Open house

Community invited to see newly remodeled Boys and Girls Club Tuesday

MOSES LAKE — The community is invited to see the newly remodeled downtown Boys and Girls Club for themselves Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.

"It's definitely warmer in here, kind of an at-home feeling," described club executive director Brad Overberg of the changes.

The children who use the club had their first chance to see all the renovations on Friday. Though the club remained open during the past week, various rooms or portions of the club had to be closed off as the work progressed.

"They really didn't get to see the complete project (until Friday)," Overberg said of the club members. He called their reaction on Friday "jaw-dropping."

"You just heard 'cool' over and over again," Overberg said.

The changes begin at the front entrance of the club where a medallion created by D&L Foundry explains that the remodel was done in honor of Jon Lane. The entrance itself underwent a dramatic overhaul with a new front counter. The overall design was created by Leslie Ramsden who chose an orange, yellow and purple palette for the club's new look.

Columbia Basin Job Corps painted the walls with paint donated by Sherwin Williams and supervision from Scott McKinsey of McKinsey Painting Inc.; Danielle Boss assisted with many aspects of the renovations; Jason McGowan created a decorative ceiling grid; Patty Jensen painted a mural; Monroe Brothers installed new flooring; The Home Center donated couches, Darrin Hittinger and Mike McCurry of Hittco Builders did construction work; Ziggy's donated building supplies; Signs Now created signs for both the outside and inside of the building; and Portraits of Hope helped club kids create two murals. Ameriquest donated funding for toys as well as a new 12-passenger van for the club, made possible through what Overberg called an "incredible deal" from Discovery Ford. Contributions from A. Smith Productions, the television production company working on a piece about Lane, helped to provide new furniture and other necessities.

Volunteers executed much of the work on the building and included members of Lane's family, the community and students involved in the 1996 school shooting at Frontier Middle School.