ALCOA, Tenn. — The kids and staff with the Boys and Girls Club of Blount County are settling into their new space, after a week of packing, moving and setting up.
On Tuesday morning, First Baptist Alcoa opened its doors as the newest location for the Boys and Girls Club of Blount County. The club previously used Fort Craig Elementary School for its space, but packed up and moved May 22, after being there for 11 years.
"That location served us well for many years, but BGCTNV spent a lot of money to maintain a building that was only a lease," a spokesperson for Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley said.
In the new shared space, the organization is able to invest more in the club members, rather than using those funds for the upkeep of a building.
"The Family Life Center is amazing," Executive Director Penny Taylor said. "It has a huge gym, and it has a program area that we can divide into three areas, versus just the one large gym we had at Fort Craig. The gym facility is amazing and beautiful, and we are just so excited to have that."
There is a great need for the Boys and Girls Club services in Blount County, especially in the Alcoa community, so the move made sense to the nonprofit.
The club expects to serve 120 members.
The staff and kids threw a going away party before leaving the old location, called "Farewell to Fort Craig." There were games, activities and hotdogs on the grill to celebrate the move.
