Stylin’ at the club

Suzie Harrison

An ominous voice in the movie “Field of Dreams” played a major role

in bringing droves of people to a sports venue. A similar voice has

apparently been heard in Laguna Beach, but instead of just building a

baseball field, the newly refurbished Boys and Girls Club is

fulfilling dreams that will provide greater opportunities. The

improvements will be unveiled Monday during an “Opening Day Open

House” to kick off the summer programs.

“The 21st [of June] is a soft opening to get the message out to

families and kids,” program director Susie Hird said.

They are opening then because local families depend on the Boys

and Girls Club for summer programming. The official dedication

celebration will be in the fall, on Sept. 12.

More than $3 million was generously donated by a variety of local

charities and families to make it happen. As a result, Laguna’s Boys

and Girls Club has added 7,000 square feet, making it 18,000 square

feet.

“To me, it’s just bright and alive in here,” new board member Anne

Morris said. “It just has energy, and the colors are vibrant. The

atmosphere engages you.”

The funds used to renovate and expand their existing 37-year-old

building will allow them to increase their services and programs to

about 1,500 area children and families.

Morris was at the state-of-the-art facility along with development

and marketing director Pamela Estes to give a tour on Monday, showing

off the new home with plenty of pride.

“People think we’re a day care and we’re not,” Hird said. “We

offer many programs at little or no cost.”

Estes added that children come in and see what’s going on and make

choices about what they are going to do.

“In the game room [we’ve] expanded the windows so it’s brighter

and lighter, and the ceilings are higher, which also makes it

brighter,” Estes said. “We added a health resource center in

collaboration with Coastal Family Service.”

It’s a separate room adjoined to the game room with a private

entrance on the side and a counseling room. Dr. Susan Jacob is in

charge of therapy services.

“We’ll be offering free individual and family counseling and

support groups, as well as referrals to other local health agencies,”

Estes said.

Director of the preschool Terry Anne Barman was making sure

everything was shaping up for the incoming kids.

“The health resource center was the impetus,” Barman said. “It

started with Coastal Family. Susan wanted to offer free counseling

and health services.”

It will collaborate with Laguna Beach Community Clinic, Mission

Hospital and other area care facilities. It’s been so successful for

the low-income families that are members that they wanted to expand

it to reach out to the whole community. Services will be free or on a

sliding scale.

“We envision that people who need help will go to the Boys and

Girls Club,” Barman said. “We have so many philanthropic visions

coming together.”

She was also excited that La Playa Pre School will be moving

there.

“We have a technology center to teach computer skills and our

technical director is bilingual, it’s going to be fabulous,” she

said.

Barman explained that the club will provide full service community

counseling, which will include alcohol and drug abuse intervention

and prevention. It will serve to fill the gap created when Brandy’s

Friends closed. Payment for the services will be on a sliding scale.

“We’ll also have a school readiness program, filling the gap Head

Start left,” Barman said. “There is a substantial pocket of

low-income families here with no place to go and we’ve created that

space.”

The program is for 3- and 4-year-old children to make sure they

are ready to start their education.

“You really need two years for them to be ready, the second year

is when they are learning the language and it is coming together,”

Barman said. “They get the confidence to start speaking.”

Laguna Outreach Community Arts will provide art classes to the

members again this year.

A new area was added to create the education and technology

center, which was possible through a donation.

“It will have 10 state-of-the-art lap tops, scanners, video,

digital cameras and printers,” Estes said. “I think there are going

to be 25 work stations and $50,000 in software has been donated by

Microsoft.

Athletic director Hans LaRoche had no problems showing off the new

gym.

“We have a new floor called ‘Tera Flex,’ which is more forgiving,”

LaRoche said. “It’s a new product specifically for games and physical

activities.”

There are adjustable-height hoops that can bring up the rim to 10

feet or lower for younger players. The club will offer basketball

leagues for different age groups.

“We provide after-school [and summer] activities and have a new

fitness and nutrition program from SOZO -- the philosophy is to have

fun so they don’t even realize they’re exercising.” LaRoche said. “We

have open games and structured games such as indoor soccer, field

hockey, basketball, archery and indoor golf.”

Other highlights include a totally revamped Teen Center with its

own technology center, basketball court and separate entrance. There

are many educational programs associated with the Boys and Girls

Club, including the Keystone National Program for high school

students.

A whole new upstairs level was added to the new facility with a

dance room, community conference room and staff offices. The outdoor

playground is also being upgraded with new equipment.

To find out more about the complete summer schedule and what

opportunities can be found at the Boys and Girls Club, the public is

invited to the open house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 1085 Laguna Canyon

Road. For more information, call (949) 494-2535.