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Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County announced recently the $70,000 renovation of its club in Lehigh Acres. The renovation was made possible by local businesses which stepped up to donate materials and labor to complete the project.

Brooks & Freund, Ferrada Painting, Kesco Flooring, and Total Electric donated $70,000 worth of services and materials to significantly renovate the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County’s Lehigh Acres club site.

“We are super excited about the renovations. We have been at our currently Lehigh facility for eight years now and it was definitely time for some updates. The kids and their families really deserved to have an updated and safe program space. It was an investment in the community overall,” Denise Gergley, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County said. “All of the renovations were completed in just four days and the kids are really excited about helping to take care of it.”

The project involved interior painting, new carpet and flooring as well as structural enhancements to the programming space. In addition to the renovations, the club also received brand new furniture through the support of United Way, their long-standing community partner.

In their press release, the Boys & Girls Club’s CEO Denise Gergley said that the renovations represent the club’s commitment to the Lehigh Acres Community and the youth that they serve.

“We want to thank everyone involved in the renovation for their support and generosity,” Gergley said. “Improving the Lehigh Club was just one step forward in our achieving our vision of becoming a World Class Club in Lee County, serving all youth. We also want to recognize and thank our entire board and specifically Richard Freund, owner of Brooks & Freund, for making our dream become a reality. We can’t wait to welcome the kids back to their new home this fall.”

Gergley’s main goal is to get the word out to the community that they are here to serve and provide a safe, positive environment in which kids and teens can learn and grow.

“We offer a wide-array of educational programs including our virtual learning system, which is new this year. From 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. the kids can come and execute their distance learning plans. We also offer our after school program from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.,” Gergley said.

The Boys & Girls Club’s curriculum focuses on three priority outcome areas which are designed to enable their members to achieve academic success and help mold and shape them for a successful future.

Some of the current programs offered include: Media Makers — an intro to digital media; Power Hour — a program to help kids stay on track; and Passport to Manhood and Smart Girl.

“I don’t think the public knows all the things we offer. We still have spaces available and have scholarships available through our partnership with the United Way,” Gergley said.

The Boys & Girls Clubs began its 2020-2021 After School Program on Monday for children ages 6-12. Teen programs will also be available.

For club locations, hours of operation, registration and additional information visit their website at www.loveleekids.org or contact their administrative offices at 239-334-1886.