The Corvallis Boys and Girls Club has finally reached their 6 million dollar goal to put up walls on their new teen center. The walls went up Tuesday.
Fundraising for a new 22,000 sq. ft. building began in 2014. The current teen membership is 150 but is expected to double in the first year. Helen Higgins, CEO for the boys and girls club of Corvallis, says the current building can’t house all the services they want to provide.
“To see that vision start to take shape and to become real, you know, through these concrete structure walls is just the most amazing experience. We’re pretty excited around this community.”
Higgins says the plan is to offer adolescent mental health and medical services in a permanent space, in order to address issues in the local teenage community, such as high rates of suicide. The new center will also offer career training and job skills which Higgins hopes will keep teens motivated to finish high school.
Construction will be done in early July, and doors are expected to open in September.
