New McAllen Boys & Girls Club Provides Fun, Educational Programs
boys & girls club, glen e. and rita k. roney center, recreation,
Two are better than one‚ especially when it comes to Boys & Girls Clubs in McAllen.
The Glen E. and Rita K. Roney Center opened in October 2004 in northwest McAllen‚ giving the city its second Boys & Girls Club. The other one‚ The Brand Center‚ has been a Boys & Girls Club staple in McAllen for many years.
The 35‚000-square-foot Roney Center is a welcome addition to the McAllen landscape because it is located in a part of the city where much of McAllen’s population growth has occurred over the past several years.
“The Roney Center is beautiful and modern‚ with two full-size gymnasiums and plenty of classroom space‚” says Belinda Cowan‚ executive director of Boys & Girls Clubs of McAllen. “The community has been so generous about contributing money for this new complex. Even the city donated the five acres on which it was built.”
The overall Boys & Girls Club program is a huge success in McAllen‚ with more than 7‚100 children between ages 6 and 18 registered. Those youngsters pay annual dues of $5 apiece to gain access to the centers.
Children ages 6-12 use the facilities from 3-6 p.m. on school days‚ followed by teens ages 13-18 from 6-9 p.m.
“We also have two satellite campuses – Roosevelt Elementary and La Retama (in a housing development) – where kids can gather each day‚” Cowan says. “The Boys & Girls Club program is a very strong and vital part of everyday life in McAllen.”
Most youngsters use the clubs to play sports‚ but the sites also offer educational programs in a classroom setting.
“We provide five programs: arts‚ education and career development‚ sports and recreation‚ health and life skills‚ and character and leadership development‚” Cowan says. “Many of the kids participate in photojournalism classes‚ drama‚ fine arts and so forth. Plus we have summer camps throughout June and July that offer a variety of class options.”
As for the name of the new center‚ it reflects the active role of Glen Roney‚ chairman and chief executive officer of Texas State Bank‚ and his wife‚ Rita‚ in countless fund-raising causes in McAllen‚ most of which have benefited children.
“Rita and I always felt that it is important for cities to have places for young people to go and entertain themselves‚” he says. “That includes football fields‚ baseball diamonds and Boys & Girls Clubs. Kids need a place to play‚ and having these clubs on both ends of McAllen will keep more kids off the streets and keep them occupied at the same time.
“Rita and I are honored to have our names appear on a Boys& Girls Club‚ especially in a great city like McAllen.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Antony Boshier
