BRYAN, Texas — Today was the start of a new chapter for the children of the Brazos Valley and the Boys and Girls Club in Bryan. It opened the doors to its new location for those they serve most: children.
"I think they're going to be over the moon excited about having their first experience in the club," CEO Rhonda Watson said. "We've been talking about it for months now. They've seen pictures and renderings of what the inside of the space is going to look like and all of the enhanced programming that we promised to bring them. So today's very special for us and for them."
The Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley has been around since 1959, but the Newman-Adam Bryan campus located at 1910 Beck Street in Bryan is brand new.
The $5 million project has been in the works for years now. New to the club is a regulation-sized basketball court, an art and design studio, an audio/video production studio, as well a kitchen with a culinary arts instructor.
"If we can have this place be a space where kids have hope and opportunity and we change the trajectory of their lives," Watson said. "By doing that -- change the trajectory of their children, and their children's children… then that's amazing."
That's something the Sports and Program Director Roderick Harris Jr. will second. He hopes the new facility will inspire and motivate the children.
"One thing about life is if you put a ceiling on something, you put them in an enclosed space, their dreams and thoughts stay that way," Harris said. "This building is gonna allow them to dream. They're gonna be able to see something that was on paper, that was once a thought, and then it came to light right before their eyes in their time."
Even though they have done so much already, BGCBV says they are just getting started.
"My team, the board, and our volunteers are up for the challenge of looking at the challenges that kids face in this community," Watson said. "Coming up with strategies, goals, and outcomes to address those things."
Watson said once the organization is settled in, the team plans on opening the doors wider, offering the space to adults and bringing in adult programming, activities and events.