Boys & Girls Club to move Larson clubhouse

MOSES LAKE - The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin will relocate its Larson clubhouse from Arnold Drive to nearby North Elementary School later this month.

Executive Director Brant Mayo said the move will take place once the clubhouse's after-school program wraps up for the summer.

"We'll see them at Arnold Drive until Thursday, which is the last day of school," he said. "We normally take a break before the summer program for about a week to do some staff training, so during that time we'll be relocating."

Mayo said kids will start the summer program June 17 at North Elementary, which is located less than a half a mile from the current Larson clubhouse. The organization's downtown clubhouse on Third Avenue in downtown Moses Lake will also start its summer program June 17, he said.

Mayo said North Elementary received a grant from 21st Century to start an after-school program. The club partnered with the school because they provide similar services, he said.

"Instead of trying to duplicate services within a mile of each other we thought why not partner up," said Mayo. "We can provide even better services and programs for even more kids."

The clubs currently serves youth living in two areas of Moses Lake, with one group of children living closer to downtown and another group of kids closer to Big Bend Community College. The two areas with their respective clubhouses are separated by state Route 17 and about 5 miles apart.

The relocation of the Larson clubhouse comes as a new clubhouse is being built on Paxson Drive in Moses Lake, which is about 2 miles from the downtown club.

Construction on the new clubhouse, a $2.8 million project (which includes ongoing operational and future operational funds), continues this summer with the goal of being open by the beginning of 2014, according to Mayo.

He said they would try to liquidate the existing downtown building, which gives club officials time to see the impact the new clubhouse has on its new membership and budget.

Across town, the Larson clubhouse currently sees about 50 to 60 kids a day, said Mayo. He said club members will be happy to have access to North's gym, computer lab and cafeteria.

There will also be more room for outdoor activities at the new location, said Mayo.

"We have a little outdoor space now but at North we'll obviously have more," he said. "There's going to be more play fields, playgrounds and swing sets that will really be beneficial to club members."

The summer program at both locations runs until August 9, said Mayo. At North, kids will attend from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday. There will also be a separate session for middle school and high school kids at North from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

At the downtown clubhouse, kids will attend from 1 to 5:30 p.m., he said.

The downtown clubhouse also offers an early bird program, said Mayo.

"The early bird allows parents to drop off their kids starting at 7:30 a.m. and we hold them until 1 p.m.," he said. "They can also roll right into the afternoon program."

The early bird program costs $10 a day per child, he said.

The organization will also begin its summer food program June 17. Meals will be delivered to kids ages 2 to 18 throughout Moses Lake, and they don't have to be club members, said Mayo.

"There's certain areas and locations throughout the community where we serve lunches," he said. "Last summer we gave about 10,000 meals."

For more information about signing up for Boys and Girls Clubs programs, call 509-764-9694.