4:00pm | A special friendship more than 30 years old led to the creation of a much-needed Boys & Girls Club in central Long Beach in 1981, and today those bonds are still strong as it’s provided a $10,000 donation to upgrade the facility.
John C. Wallace and his friend Jack H. Brown worked closely to make the John C. Wallace/Petrolane Boys & Girls Club a reality next to King Park in the early 1980’s. Wallace actually recruited Brown to become the CEO of Stater Bros. Supermarkets.
This month, Stater Bros. kept that fire burning with a $10,000 donation to the John C. Wallace/Petrolane Boys & Girls Club.
“It’s a worthy contribution,” says Keith Lily, the site director. “We’re trying to expand our Teen Room and Education Room which are important for kids to get out of school and get here and do their homework. We’re trying to expand to accommodate 150 kids.”
This particular site is one of eleven in Long Beach, but one of the most important because of its location. In a very dense and diverse part of town, crime and gang activity is a fact of life around Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and therefore the John C. Wallace/Petrolane Boys & Girls Club. Their academic and athletic programs keep kids busy and focused on excelling in school.
This year, the site has become even more important. The future Kroc Center was expected to provide new youth opportunities and ease some of the burden on the crowded Boys & Girls Club. The project’s cancellation means that more kids than ever will depend on the Boys & Girls Club and its programs.
The money will be used for upgrades and renovations to the thirty-year old building that include new wall tiling and better protection from the elements. It will also allow the site to bring in some new computers for the children who frequent the Boys & Girls Club every day.
“Each room will be more specified toward what the room is meant for,” says Joy Lodevico, special events coordinator for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach.
For more information, or to get involved with donating or volunteering, visit BGClubLB.org. Donations made before the end of the year are still eligible to receive tax deduction receipts.