NESPELEM – The Boys and Girls Club on the Colville Reservation will be expanding to the Nespelem Community Center with a soft opening June 21 at 10 a.m.

The Colville Business Council is pleased to announce this partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County based on the success in the Inchelium Community and are excited to expand further.

The Boys and Girls Club in Inchelium which opened May 14, 2015 has an enrollment of 245 members and that is ninety-five percent of students from the Inchelium School District. The Inchelium School District has recently celebrated their success of moving off the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) low performing “Priority List.” The Inchelium Superintendent, Kim Spacek, believes partially the school moved off the list because of the after school program, tutoring and mentoring that the Boys and Girls Club executes. The Inchelium B&G home is at the Inchelium Community Center and recently the club received a significant contribution from the Peterson family. This funding was available to restripe the basketball court, added four adjustable height glass backboards and a new computer lab.

“These opportunities have only helped to improve our kids’ education and provide a safe place,“ said Larry Allen, Colville Business Council, Employment and Education Committee Chairman. “The result of our work is prevalent, these students utilize the lab daily especially with the computer programs used in the school district; this allows the students to finish their school work at the club.”

“This transition into the Boys & Girls Clubs has really made a difference. It always makes me glad when we follow through on our commitment to our children’s education,” said Chairman Dr. Michael Marchand.

The Nespelem Boys & Girls Club will be located at the Nespelem Community Center. They will share the space with the community and the Boys & Girls Clubs will be housed in the computer lab, the activity room (near the kitchen) and the last office (formally the Youth Development Office) will be the B&G Clubs staff room. The weight room will remain in the same room, the cardio equipment will be located in the mat room (downstairs), the music room will remain open to the public, noon ball will still be available to the public but the gym will be closed off to the public and strictly for the Boys and Girls Club during operation hours (afterschool from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. daily) and during the summer 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Early release days will be adjusted and in correspondence with the school districts calendars.

This summer the Boys and Girls Clubs of Nespelem will be open and available to the youth starting Wednesday June 21. During this summer the B&G Clubs will be completing tasks, in preparation for the grand opening this fall.

Collaborations will be arranged for transportation to the youth in the communities of Nespelem, Coulee Dam and Keller for the Nespelem Boys & Girls Clubs. Registration forms are available in the Lucy F. Covington Government Center, Nespelem Community Center and online by website or on our Facebook page Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colville Reservation.