Boys & Girls Club getting new home in Winter Garden

When Gary Cain was 11 years old, his role models were an alcoholic father with a seventh-grade education, an incarcerated brother and a pregnant 14-year-old sister. He shoplifted and ran around with friends who were engaging in more serious criminal activity.

His life changed dramatically once he started attending the Boys & Girls Club and met a mentor who paid attention to him and helped him find purpose.

“The only place I was accepted and loved the way I was was at the Boys & Girls Club,” Cain said at an informational meeting June 15 at the Maxey Community Center in Winter Garden.

Cain, president of the Central Florida organization for 20 years, met with members of the community to help share expansion plans for the organization’s West Orange branch.

The club currently meets in cramped quarters at the West Orange Recreation Center on West Crown Point Road, in Winter Garden. There isn’t much room for a wide assortment of activities, but the staff, led by Nicco Palmero as service director, does what it can with the limited space.

West Orange County students will have greater opportunities for success next year when the Boys & Girls Club moves to a larger location that will triple the number of children who can be served, it was announced.

In a partnership between the city of Winter Garden and Orange County, a new county facility will be built on city property near the Mildred Dixon Activity Center on south West Crown Point Road.

“The dream is to get the facility started in the fall and have it completed by next summer,” said Randy June, of June Engineering Consultants Inc.

June conducted last week’s meeting with City Commissioner Mark Maciel, who represents the east side of Winter Garden.

More than $1 million has been raised toward construction.

Major matching donors of the Orange County funds include Bond Foundation, Petro Family, West Orange Junior Service League, Rotary Club of Winter Garden, Junebug Foundation and the Fleischner Family.

Johnny Damon, a professional baseball player and Dr. Phillips High School graduate, has been an important donor, as well, June said.

“He is hoping to engage West Orange sports figures both in donations and participation,” he said.

Betsy VanderLey, Orange County commissioner, said the county has dedicated half a million dollars.

June is seeking assistance from the community in the following ways: fundraising for construction and operations, donating construction items, creating a scholarship program, forming a Boys & Girls Club branch board and assisting in programs such as tutoring or the arts.

Cain said he wants to see the branch's outreach extend to other community-oriented groups to better serve the children.

The building, as proposed, will include a multipurpose room, small kitchen, youth learning center, computer labs, lounge area, music room, arts lab and teen game room.

Typically, a majority of the participants live within a one-mile radius, Cain said.

“If kids don't have something productive to do, they'll find something not so productive to do,” VanderLey said. “Boys & Girls Club fits a really fantastic need.”

More community meetings will be planned as plans proceed.

Contact Amy Quesinberry at [email protected].