The new Yakima Club of Boys & Girls Club of the Yakama Nation will open its doors in June. The second Club in Yakima County, Yakima city has been without a Club for over a decade. This absence has been felt by families seeking an affordable and safe space their kids can attend after school.
The first Boys & Girls Club was formed by the Yakama Nation in 2021. “The impact has been almost immediate,” Boys & Girls Club of the Yakama Nation’s (BGCYN) CEO Andi Blodgett stated. “They come to our Club and the first week is usually a struggle. But once we get past that, they really enjoy the space that they are in.”
BGCYN’s Board Chair, Lisa Garcia, discussed how the club is a place where children will be safe from drugs, alcohol, and gangs. The club is a place where kids can be educated and stay active through various activities.
A Club alumnus even noted the high need for clubs in Central Washington, an area he described as a “childcare desert,” explaining that kids often are recruited into unhealthy and negative activities due to not having a safe space to spend their time away from school.
“We want that safe environment where they know they have a safe space to go where they are allowed to just be kids. Their only responsibility is to be here and grow as individuals,” Blodgett said.
Congratulations to Boys & Girls Club of the Yakama Nation CEO, Andi Blodgett, and the entire team for their leadership and dedication in bringing this to fruition!
