Boys & Girls Club Opens to Community

By Jennifer L. Warren

NEWBURGH – Johanna Contreras vividly recalls the image, forever etched in her memory.
It was nighttime, and a group of youth dancing in synchrony, up on the second floor of the building on lower Broadway, enveloped the window whose view overlooked the nearby Hudson River and its majestic mountain backdrop. Contreras, a Representative from Congressman, Pay Ryan’s office, was describing the beautifully, arresting scene to a standing-room-only crowd, inside the newly opened Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh Ohnell Family Center Thursday night. It was the tangible moment she knew how incredibly special the 74 Broadway Center for Arts & Education truly was.

“This place is forever going to transform the lives of children,” said Contreras, who was also on hand to present to the local Boys & Girls Club an impressive Community Fund Check, whose monies will be applied to a teen center, pool upgrade and much, much more.

With roots dating back to December of 2018, the lofty project has been a long, eagerly awaited, critically-needed reality. Located at the old Key Bank location, the Center, whose official ribbon cutting took place Thursday, will house both the 20 plus year old, revered Newburgh Performing Arts Academy as well as Early Learning Center, delivering high quality, life-altering programs to over 1000 students each year.

“This facility will have a huge impact on children as well as the community,” said Kevin White, former CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh and its present Director of Resource Development, focusing on fundraising and building management, who never lost faith in the realization of this new building despite several challenges, including Covid and financial funding. “Every person in this room played a role in making this happen, and that is truly exciting; thank you so much to our staff who are some of the most selfless and talented people I know, and who because of them, we have had so much success.”

That immeasurable prosperity will continue to catch even more momentum as the four-storied, 21k square foot, new facility is revealed to and undoubtedly embraced by the community. Offering an Early Learning Center on the first floor, the building will house three dance studios on floor two, visual art and music classes on the third floor and a gallery- exhibition space on the fourth level. Youth offerings are kept at a low cost with scholarships available to need-based, low income family students; while adults will be able to be a part of the creative, artistic action with a fully-equipped recording studio and spacious gallery and exhibition venues.

“This is a place that is accessible to the entire community,” affirmed White.

And for many, its true value far transcends the physical aesthetics of the building, serving as a deeply-cherished “community hub,” binding together youth and adults, offering high quality, inspiring creative arts programs, allowing participants to hone their passions while delivering priceless hope and lifelong memories.

“My daughter, who is now a teacher, went to the Performing Arts Academy as a youth here, and it is something that forever shaped her, and she will never forget,” said Fred Watson, Board Chairman of the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh. “Back when this was happening (envisioned), the word on the street was there will never be dancing in that building, and it will never be finished, but look around here today; we did it, putting three buildings together.” Watson surveying the interior of the new facility, added, “And we aren’t done building in Newburgh; the Boys & Girls Club is alive and well and growing.”

Also among the large crowd of attendees of the official Opening was City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey. An actor and poet, among pursuant of several other artistic endeavors, Harvey was excited to offer his teaching talents when the performing Arts Academy opened its doors- thanks to the unwavering vision and commitment of Kevin’s wife, Kim White- over two decades ago. For Harvey to now see its flourishing as it enters this awe-inspiring new phase and headquarters is nothing short of magical.

“This place is truly a beacon of hope; I would go so far as to say a sanctuary where talents are celebrated, serving others on a high level,” remarked a smiling Harvey, as he looked around the room. “Our youth are up next and the next generation of leaders who need us, and it’s so wonderful to see how they have a community here that believes in them and all their possibilities.”

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh Ohnell Family Center, call: (845) 562-5650.