BGCC History & Background
- Began as a grassroots response to a 1997 fatal shooting between teens in Carbondale in the after school hours
- Organized as "Carbondale Community Teen Center, Inc." a not-for-profit corporation
- First program were basketball leagues in the Carbondale Armory Building
- Operated as a teen after school program for about one year, but discountinued funding after one year due to facility and funding issues
- Opened as BGCC to our first members on September 13, 2004
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)
- BGCA History
- Organization roots go back to programs for young men in Connecticut in 1864
Federation of Boys Clubs started with 53 Clubs in 1906
- 2006 is the 100th anniversary of this movement
- Organized as 'Boys Clubs of America' until 1991 when it acquired the "Girls" name legally and became 'Boys & Girls Clubs of America'
- Currently there are over 3800 Clubs worldwide serving over 4 million children per day (including programs on military bases around the globe)
- Goal for the centennial anniversary in April is to have 4000 Club sites open
BGCC Development
- Renovations
- Began investigating affiliation with BGCA in fall of 2003
- Acquired the "Girls Gym" of the old Carbondale High School from District 95 that same year
initiated major building renovation campaign in the spring of 2003
- Began building renovations in January of 2004
- Secured a generous level of cash and in-king contributions totaling nearly $400,000 to complete dramatic improvements to the gym and lower level
- Converted old showers, locker rooms, weight room, office areas into eight activity rooms and one main office
included installing 31 large windows to ensure visibility from all areas and room to room throughout the lower level
- Involved total re-wiring and addition of new heating and cooling systems, and separation of water system from the old school
- Added drop ceilings, excellent fluorescent lighting, and bright color scheme throughout
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