Lodi Boys and Girls Club to hold open house for teen center renovations

After a six-month renovation, the new Lodi Boys and Girls Club Crete Teen Center is complete, and a grand opening will be held Friday, May 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. to reveal the final product.

During the grand opening, there will be a ribbon cutting and the center will be re-dedicated to the Crete family, a major supporter of the club.

“We just want people to know we’re here, we’re available and the space is here. We’re just moving forward as much as we can to make a change in this community.” Lodi Boys and Girls Club President and CEO Edwin Cotton said.

There will also be tours of the center and food will be provided.

“This is about the kids,” Cotton said. “They’ve been waiting for the space because we haven’t really let them in there yet. They’re waiting to see it in its full glory. It’s going to be an exciting moment for them because these are some of the things they suggested to us that they would like.”

The renovations were paid for through the fundraising efforts of the board of directors, Cotton said. The club hosted several events in addition to soliciting donations from friends of the organization as well as new donors. Approximately $20,000 was raised for the renovations, and Alexander’s Furniture donated sofas and tables for the center. Renovations included new paint, new flooring, new computers, desks and furniture.

“We actually relocated the teen center to a larger space in our building,” Cotton said. “They were in a space that was about 12 by 20 (feet), now they’re in a space that’s 20 by 40 (feet), so it’s a definitely an increase as far as size and now we can hold more teens.”

Cotton said renovating the teen center was a priority for the club because the previous space was not able to accommodate the number of teens attending the club. According to Cotton, the previous center held 15 to 20 people at a time and the club averages 30 to 45 teens each day.

“It’s a more teen-friendly environment,” Cotton said of the new center. “It’s not the same place it was when we first opened up.”

The need for more teen

programs also prompted the initiative to get a new teen center, Cotton said.

“These teens are wanting to get involved,” he said. “They want to give back. They want to do community service. It’s just the expansion of the program. We know our teens need something to do and we want to make them a focus as well as the rest of the young people that we serve in our organization.”

Cotton encourages the public to stop by the club and take a tour of the center. He said anyone interested is welcome to schedule a tour with him or the director of program services any day of the week Monday through Friday.

“We’ll be glad to show them what it is we’re trying to accomplish with the young people that we serve every day,” he said.