The expansion of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound into Kitsap County was made possible under the board leadership of Jerry Reid, owner of Reid Real Estate, Peter Braun of the Orchard Group, which owns the local Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants, former Seattle Seahawks kicker Norm Johnson, now with Reid Real Estate, Bremerton attorney Ed Wolfe, financial professional Terry Stein, and 17 other dedicated board members from the community.

During the grand opening ceremony, Mike Brown of FPH Construction was also recognized for personally coordinating all the construction efforts for the project.

Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman, who spent 30 years as an executive with the Boy & Girls Clubs organization, and is a product of its programs as a youth, has been a prime mover in the establishment of the club in Bremerton as well.
“One of our goals has been to provide after school activities so we can attract young families back to Bremerton. Young families are a critical component in the city’s revitalization,” said the mayor. “But we can only do that if we have places for kids to go and things for them to do. The Boys & Girls Club is a perfect fit to help us realize our goals.”

L-R Norm Johnson, Peter Braun and Jerry Reid, three of the board members who originally helped bring the Bremerton Boys & Girls Club from just an idea to fruition in less than a year.

“What we’re most appreciative of and most pleased to see, is how the people of the city of Bremerton have gotten behind this club,” said Braun, “We see this as the seed to help us grow the organization in this county and establish other clubs here.”

That’s already beginning to happen. Work is already underway to establish a club in Port Orchard, with the goal of having it open this coming summer.

Bozeman added, “I want to especially thank Jerry Reid, Peter Braun, Ed Wolfe and Norm Johnson for all their hard work, and for raising the money to make this possible.”

Reid and his wife Nancy have donated $101,000 to the effort through their business, Reid Real Estate. The company and its agents continue to contribute to the club on an ongoing basis. “We’ve adopted this as our company project,” said Reid. “Each agent contributes a portion of their commissions toward the club, and the company is matching their contributions. Nancy and I personally will make up for any shortfall in the total amount. This community has been very good to a lot of us, and we see this as the best way we can give back.”

The Reids were also involved with the establishment of the North Mason Boys and Girls Club several years ago. Reid, whose company also has an office in Belfair and is a North Mason resident, says he believes in the organization and its potential to impact youth in a positive manner.

Bringing the project from vision to fruition required a lot of work and a lot of money, so a kickoff fundraiser was held April 15, 2006 at the Admiral Theatre. In addition to the Reids, at the end of the evening, the donor list read like a Who’s Who of Bremerton. The late Chuck Haselwood and his wife JoAnne, along with the Uddenberg Family Foundation of Gig Harbor, donated $25,000 each, while Peter and Marty Braun kicked in $15,000, and Cuba Craig, along with Dr. Pankaj and Lori Sharma, added another $10,000 each.

Mike and Jennee Renee Brown of FPH Construction and Jeannee Renee Salon, Bob Mathwig owner of the Family Pancake Houses, Chris and Harold Rieland of Pacific Northwest Title, Dr. Brian and Kate Wicks, Mike and Elaine Cook, moving company entrepreneur John Loidhammer, and Rick and Kari Wiler of the Haselwood Auto Group all contributed $5,000 each to the effort. There were also numerous $2,500 and $1,000 donations.

The Bremerton club opened its doors on Sept. 18, 2006, inside Naval Avenue Elementary. A portable was then brought in to house the club and a second one has since been added. Currently, the club is home to 50 kids. It boasts 12 computers, a gameroom, a library, and uses the school gym for athletic activities.

One of the most popular programs at the club is what called the Power Hour. Kids do homework, arts and crafts, and discuss values and various other things. The club is open during the school year until 6 p.m. and from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer. “It’s a place that’s safe, and where kids can learn to build a positive attitude,” said Reid.

Open enrollment is available for all students and the Club has the capacity to serve approximately 150 members each day. The school district has also agreed to bus kids to the club after school. Membership fees are $50 per school year, but no child will be turned away due to inability to pay.

Along with local business leaders, the Bremerton School District has also been extremely supportive of the Boys & Girls Club, providing help and support throughout the entire process of getting the local organization off the ground.

“The support of the city has been overwhelming. Especially (Bremerton School Superintendent) Betty Hyde and Cary,” stated Wolfe. “I’ve always been proud of my city, but am even more now seeing how the city has stepped up. I sincerely believe the club is a part of the revitalization of Bremerton because of the education the club provides. It just makes me very proud.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound benefits over 15,000 children and teens at eight branch clubs as well as eight outreach locations throughout Kitsap, Mason, and Pierce Counties. The clubs offer programs designed to enhance personal growth and education, tutoring, computer skills, delinquency prevention, the arts, sports training, and much more.

For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, call (253) 572-8440 or visit www.bg-clubs.com.

For more information on the Bremerton club, contact Billie Schmidt, Director of Branch, Programs, & Operations at (360) 275-7805.