DESERT HOT SPRINGS

Boys and Girls Club Looking to Expand By 2009

BY LESLIE ANDREWS DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA- As the population of youth grows in Desert Hot Springs, so must the Boys and Girls Club. CEO Adam Sanchez explains how. "The city was doing a feasibility study to see if we could expand our center and the city manager suggested that it would be a good publicprivate project,? said Sanchez. "The political will is now there to meet the social needs of the community.? With the growing gang culture and number of latchkey kids, Sanchez feels that a bigger Boys and Girls Club facility would help the city in many ways possible. He adds, "In Desert Hot Springs, there are 8,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 19.? Support for a new center is widely visible. "People across the valley are helping to build the center, as we are the only Boys and Girls club without a permanent building. The opportunity is here because the need is here and that the city redevelopment agency has money,? Sanchez continued. Before anything takes shape, the club needs good finances. "We could merge with the Coachella Valley Boys and Girls Club and they have built two buildings in the past six years. We need to do a capital campaign to build this facility and it can be done with the leadership of City Manager Rick Daniels,? Sanchez said. The current building was a youth center that was built in 1978. It is 4,000 square feet in size. What the BGC wishes is to expand their building by 12 ½ times, with a large swimming pool and to be located near the future Civic Center. "We have a well run program now moving into a better facility that's not only going to benefit the youth and the families, but will be a big plus to the city,? said Councilmember Russell Betts. He also mentioned that the city donated lands for the project. The costs of building the new facility are $8 million. Funding will be coming from private and public contributions. Groundbreaking is expected by January 2009.

Congratulations to the Winners of the First Shop Local Contest. * Bobbie Smith * Desert Hot Springs Boys & Girls Club

Councilman Russell Betts

Keep your dollars in town working for all of us, creating jobs, supportin your neighbors and helping your community!