The Boys and Girls Clubs of East County Foundation has announced it is halfway toward a goal of raising $8.9 million in donations that will be used to construct a new clubhouse in La Mesa, renovate an existing teen center and fund an endowment to operate both facilities.
Executive Director Jerry Fazio said the foundation has commitments of $4.45 million, including a $3 million pledge from La Mesa residents Mary Alice and Ron Brady, founders of The Brady Companies.
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Fazio said other notable pledges for the Foundation’s capital campaign, which began in March 2013, have been received from high-profile individuals with prominent East County businesses, including: Larry and Stephen Cushman, owners of Grossmont Center; Kay and Joe Drew and son Bill Jew of Drew Ford; Sandy and Ed Burr, owners of EDCO Disposal; Fischbeck & Oberndorfer, a La Mesa law firm; Faye Riha, a community supporter; the Muller Family Foundation; and, La Mesa Rotary Club and Rotary District #5340.
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As a result of the Brady donation, Fazio said the new La Mesa clubhouse will be called the Brady Family Clubhouse. The 25,000-square-foot clubhouse, to be located in Highwood Park on the west end of the La Mesa Middle School campus, will be the largest of the six Boys and Girls Clubs of East County. With construction planned to begin in 2015, the new clubhouse will feature The Academy, a learning center, a full-service kitchen and nutrition center, a separate Little Rascals area for 5-to-7-year olds and a gymnasium named in honor of professional basketball player Bill Walton, La Mesa native, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame and member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Hall of Fame.
Fazio said the Brady donation also will help renovate an existing teen center in La Mesa, to be renamed the Brady Family Teen Center. Owned by the City of La Mesa and operated by the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, the teen center is a popular home-away-from-home for La Mesa’s 11-to-18 year olds since it was opened in October 2006. The Teen Center will receive an exterior face lift, interior upgrades, including flooring and carpeting, new furniture, computers and a security system.
Donations and pledges also will fund a permanent endowment to provide ongoing funding for the new clubhouse and teen center, Fazio said.
“The Brady family believes it’s better to build kids than to try to mend adults,” Fazio said. “They have become passionate advocates and volunteers for the Boys and Girls Clubs, encouraging friends to join them to help La Mesa’s kids.”
Steve South, president/CEO of EDCO Disposal and chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs’ development campaign, said “We have done very well over the past nine months to reach this milestone, but we cannot rest on our laurels. With nearly $4 million left to raise, we will be expanding our committee and doubling our efforts in the New Year.”
County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a graduate of La Mesa Middle School and Helix High School, said “There is a real resurgence going on in west La Mesa with the new performing arts school on the campus at La Mesa Middle and the new theater and performing arts center being built at Helix. The Boys & Girls Club is the logical connector to those two campuses where La Mesa’s kids need it the most.”
La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid, considered a staunch supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs in his city, said, “Never in my political career have I seen an organization receive unanimous endorsements for the La Mesa City Council, La Mesa Spring-Valley School Board, Grossmont Union High School District Board and the board of directors of Helix Charter High School. This is a strong indication of the need for a Boys & Girls Club in west La Mesa.”
The 17-member Boys & Girls Clubs La Mesa Executive Committee is a group of volunteers who have been quietly working since March on the campaign that has generated the nearly $5 million in gifts and pledges. Fazio said the group includes businesspeople and elected officials. Additional volunteers are being lined up to increase the volunteer base to 30 individuals to kick-off the public campaign in January, he said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of East County have been meeting the developmental needs of children and youth since 1961. Its mission: “To inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to become responsible, caring, productive citizens.”
