Centier Bank recently presented a gift of $75,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana as part of its “Whatever It Takes” campaign, helping contribute to the construction of a new Valparaiso facility, which the bank is also financing. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April 2021.
Ryan Smiley of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, said the organization is grateful to its community partners like Centier Bank, whose donations will help drive its mission of providing today’s youth the values of good character, citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.
“Centier has been partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs in Lake and Porter Counties since 1988, not only providing support but also their time and expertise to our mission,” Smiley said. “Centier Bank’s associates are the perfect example of a true corporate partner in their support of our clubs and kids.”
The $9 million project is located on over eight acres along Evans Ave. is expected to be complete in June 2022, and will replace the current facility, located inside the 122-year-old former Gardner School building. The facility will offer a community teen room, STEM lab, digital music recording studio, two full-size gyms, rock-climbing wall, teaching kitchen, an art room, and exercise gaming technology.
Anthony Contrucci, Senior Vice President of Community Relations, as well as Chris Campbell, Executive Vice President at Centier Bank, both said the Boys & Girls Club of Valparaiso is a longstanding partnership that Centier Bank values.
“We’re not only proud to help fund some of the features of the new facility to help provide a fantastic place for local youth to spend their time and enrich their lives, but we are also honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the financing alongside other local banks to make the funding for this project available and ensure this dream becomes a reality,” Contrucci explained.
From 2016-2020, the Bank’s community impact across Indiana was valued at a total of $11,055,978. The finding came out of a study examining several areas of corporate philanthropy including volunteerism, donations, and internal fundraising which quantified Centier Bank’s impact on local organizations and communities at large.
For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, go to bgcgreaternwi.org. For more information about Centier Bank, go to centier.com.
