Boys and Girls Club of the Bowling Green Area’s building expansion officially opens

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Boys and Girls Club of the Bowling Green Area had a ribbon cutting Wednesday for the opening of its building expansion.

The expansion was for planning space and offices along with a new entryway for the students to enter safely.

“This allowed us to open up more programmatic space in the existing building because we were literally putting things in closets. I had an office in a closet, so it was desperately needed,” said the club’s CEO, Liz Bernard Clark.

About three years ago, the Kentucky State Government gave the organization $1 million for capital improvements, and the Bob and Mary Tincher foundation donated another $1 million.

Then the dissolution of the foundation and distribution of assets provided more funding and support.

The Boys and Girls Club has sites at several local schools and plans to expand to more schools in the future. 

“This will be the operational hub for all of the manpower that makes those sites work and exist. And so this will allow us more easily to reach more young people. You don’t have the overhead and the worry of a traditional building. And again, you’re meeting kids where they are. So it’s really a no brainer. We like to do it by need. And so the most significant needs get the attention first. And eventually my ultimate goal is to have a site in every single elementary school,” said Bernard Clark.

The kids have more space to spread out now with the expansion and closets can actually be used to store things, according to Bernard Clark.

She says being able to interact and help the community’s children brings her joy and hopes to help as many children as she can throughout her tenure.

“They really mean a lot to me, not being able to be a mom and having wanted to be, it’s meaningful in that way. But also just knowing that they are really the future, as cliche as it sounds. You can look at these kids and watch what they do. Watch their interest, and their passions, and know that you’re looking at a future scientist, engineer, doctor, or teacher,” said Bernard Clark.

The new entrance is safer now and includes a magnetic locking door and allows the workers to keep track of children much easier as they arrive and depart. 

The CEO says they are already preparing for Christmas and are beginning to adopt out children’s wish lists to community members who want to sponsor a child.