Boys and Girls Club dedicates new pavilion

The Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks was the site of a special ribbon cutting last week. The Branson, Hollister and Forsyth Chambers of Commerce joined forces for the celebration.

"We're here celebrating the dedication of our outdoor pavilion that was provided to us by our Branson Hollister Rotary Club, our friends and our neighbors and investors in our community," said Boys and Girls Club CEO Stoney Hays. "We couldn't be prouder."

The pavilion took some time to come to fruition, according to Hays, but it was worth the wait.

"It took about five years, in terms of just putting it together, raising the dollars, and actually getting the build done," said Hays. "But we know that this is going to impact kids for years to come. We've always wanted an outdoor classroom. It gets a little hot here in the Ozarks. It can be a little rainy at times. This gives us a shelter and allows us to be outdoors, helping kids in an educational environment, giving our kids an opportunity to just enjoy the outdoors."

The Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks serves 1,600 registered members annually.

"We see almost 500 kids every day walking through our doors after school and during the summer," noted Hays. "We charge $30 a year for kiddos to attend the club each and every day during the school year. We do charge $30 a week during the summer months, but we do provide scholarships for those families who couldn't otherwise afford to pay those fees because we just don't want to turn a kid away because of the cost of attending."

For more information on the Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks, including club activities, as well as ways that you can help provide scholarships for deserving children, visit their website, bgozarks.org