New Beginnings – President Liz Chavez cuts the ribbon at the new Boys & Girls Club opening.
By DAVID LOPEZ
Special to the NEWS
The Boys & Girls Club of San Benito opened its new facilities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at its fully renovated gymnasium. Guests present included city officials, school board members, and sponsors, primarily United Way, as well as State Representative Eddie A. Lucio III.
“No renovations have been done to this facility since it was built in 1991. We needed to provide the kids a safer place. So renovation was definitely needed to upgrade this place for the kids. We are the only basketball league in the city, so we wanted to enhance it for the kids of our community; they deserve the best,” said Club President Liz Chavez.
With a $150,000 grant from the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, the new gym features completely overhauled restrooms, a new gym floor for injury-free action, new hoops, garage doors, and ceiling fans, and a new volleyball net that Chavez hopes will encourage a new volleyball program, which the city has not seen before.
“It was so much work, everything about this place is new, there’s nothing left of the old,” she said. “We’ve seen nothing but growth this year, so with all these changes we’re only hoping to grow more and be able to service more kids.”
She describes what she is most excited about in one word: change. “This place has my heart and soul and giving it to the kids, it’s changed everything,” said Chavez. “San Benito deserves the best. And if I can be a part of that, I’m gonna do everything I can to get them the best.”
During the ceremony, renovation contractors Noble Texas Builders donated $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club, praising the institution for its community work that deserves recognition. President Liz Chavez is grateful for the continuous support she receives from members of the community.
“All I ask is that the community keep on supporting us,” she said. “It can only get better from here. There’s been nothing but positivity the last couple of years for the club and we’re hoping to continue that trend to make it grow and allow more kids.”
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