History of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River have served youth in the Tri-State area since 1987. Originally opened as the Kiwanis Youth Center, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River took over in 1988 after receiving its official charter.
After that, a Club was established in Laughlin, Nevada. In 1996, construction was completed on the Spirit Mountain Activity Center, housing a new permanent Laughlin Clubhouse, which continues today.
The Bullhead Club, a 7,000 square foot building that houses Administrative staff, recently completed a renovation in 2018. This Club features a Social Recreation room, a library room, a technology center, and an Arts and Crafts room, and much more. The outer part of the Club features a gym, a greenhouse, and a playground.
The gym was completed in January 2016 and comprised just over 10,000 square feet of space. It is being utilized for sports and recreation programs currently run through the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River and the Bullhead City Recreation Department.
Early in 2014, the club leadership brought forth an idea to the Board of Directors regarding the acquisition of a local thrift store. The thrift store's purpose was to support the transportation costs of bringing Mohave Valley and Fort Mohave school youth to the Bullhead City clubhouse.
The thrift store has blossomed into a more significant operation and a much bigger location as well.
In April of 2018, Fiesta Bowl, EPCOR, Lowe's, and KABOOM! donated a beautiful new playground for the Bullhead City Unit, which is located in the back area by the outdoor basketball court. A large canopy to cover the top has been added to accommodate the hotter weather.
In the summer of 2018, The Fort Mohave club location reopened at a temporary location. Since this opening, Fort Mohave has transitioned into two other club locations. Though being one of the smaller clubs, Fort Mohave averages about 30 members a day. This Club offers a game zone, an art studio, a STEM room, and a music sanctuary called The Creative Corner.
The following February 2019, The Boys and Girls Clubs of The Colorado River Bullhead City Unit opened an extension exclusively for teens. This separate space is located inside our thrift store, which allows the teens to work towards workforce readiness and give them a sanctuary of safety and fun for kids in 6th grade and above.
Since the opening of our extension, our Club has begun to blossom into the wonderful organization it is now and expects to grow from here. With the fantastic team our clubs have, The Boys and Girls Clubs of The Colorado River continues to be greater.