The Louis and Gloria Flanzer Boys & Girls Club is the sixth Club location and first site situated in DeSoto County. After meeting with city officials and community partners, the Club opened in 2018 to serve 75 children. In 2019, the City of Arcadia transferred the lease of the Smith-Brown Recreation Center, which is located next to the current Club site. With lead support from the Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust, the structure was transformed into a multi-purpose gymnasium for youth with designated space for physical activities, project-based learning, and enrichment programs that further foster personal development.
In September 2023, a 10,000-square-foot expansion to the permanent Club was completed on the Smith-Brown campus, enhancing youth development programs in DeSoto County. The state-of-the-art Club features new classrooms, a technology lab, an art studio, a commercial teaching kitchen, a food pantry for local families, and a multipurpose dining space. The facility is also available for local use outside of the Club’s operating hours making it a viable community asset. While the expansion brings innovative opportunities to Arcadia’s future leaders in a modern, up-to-date facility, the Club also incorporates tributes to the historic significance of the Smith-Brown Recreation Center and local trailblazers, including Coach Richard Bowers.
In addition, the Florida Department of Education has designated the site a 21st Century Community Learning Center, serving students from Memorial Elementary School, Nocatee Elementary School, West Elementary School and DeSoto Middle School.
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