One of my FAV articles cause it sounds like me :)

Chandler Boys and Girls Club opens; ceremonies Monday
by Weldon B. Johnson - Nov. 12, 2009 08:22 AM
The Arizona Republic .
After nearly three months of not having a club of their own, the members and staff of the Chandler Compadre Branch of the Boys and Girls Club
now have the club of their dreams.

The club's new home, located at 300 E. Chandler Boulevard (just east of Arizona Avenue) is built on the same lot as the old building, which was torn down in August. While the finishing touches were being applied the new building and the lot, the club continued to offer programming at various locations including the Chandler Community Center Downtown Library and Willis Junior High School.

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Even though a grand opening ceremony won't take place until Monday, the staff got the OK to start accepting kids at the brand new, 32,000-square-foot, $8 million facility this week.

Branch Executive Mindy Elias said there were smiles all around.

"(Monday) was unbelievable," Elias said. "It was truly one of the best days of my life. One of the kids said it was good as going to Disneyland and having Christmas on the same day. That's how I felt too."

The Chandler Compadre Branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the East Valley has been at that location since 1983. The old building was over 50 years old as it housed Seton Catholic High School and Chandler-Gilbert Community College before the club.

In addition to being larger the new building offers state of the art technology and amenities that simply weren't possible in the old location.

The new club features two gymnasiums, a digital music studio, a video editing room, a restaurant quality kitchen, and a computer lab (there are computers in several other rooms too) with brand new computers donated by Intel.

The new club features a new Teen Center, complete with a fitness room and outdoor patio.

Word of the new facility being open spread quickly, particularly among the teens. In the last few weeks at Willis Junior High, teen participation had dwindled to about five or six people per evening.

The first day at the new club 48 teens showed up.

"You get a much better vibe here than at the old place," said Armond Thomas about the new facility. "I like the whole setup, especially the gym and the (music) studio."

Elias seemed to personally welcome every one to the new club on a recent afternoon. As she walked around the facility, she was constantly stopped by kids who offered a hug or just wanted to say how happy they were to be in the new building.

"We had staff from some of the other Boys and Girls Clubs here for a tour the other day," Elias said. "They were asking me if there was anything else I could have wanted here. I can't think of anything."