Boys & Girls club secures new location, appoints board and officers

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

With a couple of weeks to spare before their lease is up with the Copperas Cove Independent School District, the Boys & Girls Club of Copperas Cove will soon open its doors at its new location. 
In February, the CCISD board of trustees approved the non-renewal of the lease the district had with the Boys & Girls Club, which used the Fairview side of Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary School, due to the fact the district has planned renovations for that part of the campus. 
“Elementary aged youth, who have historically used Fairview Elementary School, will have a new home this summer thanks to swift action taken by the Board and the forward-thinking leadership of a community neighbor,” announced Daniel Hall, vice president of resource development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas. 
Right on schedule, on June 4, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Copperas Cove will launch its Summer Programs for Club youth ages 6-12 at its new home, at Fairview Community Church, 208. S. 2nd. St., across the parking lot from Fairview Elementary School. 
“This was an easy decision for our organization,” said the church’s pastor, Mike Harrigan. “We are called to be good stewards of God’s gifts, and our facility is an underutilized gift that we are honored to share with a community partner such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Copperas Cove.”
Earlier this year, status of the Boys & Girls Club in Copperas Cove was uncertain, due to the resignation of a majority of the board members along with learning of the lease non-renewal. 
A pair of community gatherings were held in Copperas Cove to drum up support for finding a new facility as well as to recruit new leadership. 
Subsequent to that, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas Board President Bob Novello appointed eight new members to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Copperas Cove Board of Directors in April. 
Following their appointment, the new board voted to select officers, with Donna Howard named president; Howard Hank, vice president; Eric Armstrong, treasurer; and Sharon Woody, secretary.
Howard is with PlanWell LiveWell Insurance Services, Hawk is with the Temple VA, Armstrong is president of National United Bank in Copperas Cove, and Woody is a retired educator.
“Boys & Girls Clubs of Copperas Cove have been a pillar of the community for the past 16 years. Our Club’s programs have had a tremendous impact on the thousands of Copperas Cove youth the Club has served over the years. I am honored to continue that legacy as the new Board President,” said Howard.
Currently, the Club serves 326 youth per day at three sites throughout Copperas Cove. Middle school youth attend Cove and SC Lee Junior High Schools for after-school programs during the school year.
Prior to June 4, the Copperas Cove branch is holding “Summer Parent Orientation” every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Fairview Elementary School, for more information about summer programs, membership cost, activities, and more. More information can also be found at bgctx.org.