The Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia will soon have a new home.

The new facility for the club, located on Queen Street, will be the site of a community wide grand opening celebration.

The celebration will be held on Monday, June 30 at 5 p.m.

The grand opening is open to the public, and Boys and Girls Club officials are encouraging Polk County citizens to attend the event so they can tour the new facility and meet the staff.

“We are very excited about the new facility and everything that it will offer to the children of Cedartown and all of Polk County,” stated Janie Smith, Board Chairman.

Without the dedication and hard work of the Board Members and the support of the local businesses and industries in Cedartown as well as contributions made by individuals, the Club would have been possible, said Smith.

“The investments the people of Cedartown have made to the Boys and Girls Club are paying off with the opening of the new building,” stated Billy Croker, past Board Chairman and driving force that brought the Boys and Girls Program to Cedartown.

The vision for the club was set over four years ago. Croker enlisted the help of the W. D. Trippe Foundation, the City of Cedartown and the Cedartown Housing Authority to make the concept of a brand new building for the Boys and Girls Club come to light.

“I am very pleased to have Billy serve on the board; he has been instrumental in working jointly with the City and County to help us achieve this goal. Billy is a hardworking, self-motivated, caring member of this community. Polk County is very lucky to have him working for all of us,” stated Smith.

The club provides a safe place for the children to learn and grow in a positive atmosphere around caring adults.

The focus of the Boys and Girls Clubs is to help young people become responsible and successful adults. The Club offers many programs such as Smart Moves, Recreational activities, and the Torch Club.

A full day summer camp is now in progress at the club with many exciting projects planned for children.

During school, the club offers an excellent program for after school with designated homework time and assistance, as well as a reward program for grade achievements.

The Boys and Girls Club is a non-profit organization and operating funds are raised through the efforts of Kampaign for Kids, a donation drive that began on June 1, and will run through October 2, 2003 ending with the annual Boys and Girls Club Kampaign for Kids Golf Tournament.

The club also operates on state grants, club membership dues, and weekly summer fees. The Boys and Girls Club of Cedartown Advisory board members are: Debra Richardson, Larry Dooley, Billy Croker, Pam Gaston, Teri Warner, and Larry Dooley. Current and Prospective Board Members are: Mark Sullins, Rusty Raybun, Carol Ayers, Steve Jacks, Jean Crane, Bobby Sparks, Scotty Tillery, Karen Nissen, Susan Darden, Ray Merritt, Sandra Galloway, and Billy Wills.