Mashpee, MA The Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod “Raised the Roof” with a major fundraising event on the evening of July 17, to complete efforts to build a new Teen Center next to the Boys & Girls Club’s Kraft Family Clubhouse. The inspiring evening sparked over $150,000 in donations before the event had even concluded. 

Guests included Dan Kraft, president of Kraft Group International, Scott Zolak, 98.5 The Sports Hub radio personality, Karson Trager, Mix 104.1 FM radio personality, Boston Bruins great Mike Milbury, Grammy nominated blues legend James Montgomery, state representatives Kip Diggs and David Viera, town manager Rodney Collins, and members of the New England Patriots cheerleading squad, team mascot Pat Patriot and more than 200 others. 

“Since the club house bearing my parents’ name opened over two decades ago, the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod has served as a safe haven and a beacon of light for thousands of young people on the Cape,” said Dan Kraft. “Today, the next generation of leaders, our teens, need a space to build themselves up academically, physically and socially. They’ll do it here at the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod if we come together and help raise the roof on this new teen center.”

Jim Kiley, president of the Board of Directors, Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod, recognized major donors including Dick Galbraith and others for pledging $4.5 million to complete the $8 million project.

“Thanks to generous donors like Dick and others, we’re now approaching the finish line for this vital Teen Center,” said Kiley. “The incredible support this evening is nothing short of inspiring, and I’m confident the Cape Cod community will help us raise the roof sooner rather than later.”

Donations did indeed start pouring in sooner. Following the speaking program, one attendee pledged $100,000, along with a commitment to match any additional donations made that evening. This pledge was immediately met with two $25,000 contributions.

Teen members currently utilize a small room at the clubhouse and campaign organizers recognized the critical need to provide middle and high school students from across Cape Cod with their own space where they can receive counseling, homework support and assistance with college applications and career readiness as well as recreational activities. The new Teen Center (just under 10,000 s/f) will be equipped with an education room, a music room with a recording studio, an art room, a full kitchen and snack bar, game room, health and fitness room and an indoor basketball court.

Architectural plans and site engineering have been completed. The Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod have also signed a 99 year lease with the town of Mashpee for the property adjacent to the Kraft Family Clubhouse, located at 31 Frank E.Hicks Drive. 

For more information about the capital campaign, please visit boysgirlsclubcapecod.org