Boys & Girls Club celebrates 'Sweet 16' with open house

The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line is celebrating its 16th birthday during Havre Festival Days and wants its alumni - and community members - to come in and see what has changed since it opened.

Club Director Tim Brurud said the staff is especially trying to reach out to its former members so they can see the improvements.

"We've been doing a lot of work on the building over the last few years," he said. " ... There's a lot of neat stuff to see."

The club opened in 2002, taking over the former Havre Public Schools Devlin Elementary School building. Since then, through fundraisers and grant writing, Havre Encourages Long-Range Prevention Committee whose operations include the club, has made major additions, expansions and improvements.

Starting in 2012, when enrollment capped out, the club began a major campaign to raise capital for improvements. That led to adding a multipurpose room; a commercial kitchen; a park which includes playground equipment, a raised vegetable-and-fruit garden and a sandbox; expanding the foyer and reception desk, and installing accessible sidewalks, doors and two large accessible restrooms.

The club was able to lift its membership cap before the 2016-17 school year started.

Along with the major additions and renovations, the club also has worked on repairing the roof, adding a fire alarm and intercom system, adding a laundry room and a staff break room, working on the Teen Center windows, repairing the gymnasium and updating the lighting. The club raised a $105,000 for a local match to a Community Development Block Grant for much of that work.

Other work includes added a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Center with the help of the BNSF Railway, work on the technology center, replacing carpets and keeping the paint fresh.

Brurud said the "Sweet 16" celebration starts with tours from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by a barbecue in the park.

"We will have some fun and games going on for the kids inside," he added. "Some birthday-party kind of games."