By Anna Skinner
Despite rain, the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville broke ground on its new Sheehan Family Club building May 9.
The expansion is named after Tom and Soni Sheehan, in tribute to a contribution the family made to the club.
“We provide a service here in Noblesville that is much needed, and we have just outgrown our space,” President of the Board Kim Hirschfield said. “This has been a vision we’ve had for 20 years, knowing we would need more space at some point. Luckily enough, the community believes in our vision.”
Hirschfield said through business and individual donations and fundraisers, the club raised $6.8 million to build the new facility in only two years. The new facility will be 33,900 square feet and is being built adjacent to the community center at 1700 Conner St. It will offer more after-school programs.
“It will provide day-to-day after-school services for about 300 kids a day,” Hirschfield said.
Membership fees are $45 each year per child, but the annual cost to the club is $428 per child.
“We rely on a lot of fundraising,” Hirschfield said.
“As the organization and our community continues to grow and evolve, our leadership has continued to be visionaries,” BGCN Executive Director Becky Terry said. “They are kid-driven and kid-focused. The new facility will serve more kids and have more programs that provide more opportunities. We will have a greater impact on the youth in our community because of it.”
Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear and State Sen. Luke Kenley also attended. For more, visit bgcni.org.
