Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore (BGCMB) debuted a new Club in Cambridge as part of Project Bounce Back, an initiative announced by Governor Hogan last month to expand youth development programs to more young people across Maryland. The Boys & Girls Club at Leonards Lane, which opened this week for an eight-week summer camp for children ages 6 – 12, marks the first Boys & Girls Club on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“All of our Maryland Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and a safe, inclusive environment to so many young people,” said Governor Hogan at a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 30, 2021.
“Now, with the opening of this new site, we are helping even more children reach their full potential. I look forward to coming back soon to open even more Boys & Girls Club sites here on the Eastern Shore.”
Boys & Girls Club at Leonards Lane is a 12,000 square foot facility featuring a multipurpose room and gymnasium that can serve youth and teens from nearby Sandy Hill Elementary School and Maces Lane Middle School. The facility is owned by Dorchester County Recreation & Parks.
“To every young person that enters this Club – you have a community of people behind you and Boys & Girls Clubs are proud to be included in this community,” remarked BGCMB President and CEO Jeff Breslin to the crowd that gathered to tour the new Club.
In the months leading up to the Club’s opening, BGCMB collaborated with local youth organizations including New Beginnings, Harvesting Hope and the Cambridge Empowerment Center to offer engaging STEM programming and establish ties within the community. As a result, the Club has seen strong interest among families. “We had 45 young people registered and on the first day of summer camp, we had 45 kids waiting to enter the Club. It’s been a great start and we can’t wait to deepen our relationships here in the community,” shared Club Manager Gabriel Butler.
Funding for the Boys & Girls Club at Leonards Lane was provided by the Governor’s Office on Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services through the Edward Byrne Justice Grant to increase evidence-based programs and positive collaboration between youth and law enforcement.