From his first day as CEO of the Boys & Girls Club El Dorado County Western Slope in 2009, Sean McCartney knew he was doing something special. “This is more than a job; it’s a chance to change a life every day...a privilege all of us take seriously,” McCartney says.

Every day during the school year, more than 350 kids come to the after-school program at one of the Boys & Girls Clubs’ three locations in El Dorado County; and over 250 attend the summer program in Placerville. Although they come from all different backgrounds, many are from broken homes and face tough challenges. The club provides a safe place for them to have a meal and—thanks to programs focused on academics, character, citizenship and healthy lifestyles—hopefully leave better than when they came in. 

Central to that hope is a mantra of “Yes You Can.” According to McCartney, “Too often the kids we serve are told ‘no you can’t’—that they can’t succeed because of the color of their skin, the clothes [they wear], or their family life, [but] not here. We say ‘yes you can’ go to college, stay out of jail, own a house, and have healthy relationships. Positive encouragement is the most important thing that happens [here].”

That optimism is aided by the recent opening of the new Placerville Clubhouse, a $5 million, 15,000-square-foot facility funded entirely by community support. It’s an amazing testament to the community’s belief in the club’s work. The new clubhouse offers a game room, teen room, art room, a full gym and computer lab, plus a kitchen that serves more than 1,000 meals a week. It also boasts a warm and inviting feel—a noticeable contrast to the concrete walls of the 50-year-old Placerville armory where it previously operated.

“This new clubhouse wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Jim and Maureen Carter, who got the ball rolling with a lead gift,” McCartney says. “Jim himself was a club kid, so he knows firsthand about the important work we do. Now a success himself, his gift will be a lasting legacy for this community.”

With the new clubhouse open, the Boys & Girls Club is poised to start a new story in the region, but it’s one that still needs community support. It costs them $2,000 a year for one child to be part of the program, so residents who want to help are encouraged to sponsor a child and support those who need it most. 

“It costs society more than $100,000 a year to keep a child in juvenile hall; compare that to our costs and consider which one really represents a better use of taxpayer dollars and a better investment in the future,” McCartney says. “We want kids to walk through these doors and know that people care about them...[and] to know they’re worth it.”    

By Bill Romanelli // Photos by Dante Fontana © Style Media Group