Just in time for summer camp, the largest in the State of Connecticut, on Monday, June 26, the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield (BGCR) will unveil its 11,000-square-foot addition to hundreds of happy campers.
Designed and constructed with the kids in mind at every turn by Mose Associates Architects and Hawley Construction, the Club is ready and able to welcome all kids who yearn for a safe place to learn, grow, and play.
Since 2007, when the Club opened after the first renovation, the BGCR membership base has grown nearly 300 percent! To say that the Club was bursting at the seams prior to this expansion is an understatement.
Mike Flynn, Executive Director, reflects on the Club’s previous expansion and subsequent growth. “When we built the club 15 years ago we saw 50 kids a day [at the Club] with summer camp at 100 kids.” Flynn’s goal was to grow membership to 100 kids per day with summer camp increasing to 150 kids. Making a hockey stick with his arm, Flynn explains, “We went like that on the first year and we’ve been on this trajectory for 15 years.”
But, the increased footprint is only the way and means to create great futures. Flynn says, “The building is important, but it’s really about the people inside the building that keep the kids there.”
Now 90% funded by private donations, the Growth Campaign, spearheaded by Club supporter and campaign Chair, Christine Carnicelli, needs to close the gap and encourage all Ridgefield residents to be part of the fabric of Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield history.
Learn more about the Growth Campaign and MAKE A DONATION
For 87 years, the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield has been a safe haven for kids to grow, learn, connect and become the best versions of themselves and has earned national acclaim for award-winning programs. Let’s assure they can continue this mission.
“We need everyone to support this to finish the job so we can continue to grow and serve more and more kids, especially the kids who need us the most,” says Flynn.