MARSHFIELD – Fundraising efforts to establish a standalone Boys & Girls Club youth center in Marshfield have approached nearly 90% of the campaign’s goal as a record number of local youth are participating in the organization’s programs this summer.
The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield in April announced the public portion of a $7.6 million capital campaign to establish a permanent, standalone youth center that can serve up to 300 young people in the 30,000-square-foot former J.C. Penney building attached to the Marshfield Towne Mall at 503 E. Ives St.
About 89% of the total has been raised as of June 22 leaving about $1 million left to be committed to the project, according to a news release from the organization. Several million dollars were raised from significant community contributors including the families of Tom and Bonnie Umhoefer, Everett and Delores Roehl, Jon and Annette Vandehey, and Dennis and Roberta DeVetter and businesses such as Staab Construction, Nelson-Jameson Corporation, Nasonville Dairy and Lifescape Wealth, according to the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield website.
A $2 million matching opportunity will double contributions to the project made before June 30, according to the release.
Record demand for club’s summer programming
A record 97 local young people are registered to attend the youth empowerment organization’s summer programs, which are being held at the School District of Marshfield’s Washington Elementary School in 2026, according to the release. In 2025, 91 youth in grades 2-6 were served at a site at Grant Elementary School. The change in location was prompted by renovations currently underway at Grant.
“Having only worked during the school year before this, it has been amazing to see the demand for summer programming firsthand,” Jessy Herkert, Boys & Girls Club’s director of Marshfield programming, said in the release. “We are serving a record number of youth this summer and have already increased our capacity twice, yet we still have a waitlist.”
The organization also offers youth enrichment services to about 70 youth in grades 1-6 during the school year at Lincoln Elementary School, according to the release. Programs related to sports and recreation, education, health and wellness, arts, and leadership and service are included among the organization’s offerings, according to the club’s website.
“The children are excited to come every day and many even ask their families if they can stay longer when it is time to go home,” Herkert said. “It has been wonderful to hear how appreciative families are of the wide variety of programs and opportunities we provide.”
How to donate to the new Boys & Girls Club project
Donations to the youth center project can be made online at marshfieldbgc.org or by mailing a check to the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County, the club’s founding partner, at P.O. Box 171 in Stevens Point, WI 54481.
More information can be found on the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield Facebook page and website.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield nears 90% of goal for new youth center
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Marshfield News-Herald / Marshfield News-Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Erik Pfantz, Marshfield News-Herald | USA TODAY Network
