By David N. Young
Following a five-year planning and fundraising effort, local officials and corporate sponsors gathered on Friday to cut the ribbon on the new Bandai Teen Center, now open at the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress.
“Every child needs a champion,” said Executive Director Anne Hertz as she welcomed and thanked the large group of donors, supporters, employees and local officials gathered for the ribbon cutting.
The new 1600 square foot teen center offers several areas for education, practical learning, games and simply a safe place to hang out.
“This place changes lives,” said Cypress mayor Stacy Berry, who was not only the first speaker, but according to Hertz, is a volunteer at the BGCC. Hertz said Berry runs the BGCC “Smart Girls” program offered to young girls
Berry said her son received great benefit from participating while growing and that the long process of building the new teen center “was definitely worth the wait.” The new addition, she said, will provide a “safe, inspiring and comfortable place” for teens to gather.
Jon Peat, also a member of the Cypress council, serves as the BGCC board chairman. He said efforts to build the new Bandai Center began in 2015, when younger children were becoming teens, yet wanted to still gather at the popular center.
Back then, said Peat, “we only had a room with about 350 square feet” to offer the teens to gather. Even though the board knew they needed for space, they had “no budget” to add a new wing to the center.
Enter the Bandai America corporation, a popular Japanese based toy company that was, for many years,
based in Cypress before more recently moving closer to Los Angeles.
Peat said Bandai stepped up in 2015 with a donation of $150,000, which allowed the BGCC to begin their planning and development efforts for the teen center. Bandai’s contribution will have a “lasting impact” on the youth of Cypress, said Peat.
He also thanked Greg Gibson whom Peat said developed the plans which indicated the new wing would cost about $800k, which the club did not have, yet Peat named a long list of sponsors, donors and community members who, over time, stepped up to come up with the money.
He said construction began about eight months ago and the ribbon was cut on Friday. He thanked contractor Hoxsie Construction for finishing under budget “and then some.”
Shusuke Takahara, CEO of Bandai America, Inc., said the Cypress Boys & Girls Club Teen project fit perfectly into the profile of the Bandai Foundation, which originally made the donation. “It (Bandai Teen Center) was a natural fit,” he said.
Bandai is a major Japanese toy manufacturing company with a thriving American division.
Takahara said the company, which caters largely to children and their parents, is proud to support the “youth of tomorrow. We take great pleasure in welcoming you,” he said.
Cynthia Nishimoto, Senior Vice President of Bandai America, together with Takahara presented a bouquet of flowers to Hertz for her dedication and for her efforts shepherding the project to completion.
Hertz thanked all of the current and former board members, all of the donors, city officials, staff and everyone who helped make the project a reality.
David Overgon?, now a 9th grader at John F. Kennedy High School, said the BGCC Youth of the Year, is an example of why the new teen center is needed. In a brief address to the group, he recounted how the facility had “become my second family. When I’m here, I know every child, including myself, is in a safe environment, surrounded by support and staff who believes in every child and want us to achieve our best future.”
Overgon said the BGCC “made an impact” on his life, saying he had witnessed its impact on others. “It has helped me become the person I am today,” he said, “and I am excited to envision the man I wish and will be in the years to come.”
David has been a part of the BGCC for six years, and since growing into a teenager, he said local teens needed more space and they are very happy to now have it.
The new addition provides a full kitchen area, a lounge area, several gaming tables, wide-screen televisions and other spaces for hanging out and educational activities.
Donna Kastner, of the International Soroptimist Club of Cypress, said they will begin providing teaching and financial literacy classes to teens.
Other officials attending included Cypress council member Marilellen Yarc, Assembly member Sharon Quirk-Silva and representatives of Senator Ling Ling Chang, and Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel. Supt. Anne Silavs, of the Cypress School District.
Going forward, said Overgon (who was selected to speak for all of the students at the BGCC), said “here we believe we can find solutions to any problem.”
Courtesy photos