HOLMEN, Wis. (WXOW) — Community leaders from Mayo Clinic Health System and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse gathered Tuesday afternoon for a $75,000 check presentation toward a new Boys & Girls Club center.
The donation puts the Boys & Girls Club $1 million away from their goal of $3.5 million.
“To have this support to be able to bring the services that we’re bringing to Holmen is a really exciting day for our club and exciting day for the kids in the Holmen community,” said Jake Erickson, executive director for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse.
Earlier this year, Barb and Dave Skogen, owners of Festival Foods, donated the former Festival Foods building on Holmen Dr. for the new project which costs $9 million.
Mayo Clinic Health System plans to have an active presence once the center opens in fall.
“As we’ve done with other clubs in the region is we’ve provided, in some cases, direct support through individuals working in the behavioral health portion, and we would anticipate this club having some of those similar needs,” said Jason Fratzke, Ph.D. chief nursing officer for Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. “That’ll be a conversation as the club sort of matures and grows.”
The building will also include a multi-use community center and an additional space for the Holmen School District. The vision for this center hopes to encourage interaction between all age groups to build a better community.
Construction will begin in February. Organizers will break ground in April for add-on’s to the center.
