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Donors and supporters gathered on Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of the new state-of-the-art Boys & Girls Club of Dewey – E.H. “Ted” and Melody Lyon facility, a Club location that is a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartlesville.

With a mission to provide a stable place for the community’s youth to build confidence and discover their talents, the new, larger facility will enable the Boys & Girls Club of Dewey to serve more local youth and make an even more significant impact.

The $5.2 million project includes an 18,000 square foot building with a dedicated teen area, full- service kitchen, full-sized gymnasium, STEM lab, Learning Center, and Art room. Capital campaign leaders began raising funds for the new facility in 2020.

The Dec. 7 celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. performed by local Club youth and staff, and the event was attended by honored guests from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, including Jim Clark, President & CEO, and Rob McInturf, Vice President of the Southwest Region.

Jason Barta, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartlesville said, “We are excited to finally be establishing a permanent home in Dewey and serving even more kids and families with greater impact.”

Following the ribbon cutting and lunch, the Boys & Girls Club of Dewey was presented with its official charter, and donors and community leaders were able to tour the new facility. An open house for the Dewey community will be held Dec. 12 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartlesville’s vision is that each child who comes through the doors leaves the Club a productive, engaged citizen, involved in the community. Over the past ten years, club membership has grown from several hundred to nearly 1,000 area youth.