Success, service are keywords for Menifee Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley is located in the former Menifee Elementary School on Garbani Road. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Editor's note: This news article and all fliers and announcements about the Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley can be found in the new "Boys and Girls Club" section of the Menifee 24/7 website.

With every passing month and each new program that is added, the Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley proves it was the worth the investment in the community and its children.

A little over three years ago, a volunteer group dedicated to providing structured recreation, education and child care opportunities for Menifee's youth was successful in creating a Boys & Girls Club here. Initial fundraising was a challenge and acquiring an existing facility to use was critical, but it has resulted in an entity that has become a valuable resource for local families.

Today, the club has more than 1,600 children enrolled in various programs and an average daily attendance of more than 300 at the club, which is located on the grounds of the former Menifee Elementary School on Garbani Road, next to Menifee Valley Middle School. According to staff member Sam Handley, the Menifee club has as many members as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Perris combined.

"You always want more kids," Handley said when giving a reporter a tour of the expanded facility recently. "Of course, that means we have to hire more staff, but that’s a good thing.

"We're very proud of the numbers. Yes, 350 kids at one time is a challenge, but it’s fun. The way we look at it, if we get 500 kids, it’s more fun."

The way things are going, that might be a realistic goal. Menifee Union School District Superintendent Steve Kennedy recently added to the facilities in the club's lease ($1 per year) with the district by opening up three more classrooms in the closed elementary school. In addition to offering before- and after-school day care and a variety of activites, the club provides busing to and from elementary schools, which has been a big attraction in light of the school district's elimination of bus service.

Yet even though there are a lot of factors involved in the success of the club, the primary factors appear to be the passion of staff members and volunteers and the constant expansion of programs.

"Being in a community where there's a lot of young families, I saw a need for a Boys & Girls Club," said John Whann, who was hired as the club's first executive director in 2014. "But yes, I'm impressed with the growth the club has enjoyed."

Parents can drop off students for before-school care as early as 6:30 s.m. Children are then bused to their elementary schools, or those attending the middle school next door are walked over by staff members. After-school activities last from 2:30-6:30 p.m. and include dinner and a snack. Children are given free time but also take part in Fit 30 (half hour of physical exercise and sports) and Project Learning (tutoring). There is a mandatory Power Hour for supervised homework.

"Our after school program is the most successful," Whann said. "The homework program is beneficial for the whole family. They don't have to worry about going home after a long day and then doing their homework."

Other programs for the children include Passport to Manhood, where boys are taught the value of interacting properly with others, and Smart Girls, a similar program that teaches girls to make smart choices and be responsible in their actions.

In addition to sports programs offered during the week and on the weekends, there is a traditional playground, two games rooms and lots of crafts and other programs.

The annual membership fee is $20, with additional charges for special programs and classes and bus service. Many families are helped by financial assistance covering up to 75 percent of the cost.

New classes include ukelele, keyboard, dance (tap, ballet and tumbling) and martial arts. The basketball leagues have been expanded to include a separate girls league, thanks to the purchase of $10,000 of new equipment through a grant. Besides basketball leagues on Saturday at the adjacent middle school, there is a football league on Friday nights and soccer on Saturday.

And of course, the additional classroom space has been beneficial.

"It’s a blessing," Handley said. "Our (volunteer to student) ratio right now is 1 to 15. We’d still be OK at 1 to 30, like the schools are."

There are now two classrooms to house the club's preschool, which serves children 3-5. Parents may pay for preschool service from 8-11 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (extended care).

Sue Kristjansson, longtime resident and former Menifee City Council member, said that as a working mother who commutes, she knows what a blessing the care provided by the club can be. She was instrumental as a founder of the club and is its former board chair.

"The club creates great programs for the kids, but ultimately, the parents are the clients," Kristjannson said. "We're doing positive things for the kids, but it's great for the families, too. With the homework and activities they do for the kids at the club, the parents don't have that as a concern when they get home. They can spend more quality time with their children."

Kristjannson just accepted a job in Tennessee and will be moving there later this month. She says the Boys & Girls Club will be one of the things she misses most.

"It was a labor of love by several people who helped create it," she said. "I will miss the people here, but there's a comfort level knowing the club is well on its way and is in good hands."

Playground equipment and open space is just part of the amenities available to club members.

The addition of classrooms has allowed club staff to add another game room.

Students play chess and a variety of other games at the Boys & Girls Club.

The club's preschool program offers early child education from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free time includes video games, outdoor play and many other games and activities.