News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Three members of the Alpena Boys and Girls Club play with building blocks at the club on Friday. Last year, the club saw a significant jump in the number of kids it serves.

ALPENA — In 2024, the Alpena Boys and Girls Club experienced significant growth in the number of youth it serves and in participation in its programs.

Last year was the first full year the club operated out of its new facility on Miller Street, and Executive Director Brad Somers said Friday the modern, roomier club is a large reason why numbers went up.

Somers said that, last year, the club served 1,356 local youth, well above the number the club saw in its former location on River Street, when a banner year of 1,100 were served.

Somers said that, on the average day last year, about 160 kids visited the club at one time, which far outpaced the average of about 100 per day at the old club.

Also, Somers said, the number of teens using the club has also risen.

At the old location, Somers said, the club would get between 15 and 30 teens a day. Now, he said, that total has ballooned to between 40 and 60 .

He said the new teen center, which is exclusive to teens and where younger children are not allowed, has offered the older kids a place where they can socialize, have fun, learn, and express themselves.

“They have their own space, and they have turned it into their own space where they are comfortable,” Somers said. “The teens have created a podcast and are also more engaged in the Youth Volunteer Corps. It is their area and they use it for a lot of different things, including coming up with volunteer projects that will help the community.”

The large facility also allows administrators and staff to easily separate kids by age and grade for programs and activities, Somers said. Plus, the new facility offers more amenities, technology, and entertainment, and is more comfortable than the old club.

“The facility is awesome and is a great asset,” Somers said. “The roof isn’t leaking like at the old club, and we have heat. You can tell the kids are much happier and more comfortable than maybe they were before.”

While the kids are there, the club utilizes its large kitchen to make sure free meals are available to the members.

Somers said that, as memberships increased, so did the number of meals club cooks needed to prepare.

Last year, 32,000 meals were served to the kids, which outpaced the 21,000 served at the old club.

Somers said that, without the generosity of the Alpena community, the club, its programs, and activities wouldn’t be as robust as they are. He said the club utilizes state and federal grants, but local people are the primary supporters of the club, the kids, and their futures.

“I can’t thank the community enough for realizing what we do and helping to make our operations sustainable,” Somers said. “The community has always supported us and it makes us feel good.”