Our History - How it All Started
A
group of dedicated Sierra Vista residents came together in
January 1995 with the hopes and dreams of providing a place for the
youth of our community to come together.
Acting under the original direction of the Grandma-Grandpa
Corp, the group quickly identified the needs and requirements of the
community’s youth and contacted Boys & Girls Clubs of America to
seek recognition as an organizing club.
Using the expertise of local attorney
Charlie Irwin, the group incorporated in June, 1995 as a non-profit
organization. The
by-laws and Articles of Incorporation were then given to CPA Tom
Longfellow for the task of obtaining 501(C)3 status from the
Internal Revenue Service.
After three submissions, the Internal Revenue Service granted
the non-profit status on December 15, 1995.
While these legal and financial
requirements were taking place, a board of director was formed from
the local community.
With many tasks before them, a site was identified and the land lord
was contacted to see if he would participate with the opening of a
Boys & Girls Club. He
responded favorably and a lease was negotiated and signed so the
group could take occupancy of the facility and begin remodeling.
Joe
Kraps
was voted as President of the first Board
of Directors
and spear headed many of the fund raising requests and also offered
his construction background and knowledge for the task of remodeling
of the clubhouse. The
remodeling started in December, 1995 with a Saturday work day.
Soon after that Saturday, many local contractors and material
suppliers donated their time and supplies to make the remodeling a
huge success.
With over $40,000.00 in the Club’s
checking account, national notice was given through Boys & Girls
Clubs of America for our first executive director.
Many resumes were received and John Reichard had the task of
preliminary telephone interviews, reducing the finalists to a short
list. Two individuals
were brought to Sierra Vista for
interviews, one candidate proving to be our first executive
director. Steve King,
coming from Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio (TX) started his duties
on May 23, 1996.
As all of the remodeling and fund raising
was coming together, the Board set an open house/ribbon cutting for Saturday, June 1, 1996.
Many community leaders were present.
A number of youth brought their parents and signed up as our
first members. The
Clubhouse door first opened for member use on Monday, June 3rd and the
initial summer session was a tremendous success with as many as 100
youth attending our morning sessions.
As the Boys & Girls Club of Sierra Vista entered into
their first after-school session, the Board of Directors began looking
at the 1,200 square foot space next door.
They procured a lease and remodeling began immediately.
On July 14, 1997,
Valerie Lancaster assumed the position as Executive
Director. Today, the Club
consists of a 4,400 square foot facility with a gamesroom, kitchen,
classroom, a technology center, multi-purpose room, staff offices, and
administrative offices. Hundreds of boys
and girls are members with an average of 100+ members daily throughout
the school year and throughout the summer participating in activities
and programs.
In December 2003, the Sierra Vista Public School District
agreed to lease a parcel of land adjacent to Village Meadows
Elementary School with the
intent to build a 29,365 square foot state-of-the-art Boys & Girls Club
facility. In December 2004,
the “foot print” and architectural plans were finished and approved by
the Sierra Vista Public School District.
In January 2005, the Boys & Girls Club of Sierra Vista embarked
on a multi-million dollar capital campaign.
The intent is to break-ground in January 2009 with the ribbon
cutting in August 2009.
