TARA M. MANTHEY; The News Tribune

On Tuesday, the Boys & Girls Club of South Puget Sound broke ground in Lakewood on a new center.

The $5.7 million HOPE Center will provide a new home for the Lakewood Branch and other nonprofit organizations. It is expected to open in summer 2007.

The News Tribune asked children at the Lakewood Boys & Girls Club to document their memories of the old building and hopes for the new center with stories and photos. Here are excerpts of their essays:

Kendra Howard, 10

The Boys & Girls Club is a place of happiness and love that will forever be remembered. You might have had your good memories and your bad memories here, but one thing that brought everyone together is the basketball court.

But it’s not all bad because we get a new Boys & Girls Club and it’s called the Hope Center. I heard that there is going to be a teen center.

And the one thing that I am really happy about is that maybe on Fridays we get to stay late and watch people play basketball on the court almost all night at the new Boys & Girls Club.

Kaja Johnson, 9

At the Boys & Girls Club, when I came here I didn’t want to leave. When I came to the Boys & Girls Club there were so many things to do, like paint, play pool, go to the BOTT Lab and all other kinds of things. That’s why it’s fun here at the club.

Amber Hoffman, 10

The Lakewood Boys & Girls Club is a cool place to hang out with my friends. In the middle of the day they have membership assembly where they tell us what’s going on. It’s such a fun place here! I’m excited for the new Boys & Girls Club because I’m a Kid at Hope!

BethAnn Lake, 12

I like that I made a lot of new friends and I was always happy to come to the club and see them. They were waiting for me to play games. The other thing is the staff. They were very nice and when I was upset I knew that one of them were there to help me with my problems. I liked that when I wanted to play a game that I knew that someone wants to play with me always.

Rachel Lake, 8

The Boys & Girls Club is a very fun place. You will have a lot of fun there. It is true; there are lots of fun games. There are a lot of people there. I will tell you I love that it’s a fun place. The new Boys & Girls Club will be a lot of fun. You wait and see.

Aldhair Ramirez, 8

It was 8 o’clock on Friday. A Boys & Girls Club staff cut my hair. It was exciting. The Boys & Girls Club is so fun with all the staff. Sa-on is my favorite staff but I like all the other staff. The end.

Samarra Jones, 8

I like the Boys & Girls Club because I make new friends here. It is a great place to be because it’s fun. I wonder if it will have a large Big Toy. Then it will be really fun.

Kiaya Hughes, 8

It was a Monday at the Boys & Girls Club. We were at (the) Big Toy. Ms. Rachel and Ms. Amy were pushing Anna and Alex. Then Samarra was going across the monkey bars. I was playing duck, duck, goose. It’s a cool kid center.

Shampaigne Wiltshire, 12

When I first started going here at the age of 9 I felt really lost, but as I walked around and got to know the staff, I made a lot of friends. At first I was shy, but now I’m a great leader and president of a thing called Torch Club. It takes a lot of charisma, hard work and dedication.

Exzasia Poole, 8

I will miss this club because this is the place that I made lots of friends that I don’t want to forget. The Boys & Girls Club is a great place to be! I’ll probably like the new club. I wonder how the new club will be. There might be different teachers, people, activities and decorations. Being a Kid at Hope is great!

Coreena Jones, 12

This club has changed my life in a huge way. I’m more daring, less shy and I have more friends. I tried to change to South End for a while but I couldn’t. So I’m back here. Even though they’re changing the club it’s all for the better. More kids, new memories and new staff. I can’t wait for the new clubs and times to come.

AUDIO SLIDE SHOW

To see the full essays and photos taken by Lakewood Boys & Girls Club members, click on News, then Education.