Kids of all ages arelearning, playing, and socializing within the newly renovated halls of the Hammond Boys & Girls Club following a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a $1.6 million renovation and expansion project.
Featuring a STEM lab, digital recording studio, rock climbing wall, completely updated gymnasium, and even a large Teen Center with a dedicated entrance – the state-of-the-art building is set to offer Club members a revitalized Club experience. Club Director Dwayne Washington, once himself a member of the Club in his youth, is already anticipating rooms packed with Club members once the school year starts.
“Coming in as director for this club is things coming full circle for me,” he said. “I tell these kids all the time that this is their club. They make this club. We wanted to put things in that’d bring kids in and keep them here. That’s the ultimate goal. This is a place that’s been producing young, responsible citizens for a long time, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
An anonymous donor spearheaded fundraising for the project, contributing a $500,000 lead gift and issued a challenge, offering to match further donations dollar-for-dollar up to an additional $500,000.
“This was a very special individual that saw a bigger vision and believed that the kids of Hammond deserved something like this,” said Ryan Smiley, president & CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. “They walked through this building and told me ‘We’ve got to do something more.’ All I can say is this was that once-in-a-career opportunity where you meet someone that really buys into the bigger picture and wants the absolute best for kids in every single community.”
The City of Hammond and Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. contributed $400,000 to the matching challenge. With the new $100 million Hammond Central High School set to open just across the street from the revitalized Club, and plans for a $45 million YMCA in the works, the city is entering a new era of resources for its youth population.
“I know hundreds of kids in the city that use this facility now, and it makes a difference in their lives today,” McDermott said. “Whoever this anonymous donor is, I want to say thank you on behalf of the 81,000 people that live here and the thousands of kids that have used this building. With the new school right across the street, this Boys & Girls Club is going to see so much action.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana also received a $50,000 All-Star Legacy grant from the NBA All-Star 2021 Host Committee. Mel Raines, executive vice president of corporate communications, community engagement, and facility operations for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, spoke before the ribbon cutting.
“[We selected] projects diverse in who they serve, diverse in their location, and diverse in what they did,” she said. “A big part of why we do this is to leave a lasting legacy. This is bigger than the $50,000, we’re just a small part of this project.”
Club members are already taking advantage of the new facilities: studying in the STEM lab, playing in the game rooms, and climbing the brand-new rock wall. One of the biggest additions, the Teen Center, with a dedicated entrance, was born from Club Member feedback – the teens love being a part of the Club, but sometimes want a chance to catch their breath and socialize with their peers away from the younger Club members.
“We wanted to hear what the kids want. These are our kids and this is their club, so it was really important for us to present them with all of the possibilities,” Smiley said. “They wanted the best of the best, and that’s what we tried to give them.”
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, visit www.bgcgreaternwi.org.
