, art studios and computer labs. A covered dining pavilion, basketball court and multipurpose field are located on the west side of the building.

The first floor is set up for elementary students, and teens have a separate entrance that leads to a second-floor space.

Club members already were making themselves at home on Monday.

Basketball games were in full swing on the outside court and in the gym, ping pong balls ricocheted between paddles wielded by middle schoolers, and elementary students were gathered for a project in an art room.

“We wanted to make it really flexible for all different kinds of activities,” BGCMC president Dawn Stanhope said. “People would drive by our old club and not even know what it was. This is much more reflective of who our members are.”

Getting to that point was a big undertaking and a true community effort, according to Beth Clark, chief operating officer with BGCMC.

The organization raised close to $8 million from local donors to fund the project, and a design phase lasted about a year.

The new building is designed with fun in mind, according to Clark.

Both floors include bright color schemes, quirky architecture and specially finished walls that act as dry-erase boards.

The building plans also went through detailed safety reviews, including by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the national headquarters of Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Safety features include windows and wall openings designed for better supervision, ballistic-resistant doors and a surveillance system that administrators can access by phone.

Another big improvement over the old club is the addition of a commercial kitchen. The kitchen will allow club members to learn about nutrition as they whip up healthy meals and explore culinary arts.

The new facility took a little over a year to complete.

A groundbreaking was held in June 2018, and students first set foot inside on Aug. 20, 2019.

All of the hard work seems to have paid off, according to Clark.

“The kids walk in and go wow,” Clark said. “There were these two little boys that kept spinning around as they walked to take it all in.”

Aries Cooper has also picked up on the excitement.

As a program specialist, Cooper, 18, provides homework help and tutoring for club members during a “Power Hour.”

It’s the kind of help that she once received. Cooper was a member from seventh grade until she graduated from Bayshore High School last spring and says that the club helped her get through tough math classes.

Cooper also received help and support from the club in applying for State College of Florida, where she is now enrolled with plans to major in psychology and continue working with kids.

A graduation and career coach was recently hired to help other club members find their calling.

The new building will also serve as BGCMC’s new headquarters, with administrative offices located on the second floor.

The DeSoto Club is still enrolling members.

BGCMC has plans to gradually ease into the facility’s full capacity of 550 students over a three-year period, according to Clark; membership will be capped at 350 students for the first year.

Memberships to the club are available for children ages 5 to 17 and cost $10 to $40 a month plus an annual fee. Discounts are available for families with multiple children enrolled, and scholarships make the clubs accessible for families with financial need.

For more information on how to apply, and to download applications, visit bgcmanatee.org/become-member.

This story was originally published August 27, 2019 at 4:59 AM.