New Teen Center celebrated

By JoAnn R. Walter —

Wednesday, Aug. 14, was a day to celebrate at the Tioga County Boys & Girls Club (TCGBC), located at 201 Erie St. in Owego, N.Y. Individuals who played a role in the addition of a new Teen Center expansion at the TCBGC facility gathered together to celebrate the special occasion at a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce.

Ground broke for the construction of the Teen Center in May of 2023. The approximate 1,050 square foot expansion was added to the Erie Street side of the facility. The project, at that time, was estimated at a cost of over $220,000, yet finished with a cost of nearly $400,000. 

Adam Weitsman, owner of Upstate Shredding, initially gave $100,000 to the project, and ultimately gave $300,000. 

The Teen Center is a personal accomplishment for Jill Teeter, CEO at the TCBGC. Her vision for a teen gathering spot was a goal she had when she first started at what many refer to as “The Club.”

The new Teen Center, Teeter explained, will round out the amenities at the club, and will give area teens a positive place to grow.

Teeter shared, “We like to see ourselves as a partner and extension for schools. A lot of schools fall short with life skills, so we are here to help teens better prepare for their futures and help them become successful citizens.”

Teeter thanked all of the organizations and private donors, as well as the contractors, subcontractors, the TCBGC Board and her team, and several of the organizations who provided in-kind services for the project. The Tioga County Economic Development and Planning group provided support with the grant process.

Weitsman shared that he grew up at the club, and often spent seven days a week there as a youth. Adam explained that his grandfather, Ben Weitsman, started the club in 1945, and Ben’s passion of ensuring youth had a place to play was passed down to Adam’s father and then Adam himself. 

Adam wanted to carry on their legacy and extended his help toward the Teen Center. 

Weitsman added that when originally approached by Teeter, he was drawn to her vision of the Teen Center, and also thanked, “The community, they came together and built this.”

Also at the ribbon cutting, Weitsman was presented a plaque by the National Boys & Girls Club, and in recognition of, Teeter said, “Being a champion of our youth.”

Spencer Hunt, a member of the TCBGC Board and Chairman of the Buildings & Grounds Committee, has been involved with the club for over four decades. Hunt said he is pleased with the result of the new Teen Center, and is hopeful that it will become a favorite gathering place for teens, as well as a place for them to thrive. 

The Teen Center offers a welcoming retreat for youth ages 13-plus. The center includes a pool table, air hockey, ping-pong, and video games with comfortable gaming chairs along with a virtual reality game, arcade game, and more.

The project was made possible through Adam Weitsman and Family, the Floyd Hooker Foundation, the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation, the Community Foundation South Central NY, the Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers, Fannie C. Hyde Charitable Trust, BAE, Les Wagner Foundation, Tioga State Bank Foundation, Tioga Downs Foundation, and Visions Cares Foundation.

The Tioga County Boys & Girls Club also thanks their primary contractor, PJF Enterprises, Inc., along with subcontractors Ahwaga Paint & Floor Covering, Delta Engineering, Forse Excavation Inc., ICR Power Co., MRM Heating and Air, Williams and Edsall, and W&W Nursery.

You can learn more about the club at www.tiogabgca.org/.