CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee (BGCMT) has announced its plan to expand operations into the Clarksville community on Friday, June 28, with an anticipated opening date in the summer of 2025, according to a news release sent by BGCMT.
“After months of community engagement and a comprehensive needs assessment process, done in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, it is clear there is a strong need for a Boys & Girls Club in the Clarksville area,” said State Representative Ronnie Glynn.
The news release said Glynn first galvanized support by forming a Clarksville Task Force, comprised of community leaders and members of the BGCMT team.
Clarksville community involvement
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee is set to hold a “Code Academy” for Clarksville students at Kenwood Middle School in early July as a way to introduce BGCMT to the community. The camp aims to expose youth ages 8-18 to the fundamentals of coding and app design through a hands-on, engaging learning experience, according to the news release.
In addition, to further community involvement, BGCMT plans to host several town hall meetings in Clarksville this summer, which will continue until the opening of the club. The town hall meetings are expected to allow community members an opportunity to learn more about the plans, while contributing ideas of their own.
“I am super excited to work with BGCMT,” said community leader and task force chairperson Deidre Ward. “Our task force put in hundreds of effort hours and submitted numerous reports to get us in the place we are now, starting our very own BGC here in Clarksville. Thank you to BGCMT and our entire Clarksville team.”
Meanwhile, BGCMT’s CEO Eric Higgs said, “We are incredibly enthusiastic about this expansion. Our goal is to provide the youth and families of Clarksville with resources, support and opportunities that set them on the path toward a great future.”
Previous efforts
In the news release, the task force did recognize the Clarksville community’s disappointment following previous efforts by another group to bring a Boys & Girls Club to the area.
However, they believe they have done “the due diligence necessary to fully understand the needs of the Clarksville community and plan for an impactful, sustainable Club.”
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