News File Photo Children eat healthy snacks in June at the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena.

ALPENA — This Friday, community members will have the opportunity to support an organization that has faithfully supported Alpena’s youth for nearly 100 years.

The Boys and Girls Club of Alpena is hosting the 2025 Great Futures Gala at 6 p.m. on Friday, celebrating 99 years of serving youth. Tickets are $100 per person. There will be a reverse raffle, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and an open bar. The Club is located at 801 W. Miller St. in Alpena. A reverse raffle is a fundraising event in which tickets are drawn one by one to eliminate participants, with the excitement building for the last person standing winning the top prize.

“For nearly a century, the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena has stood as a cornerstone of opportunity, guidance, and community for generations of youth,” the Boys and Girls Club website, bcgalpena.org, states. “What began as a small local effort to give kids a safe place to go after school has grown into a powerful movement — one that has helped shape the hearts, minds, and futures of thousands of young people across the region.”

As the Club celebrates its 99th Annual Great Futures Gala, they are not just looking back — they’re looking forward. Forward to their 100th year and the incredible milestone it represents: 100 years of changing lives, lifting families, and building a stronger Alpena.

The mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need them the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens, according to their website.

The Club envisions a future in which the Boys and Girls Club Movement is a catalyst for an age in which success is within reach of every child, and whole generations of children are inspired to a level of civic engagement not seen since the founding of our nation, their website states.

The Club provides services for youth such as a school year after school program, a summer program, special field trips and events, and a free food program, where kids are served dinner during the school year and lunch in the summer. The Club offers a safe and fun environment for all youth.

“This celebration recognizes the countless staff, volunteers, and supporters who made 99 years possible while reaffirming our commitment to building even greater futures for the next generation,” their website states.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.