Tuesday was a day of celebration for the Boys & Girls Club in Price as the organization celebrated its new location. With over a decade of serving Carbon County youth, the club has made its new home at 60 East 100 North in Price. Tuesday’s festivities included a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce as well as a tour of the new facility.
The local club is under the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake umbrella, which oversees seven locations in Salt Lake, Tooele and Carbon counties. Last year, 7,000 youth attended these clubs with over 1,200 members attending daily.
“Since 1967, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake has offered positive alternatives to children who may be surrounded by negative influences, showing them how to live successful and productive lives,” the club shared. “Since 1860, Boys & Girls Clubs have provided safe havens for young people by offering quality programs and critical relationships with nurturing and reliable adults.”
The Price Boys & Girls Club was formerly located in the old Carbon County Senior Center on Carbon Avenue. When Carbon County made the decision to open bids for the sale of the building, the club was tasked with finding a new space in order to continue serving the youth that rely on the center.
“We are just delighted that we found this space that functions pretty well,” said LeAnn Saldivar, President/CEO Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake. “It is spacious enough that we can adequately serve elementary kids through high school age kids. Our goal is that kids stay club members through high school.”
The club welcomes those ages 6-18 to participate at the low annual membership fee of $20. The Price club features a computer lab, books, art activities, games and daily snacks. Club members can also take advantage of homework assistance, field trips, youth development and more. In addition, transportation from local schools to the club is available to members.
“Boys & Girls Clubs give their members access to dedicated, trained professionals who can provide guidance in adopting healthy lifestyles and pursuing educational objectives,” the club shared. “Most importantly, Boys & Girls Clubs equip young people with the skills they need to resolve conflicts peacefully, improve relationships with every aspect of their day-to-day lives and function as responsible citizens.”
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Price club has been able to continue serving local youth after school. Enhanced safety protocols have also been implemented, including daily temperature checks, mask requirements, increased sanitation, lower staff-to-youth ratios and visitor restrictions.
“Our clubs all adapted really quickly,” Saldivar said. “Obviously they closed briefly in March, but all of our clubs, including Price, served the call of the Governor’s office to serve as an emergency care center for kids of essential workers, so our club was able to keep operating in that way.”
Business is essentially back to normal with all members welcome at the club Monday through Friday. New members are also invited to join at any time. Saldivar noted that any child aged 6-18 is welcome, regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds. Members of the community are also invited to become a part of the club through volunteering or donating their time, services or dollars.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, members of the community were encouraged to witness the ribbon cutting virtually. Those interested in a virtual tour of the club and learning more should click here. Community members can also learn more about the Price club by calling (435) 637-6066.
