LETTER: Boys & Girls Club Planning to Expand, Obstacle Hindering Its Efforts

The Watertown Boys and Girls Club is expanding, building a New Foundation

The Board of Directors, Executive Director Gary Beatty and staff of the Watertown Boys and Club are delighted to announce an expansion of the space we use in our building and our programming for the children and families of Watertown. 

We are building a new foundation for the growth of our Club in Watertown. New Foundations — the project name — is our more than $1.6 M project to completely renovate the ground floor of the building.  The result will be a beautiful space that will house a brand new licensed childcare program — the first of its kind at the WBGC and the only one in Watertown–to provide licensed after-school childcare for up to 85 children. This will enable us to help meet the growing need for quality after-school care for children in K-3 in Watertown. I am writing to share an update on our project.  In the past year we hired an architect, Bloom Architects, agreed on a design, developed drawings and bid documents, bid the job out and awarded the bid. We have signed a contract with Groom Construction. Groom was the low bidder (by over $100K) and have been very responsive and easy to work with. We are excited to be working with them. Construction is due to start in August and is expected to finish around the end of the year. We are ready to move ahead, but we can’t.  The barrier is First Path Daycare.

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Announces 2024 Youth of the Year Winner

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s Youth of the Year for 2024, Yazmin Ramirez Arias. (Courtesy Photo)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club held their Annual “Rising Stars” Youth of the Year Awards Celebration on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 in the Club’s gymnasium. Three highly qualified Club Member were nominated as a result of their service at the Club and further in the community. Yazmin Ramirez Arias was named the Watertown Boys & Girls Club “Youth of the Year.”

In this Leadership Development Program, Club Members nominated by Club Staff are prompted to write a “Club Experience” Essay that shares their achievements and why they personally believe they should be named “Youth of the Year.” They present this essay to local judges who collectively decide the top candidate. The top chosen candidate and Official “Youth of the Year” will represent The Watertown Boys & Girls Club and qualify for the next step to compete at the State Event for the title of Massachusetts Youth of the Year on May 7, 2024 at Gillette Stadium.

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Opening Childcare Center, Launching Fundraising Campaign

The following information was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club will soon unveil its plans to open the City’s first and largest licensed childcare center for school aged children. Opening in 2024, the childcare center will encompass an entirely renovated ground floor with more than 3,500 square feet of dedicated space to accommodate up to 80 children in grades K-3. Donations will be accepted through The “New Foundations” Campaign to raise funds for this project. In addition to providing licensed childcare for school-aged children, the new center will also offer access to the Club’s pool and athletic facilities as part of its programming. The expansion will create additional capacity to meet increasing demand on the main floor of the club for programs to support older children and teens.

2023 Mugar Golf Tournament Registration is OPEN! Benefits Watertown Boys & Girls Club

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Stephen P. Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Watertown Boys & Girls Club! Since its inaugural playing in 1978, the Watertown Boys & Girls Club annual golf tournament has been the cornerstone of the Club’s fundraising calendar. Hosted at beautiful Oakley Country Club in Watertown, MA this showcase event is recognized as one of the best of its kind in the Greater Boston area. As one of the original founding members of WBGC, Stephen P. Mugar was an avid supporter and keen participant during the tournament’s early years. After his passing in 1982, the event was re-named in recognition of Mr. Mugar’s years of dedication and service to the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Watertown Boys and Girls Club Receives Grant from Barkamian Family Fund

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

Watertown Boys & Girls Club recently received a $15,000 grant from the Stephen H. Barkamian Family Fund of the Columbus Foundation. This grant will support programming that promotes character development, environmental stewardship, and a healthy lifestyle and will align with the Watertown Boys and Girls Club’s mission “to inspire and enable all young people, especially those that need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.” Our sincerest thanks to all who donate to the Columbus Foundation.

Boys & Girls Club Celebrates Rising Stars, 2023 Youth of the Year

Ashley Leal is presented the 2023 Watertown Boys and Girls Club’s Youth of the Year award by Doug Orifice of the Watertown Business Coalition. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club celebrated the Rising Stars and presented the Youth of the Year Award during the third annual event on March 8. The Youth of Year Competition embodies Boys & Girls Clubs of American’s three priority outcome areas of academic success, good character, and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. Being recognized YOY is the highest honor bestowed upon Club members. The Club sent out the following statement:

The nominees and judges of the 3rd Annual Watertown Boys & Girls Club Rising Stars Celebration and Youth of the Year Competition.

Watertown Police Take Children to Shop With a Cop at Target

Charlie BreitroseMembers of the Watertown Police Department took a group of kids from the Watertown Boys & Girls Club shopping at Target. One afternoon last week, the aisles of Target were filled with children looking for toys, clothes and other gifts. The kids were accompanied on their holiday shopping trip by members of the Watertown Police Department as part of the annual Shop with Cop program. The children, who came from the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, anxiously awaited the trip, said Peter Gardula, Director of Mission Advancement at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. “They’ve been looking forward to doing this the last three or four days,” Gardula said.

A Look Back at the First 50 Years of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club

Watertown Cable

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club turned 50 years old in 2022, and during that time the club has faced its share of challenges to continue its mission of serving the youth of the community. On Oct. 28, the Club hosted a 50th Anniversary Gala to celebrate the people who made the first half century possible, and asked for support to continue serving Watertown. Watertown came together to build the clubhouse on land on Whites Avenue, near the then-Town Hall, now City Hall. The first step was to get approval to use the land, recalled Allen Gallagher, who served as Executive Director from 1991 to 2012.