History of the Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha was founded June of 1992. Our first location was a drop in site in the Wilson Heights neighborhood. The Club initially rented the space from the Memorial United Methodist Church.However, in December of 1992 the Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors was able to purchase the church and create a permanent home for BGCK at 3712 50th Street.
In 1998, the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha began expanding programs and opened four after school sites at Durkee, Bain, Roosevelt and Frank Elementary Schools. On January 1, 2000, the Club established the programs of Lincoln Neighborhood Community Center. This included Lincoln Middle and Elementary Schools. Four additional after school sites were added in September of 2000. They were funded through a grant by the Kenosha Unified School District 21st Century Learning Center. The new sites included McKinley Middle and Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, the Kenosha School of Language (KSOL) in collaboration with the Spanish Center.
In 2004, Bain Elementary and KSOL merged together to form EBSOLA (Edward Bain School of Language). During our 15 years of service to the youth of Kenosha, membership in Boys & Girls Club/CYC Sports programs has risen from modest beginnings to over 5,650 participants enrolled.
The 2001 merger of Boys & Girls Club and CYC Sports certainly impacted this growth and created an all-encompassing network of services to youth. The addition of youth sports and a federally funded youth employment program (WIA) was combined with the proven, effective Boys & Girls Club system.
Christian Youth Council History
1933 - 1985
The original center building campaign was directed by Rev. Kenneth D. Martin and Gilbert Petzke. The committee included Joseph Johnson, Lloyd Landgren, Robert L. Grover, James W. Blair, Rev. Paul Chropuvka, Sam Raksany, Walter Firchow, AJ Kubec, Geroge Aiken, Emil Lewis, Vernon Bingham, John DeYoung, Melvin Erickson, Herbert Knoespel, CR Nicolozzo, Charles Burdick, Angelo Vaccarello, Burrell Sparks, Carl Schuckel and James Kerr.
The year 1946 the German-American Home became the Protestant Youth Center. It was 1968 that a name change was voted and became the Christian Youth Council.
The nine-acre park was purchased in 1965 with three CYC presidents involved; Gordon Seymour, Robert Hackworthy and W. Scott Thom. This facility serves several thousand youth in athletic play including football, baseball and softball.
The Christian Youth Council ministry became recognized as the outstanding example of ecumenical ministry and received the 1978 distinction award by the National Council of Churches.
It was 1971 through the efforts of past presidents Norman Lutz and James Seymour that the $250,000 Joseph Johnson facility addition was constructed. A gym was named the Alan Ameche. Five years later, past presidents Tom Zuhlke and Dr. Robert Heller provided leadership for another gym, called Western Kiwanis Gym.
CYC Ladies Auxiliary served the organization for over 40 years and contributed over $200,000. for CYC Ministry.
Three professional directors were employed during 1950-54: Gus Stinebell, Hans Schmidt and Mr. Robert Hazzard. Mr. Carol K. Rikli assumed the executive directorship in 1955.
Carol Rikli retires in 1985 and Ron Stevens becomes the 5th Director of the CYC.
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