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Boys and Girls Club one step closer to opening

The community comes together to celebrate the ground breaking of the Boys & Girls Club at the Pine Knolls Center on Johnson Street.
The community comes together to celebrate the ground breaking of the Boys & Girls Club at the Pine Knolls Center on Johnson Street.

After an eight year wait, Sunday marked a monumental step for the youth of Chapel Hill.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America finally broke ground on its newest 107 Johnson St. location Sunday evening.

About 50 people attended the ceremony, a majority of whom made a direct contribution to bringing the location to Chapel Hill.

Those in attendance said they were excited for the start of a community resource that will bring after school, sports and leadership programs to local kids.

But Chapel Hill Town Council member Donna Bell said the process for getting the Boys and Girls Clubs to Chapel Hill has been long and trying.

“They put in the application for the club in November 2004,” Bell said. “It is now coming together, and this is the next step.”

The club, which will be the first in Orange County, will assist local youth that are experiencing financial trouble.

The ultimate goal of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America is to develop children into more productive members of society.

Mashallah Salaam, a 16-year-old Chapel Hill resident, said she was excited about the new group.

“I realize what the Boys and Girls Clubs has done for other communities and how it has helped build many of the world’s greatest leaders of today, such as Bill Clinton, Michael Jordan and the first black president, Barack Obama,” Salaam said.

Salaam spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony, and she told the group about her excitement for the after school activities the new club will provide.

“I believe that the Boys and Girls Clubs will be very positive in helping youth,” Salaam said.

Steve Morris, regional service director for Boys and Girls Clubs of America, said he was thrilled with the new location.

“There are a lot of potential resources, especially with having the University so close,” said Morris.

Morris said he thinks the large amount of resources in the area will allow the club to reach its full potential.

“It’s been promising that they started this and made this possible in such economic times,” he said. “It is absolutely remarkable.”

Ben Perry, president of the club’s Orange County unit, said he was thankful for all of the support that ultimately led to the groundbreaking ceremony.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with the local government here to make this happen,” he said. “Without a great partnership with the national Boys and Girls Clubs, we would not be here.”

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.

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