Watertown Boys & Girls Club
The front of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club will get a new look as part of the $1.4 million Great Futures Campaign.
Watertown Boys & Girls Club, the town’s largest youth development agency, announced the launch of its $1.4 million Great Futures Campaign. Funds
raised by the campaign will be used to renovate and make capital improvements to the Club aimed at expanding teen programs, enhancing accessibility and strengthening security.
The centerpiece of the renovation plans is the creation of a Teen Center to create a dedicated space for Club members aged 13-18. The teens will be able to engage in a variety of activities, including career exploration, SAT prep courses and community service, under the guidance of the new center’s Teen Director. The Great Futures Campaign funds will also be used to renovate the entryway to increase building security and to install a fully ADA-compliant ramp to ensure universal
accessibility.
“We are extremely excited to launch this campaign that will enable the Club to make needed improvements,” said Renée Gaudette, executive director of Watertown Boys & Girls Club. “Our mission has always been to serve all children and teens from the community by providing them with a place to grow and learn, and this campaign will help us continue to build on that goal. The donations to this campaign will enable us to expand our services so we can serve more kids every day.”
Now more than ever, the youth of Watertown need a safe place to go after school and engage in enriching, healthy and fun activities under the supervision of caring, trained staff. The Watertown, the Boys & Girls Club is the town’s community center, but the building is a far cry from the state-of-the-art community centers in neighboring towns. Almost no renovations having been made since Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s creation in 1972, and major upgrades are long overdue. The Great Futures Campaign will raise the funds needed to address these issues so that the youth of Watertown will have the up-to- date, safe and clean after-school environment they need and deserve.
Daily attendance at the Club has grown by more than 30% over the past three years. Each day, the Club now serves more than 150 of Watertown’s young people.
“At the Boys & Girls Club, we offer children and teens a wide range of programs that help them develop and be more successful, productive contributors to our community and to society,” said Mark Tardiff, president of Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s board of directors. “With these donations, we will offer new programs for Watertown’s teenagers and build a new Teen Center, creating an environment that empowers teens to achieve academic success, develop character and inspire healthy living.”
To increase its capacity and programming diversity, Watertown Boys & Girls Club has partnered with more than 15 new community organizations over the past three years. For its members, whose families collectively speak more than 30 languages at home, the Club is a unifying force that offers a gateway to achieve success, in and out of school, ultimately leading to greater life outcomes.
Watertown Boys & Girls Club
The new entryway to the Watertown Boys and Girls Club will feature a rain garden and a new handicap ramp.
The Great Futures Campaign will ensure that the Club can also provide these types of support, enrichment and guidance opportunities to the next generation of Watertown’s youth.
“We are halfway to our campaign goal of $1.4 million so far. Now, we are looking to our community to help us get all the way there. We need everyone’s support, whether they can donate $10 or $10,000. Achieving our campaign goal is crucial not just for our organization, but also for our entire town. The Club’s renovations and upgrades will have a lasting impact on the whole community,” said Gaudette.
To learn more about the Great Futures Campaign or make a donation, please visit
www.greatfutureswatertown.com.
About Watertown Boys & Girls Club
The mission of Watertown Boys & Girls Club is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. The Club has been a staple in the community for more than 40 years, serving tens of thousands of children through diverse programs and guidance from caring, trained staff. Club members enjoy
programming focused on three core areas: Healthy living, character development and academic success. Watertown Boys & Girls Club gives the youth of Watertown and the surrounding areas a safe and fun place to grow and learn. For more information, visit www.watertownbgc.org.