The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Montana isn’t like any other Boys & Girls Club. This Club is truly a dream come true. Local teens dreamed of a place they could call their own, and with a lot of determination, hard work and perseverance these teens achieved their dream.

After 12 years of selling holiday wreaths and writing grants to match the funds, the teens raised enough money to begin construction of the Club. With an entire community in support of the Club, more than 450 volunteers helped to build the Club. The teens took on the responsibility of clearing the land the Club was to be built on and the younger kids took part by cleaning the stream banks.

When the building was finally finished in 2005, the members were proud to say that the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Montana is a place “built for kids, by kids.” All their hard work did not go unnoticed. The Club won an award for excellence in young people’s beautification from the city of Bozeman.

After moving into its new Clubhouse, the teen program has thrived. The teens focus on service projects that give back to the community that gave so much to them. Other priorities for the youth are leadership, character development, education, and building positive relationships. Focusing on these has had an amazing impact on our teen members, who have been recognized for their achievements. In fact, the last three Montana Youth of the Year representatives have come from the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Montana. 

The Club has also provided over $363,000 in college scholarships in the past few years. This Club was just a dream, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of teens, community members, volunteers and staff, this Club now plays a vital role in Southwest Montana.