Providence Boys & Girls Club Reopens After 7 Years

Mayor Taveras joins club members for reopening of outstanding community resource.

It may be the end of October, but that didn't stop more than a dozen children from jumping into the swimming pool at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence South Side Clubhouse this past Saturday. For the first time in more than seven years, the 25-meter indoor pool was open for fun.

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence celebrated what the reopening of the pool - a true community resource - means to its members. To commemorate the occasion, the Club offered an open swim opportunity for members and their families.

"The Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence has provided vital support to the children of our City for generations," said Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. "As someone who lived in South Providence as a child, I understand the challenges that many of our young people face today. The pool at South Side Boys & Girls Club is an important resource for our community, and its reopening is an occasion that deserves to be celebrated."

"It's been a long time since our members had access to this incredible resource, and we couldn't be more excited about the opportunities it presents," said Nicole Dufresne, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. "Having an additional activity to go along with the wide range of those we already offer, particularly one that allows us to teach the invaluable life skill of swimming will make it even easier for us to strengthen the development of our members while providing a safe and positive environment."

The South Side Clubhouse pool, which first opened in 1959, was closed in 2004 due to the need for extensive repairs, which included a new roof, filtration system, and improvements to the facility's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. But, thanks to the generosity of The Champlin Foundations and a City of Providence Community Development Block Grant, the pool has been completely renovated.

Throughout the morning, children and their families took pleasure in swimming in the area's largest indoor pool; a telling indication of the benefits that the pool's reopening provides the surrounding community.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence is the oldest continuously operating Clubs in the United States, and serve more than 7,000 children each year - many from economically-disadvantaged households. By providing a safe, positive environment for youth to develop the skills and self-esteem they need to succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence is strengthening Rhode Island's future. To ensure that membership is accessible to those who need it most, dues are set at only $24 annually, and are subsidized through the generosity of donors. To get involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, and support their efforts, visit www.bcgprov.org or call (401) 444-0750.

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence is "to enable and inspire children and youth, especially those from diverse or difficult circumstances, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and healthy members of their community, the State of Rhode Island, and the nation." For 143 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence have provided a safe and positive environment for children and youth in the neighborhoods where they live. With the help of professionally trained staff, the Boys & Girls Clubs offer guidance for the youth who need it most; resulting in immediate and long-lasting positive impact by helping to develop the self-esteem and skills needed to succeed. The Clubs are open afternoons, evenings, and weekends - times of the day when kids need them most. For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, visit their website at www.bgcprov.org.