We are pleased to announce the public phase of our $1.9 million campaign to establish Manitowoc’s first Boys & Girls Club. To date, the Boys & Girls Club of Manitowoc County (BGCMC) has raised over $1.6 million from dozens of local generous and community-minded individuals, companies, and foundations.
The Boys & Girls Club of Manitowoc County will create opportunities for all young people to unlock their potential by creating an experience that helps build Manitowoc’s future workforce, mentor tomorrow’s leaders, and support young people’s health and wellbeing.
We hope to open the area’s first Boys & Girls Club later yet this year and plan on services for young people ages 6 to 12 every weekday with additional hours for youth ages 13 to 18 at least once per week. The Club will also provide meals and snacks for these youth.
This Club will feature a wide array of positive youth development programs in the core areas of education, health and wellness, workforce readiness, character and leadership, and the arts. Club members will also benefit from the opportunities to develop healthy relationships with each other and with the Club’s professional and para-professional staff.
“Every young person should have equal access to resources and experiences that give them every opportunity in life. Yet, kids today do not. With 1 in 6 children living in poverty in the U.S., and a growing achievement gap, it is more critical now that monumental change occur.”
– WILLIAM BERTSCHE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MANITOWOC COUNTY
The Boys & Girls Club of Manitowoc County’s long-term aspiration is to construct a new and sizeable Boys & Girls Club on the storied Mirro site in Manitowoc. However, given the complex nature of that site and the urgency of the need, organizers did not want to wait multiple years for the site to become buildable. This first Club location will provide an exciting and diverse array of positive youth development experiences for children and youth. The future location will include multiple learning centers, an art room, STEM lab, games room, cafe, gymnasium, and more.
For any additional questions please contact the Club’s Executive Director, William Bertsche at 920-470-8063 or wbertsche@bgclubfoxvalley.org.
