In the fall of 1969, Tom Garth, a Boys & Girls Clubs of America field representative from the Chicago office made a trip to Valparaiso to discuss the possibility of establishing a Boys Club here. He spoke with Mayor Bryce Billings and City Police Chief Lee Miller. Encouraged by their meeting, Lee Miller enlisted the help of several area businessmen to develop a committee to establish whether there was a need for a Boys Club in Valparaiso. A study was taken through the school system and surprisingly over 1,000 boys ages 6-18 were found to be interested and currently not involved with extracurricular school activities, scouting, church activities or the YMCA. The survey supported the committee's suspicions. In June, 1970 the charter members of the Board of Directors were Bryce Billings, James Callahan, James Carmichael, Len Ellis, Richard Friday, Jack Hildreth, Luther Koepke, John H. Krause, Kurt MacDonald, Ed Miller, Frank Miller, John Moorehead, John Poncher, John Roscoe, Les Robinson, William Satterlee and Phil Wilke.

The Valparaiso Community Boys' Club was incorporated August 19, 1970.

Early in 1971, a $25,000 operating budget was passed by the new Board of Directors and was raised by early fall. The Valparaiso Club's first home was in the Westminster Hall in the First Presbyterian Church basement at 51 N. Franklin Street. The club opened on October 18, 1971 and although it was small, it was well received with 300 members the first year. Because of lack of sufficient space, the Directors were almost immediately forced to look for a larger club house and found that the Gardner Grade School was for sale. The school was purchased from the Valparaiso School system for $39,500 by the John Will Anderson Foundation.

In December 1972, the Valparaiso Club was moved from Franklin Street to the old Gardner School at 354 W. Jefferson Street.

The Valparaiso Club suffered some growing pains the next four years with ups and downs in membership, attendance and programs. Girls were admitted to the club in 1974 in common membership with the boys. We were the first club of 37 clubs in Indiana to offer services to girls on a full time basis, and the second club to change the name to Boys & Girls Clubs.

In June, 1976 the clubs' only Executive Director, Chuck Duncan, resigned and moved to Texas. Chuck Leer, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Boys Club, was hired as his replacement. The club's program emphasis was changed to get members actively involved in programs. Some of the new programs included boxing, weight lifting, 100-mile club, soccer, tutoring and day camp.

The Valparaiso Club needed a large multipurpose area suitable for the large groups and athletic programs. A new multipurpose gymnasium was planned and funded by the John Will Anderson Foundation. The building was built for $270,000 and the Board of Directors raised over $30,000 in the capital fund drive headed by State Senator John Larson. The income from the capital fund drive was used to completely equip the new facility. Groundbreaking was in July 1977 and the building was in use in March 1978.

In May, 1979, Executive Director Chuck Leer felt that expansion of the club into other areas of the county should be considered. There had been strong expansion support from the United Way of Porter County for 3 years. A steering committee consisting of Executive Director Chuck Leer, Valparaiso Board Members, Les Robinson, Raymond Kickbush and Frank Grennes; in addition to South Haven residents, Dick Motsinger, Paul Saylor and Marilyn Wallin studied the needs and interests of South Haven children, and found there was very little to occupy the childrens' time. Juvenile delinquency rates there were found to be high. In August, the committee located the only suitable facility in which to operate the South Haven Boys Club. The South Haven Little League Board of Directors offered their clubhouse free of charge during the months of August through May. Later that month, a grant was received from the John Will Anderson Foundation to operate the club for the first year. Ted Goebel was hired as the club's first Unit Director. In October, 1979 the club opened it's doors to South Haven boys ages 6-14.

In April 1980 the Corporate Board of Directors was established. In addition, new bylaws were written for the 2 local Boards of managers.

In the summer of 1981, a grant was received from the John Will Anderson foundation to construct a 15,932 square foot clubhouse on a parcel of land at 723 Long Run Road. L. Paul Saylor donated the land for the express purpose of constructing a new Boys Club. During the next 12 months, over $11,000 was pledged or donated by the South Haven Community in an effort to help equip the new facility.

In June 1982 the South Haven Boys Club's doors were open to the youth of South Haven. The club was open to girls on Mondays, and boys on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and to girls and boys on Friday. Because of the increase in operating expenses (change from 5 days open to 6 days open), and seeing an increasing need for girl's programs, the South Haven Boys Club Board of Managers elected to change the Boys Club structure to that of full time coed beginning January 1, 1983, being open Tuesday through Saturday.

In 1985 a capital campaign fund drive resulted in $132,000, and a match from a local foundation for a total of $700,000. Funds were used to construct a multipurpose room on the north side of the gymnasium, renovation of the exterior and interior of the old Gardner School building, which was built in 1899.

The renovation/expansion project of the Valparaiso Club was completed in 1987, at which time the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana presented the Sandi Servaas Memorial Award for restorative work to Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County.

In 1987 Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County underwent an exhaustive long range planning process gathering information from current and past members, and the parents of the members. We were surprised to find that 40% of the parents indicated a need for after school child care. Because of such a dramatic need, we set out to see if we could offer a program to meet those needs. We learned from the St. Cloud, Minnesota program called Kidstop. It offered the basic needs of our members and families, which were: year around before and after school, and summer program, varied activities - not babysitting, affordable with subsidies available.

In January 1990 the first three Kidstop sites were opened and throughout the spring semester our average daily attendance was 24. By November 1993 our three afternoon only sites had expanded to ten sites in four school corporations serving an average of 250 children before and after school. In 1994 the program had expanded to include three kindergarten programs. Kidstop has given families a fun and affordable option to leaving their children home alone before or after school.

We, along with our local Youth Service Bureau teamed resources and were chosen by all local social service directors to be our county's Voucher Agent for the County Step Ahead Program. Step Ahead is the statewide vehicle to pass State and Federal low income/at risk child care funds to local counties. We, along with the Youth Service Bureau are the lead agencies in our county to decide where over $270,000 in funds will most appropriately be spent. As an extension to the above Step Ahead project, an additional $235,000 was released by the local Welfare Department Division of Child Protective Services to provide child care subsidies to qualified families at risk of going on welfare.

In October 1994 Board Members participated in a Strategic Plan Retreat. One objective was to identify the unserved areas in Porter County considering a new club or extensions. Mayor Maletta of Portage, Indiana expressed his desire to have a club in Portage. In November a Steering Committee was established and information was being gathered by community leaders to determine the need for a club.

In December, 1994 the Board of Directors approved a 62x41 addition to the east end of the South Haven Unit games room to serve as a multipurpose room, and the remodeling of an unused locker room to house a teen center. John Will Anderson Foundation provided a grant for $350,600 for the construction costs, and $35,000 was raised through board, staff, business, and community donations to equip the new additions.

The Needs Assessment survey was completed in January, 1995 and indicated youth problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, lack of values, teen pregnancy, unemployment, and poor self esteem were all major concerns of the Portage community.

In February, 1995 DNS Associates was hired to conduct a 10 week feasibility study to determine the level of participation and commitment from the Portage Community to raise the necessary funds to build and equip a new club.

In July, 1995 we received a $500,000 matching grant from the Anderson Foundation. Through the combined efforts of the Town of Portage and the Portage Township School Corporation 5-1/2 acres of prime land in Portage were donated. The DNS feasibility study indicated the economic climate in Portage was good for a capital funds drive of $500,000, and they were hired to manage the capital campaign. Forrest "Dusty" Rhode was the Capital Campaign Chairman, and Mayor Sammie Maletta was the Honorary Chairman.

In January 1996 the silent capital campaign began, soliciting major businesses in the Portage community.

In April 1996 the campaign was made public.

The capital campaign was a success raising $1,133,902 from 212 businesses and individuals in the community. John Will Anderson Foundation awarded us a grant in the amount of $575,000, and we broke ground for a new club at 5895 Evergreen Avenue on Thursday, May 23, 1996.

On December 26, 1996 the 19,000 sq.ft. club opened its doors to the youth of Portage.

On February 23, 1997 the Official Dedication Ceremony was held at the new club. Over 100 community members attended it. Plaques were given to all of the major donors to recognize their contribution. Membership on February 23, 1997 was 1,000, average daily attendance - 230, and three part time staff were added to help.

The Marketing Committee began work on plans for the celebration of Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County's 25th Anniversary in 1997. A 25th Anniversary Brochure was designed with the help of Advertising Concepts, and 50,000 were inserted in the Post Tribune and Vidette Times newspapers. A framed copy of the brochure is on display in the Administrative Office. On November 18th a dinner was held at Strongbow Inn with 175 supporters of the club in attendance. Among those supporters who were honored at the dinner were 25 individuals who received glass table plaques; 25 groups/businesses who received gold paperweight stars; and the John Will Anderson Foundation Trustees who received the Founders Award, which was a plaque to be displayed at the Foundation.. Permanent plaques displayed in all three clubs list the names of the board of directors from 1972-1997, thanking them for their support. Valparaiso University Basketball Coach Homer Drew, Portage Capital Campaign Co-Chairman, Forrest "Dusty"Rhode, and Planned Giving Chairperson, Georgia Bricker each gave inspirational speeches about the important role the club plays in the youth of Porter County.

With the help of numerous donations from the Porter County Community Foundation, Computer Labs were opened at Valparaiso and South Haven.

The Indiana Area Council ‘97 Award was awarded to Resource Development for "Nothin But Net".

Named co-voucher agent with the Family & Youth Services Bureau of Porter County by the Porter County Step Ahead Council. We provide eligibility screening and the Family & Youth Service Bureau is the fiscal agent for $1.9 million in state and federal funds to fund low income childcare in Porter County.

We achieved our $100,000 goal in the "Build A Legacy" endowment building campaign. Donations were matched by the Porter County Community Foundation, bringing the total to $150,000.

We received a $200,000 donation for a 7,000 square foot addition to the Portage unit gymnasium.

"Associate Board and Friends" were established to support the work of the organization.

Technology Committee was established.

A $199,000 grant was received from John W. Anderson Foundation to air condition the Valpo Club and South Haven Club gym, build new offices, remodel the Valpo Teen Center, coat Valpo Club windows with solar film and update the Valpo/Administrative Office phone system.

Past and present Board members, Bryce Billings, Ordell Gertsmeier, Dick Friday, Les Robinson, John Krause, Chuck Clifford, and Ed Larson, were honored at the Annual Insurance Banquet as the first inductees to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County "Hall of Fame". All were recognized for their instrumental role establishing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County.

We broke ground in June on the Portage-Dusty Rhode Club gymnasium addition. The project was completed in late December. Grants to build the club’s second 7,000 square foot gym were received from the Anderson Foundation ($250,000) and the Porter County Community Foundation ($200,000) The remaining costs for all furnishings were funded by unused funds from our 1996 Portage Capital Campaign. Also in December we were notified we were the recipients of a $50,000 grant from the Discovery Alliance to implement Project Learn in each of the three clubs and Kidstop.

In January our three clubs received 10 computers each for their computer labs. The state of the art computers were donated by Power Up, a national partnership of computer hardware and software companies attempting to help bridge the digital divide.

Flint Lake and Northview Elementary Schools were upgraded from extensions to Units, by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The Link and Learn Program at South Haven won the Indiana Area Council award for Outstanding Program in 2003.

Established Duneland Unit at the MAC Center on Lincoln Ave.
Our membership there grew rapidly to over 300 members by year end, with more than 80 using the facility every day.

Established Culver Unit to help meet a need in that community.
Membership there soared to 170 over the first four months, with an average of 83 members using the programs daily.