Ladies’ Auxiliary
The Boys & Girls Clubs
and the Ladies’ Auxiliary… A remarkable partnership
For over 61 years, Ladies’ Auxiliary of Arlington has made a profound impact on the lives of the kids who need us most in Arlington. For 8,000-plus vulnerable young people in our community, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County serves as a home-away-from-home, providing them with academic, vocational, social and recreational opportunities they would not otherwise have except for the generosity of supporters like you. With the help of the Auxiliary, BGCGTC continues to close the gap for more and more youth in Arlington.
Most recently, in 2021, through the partnership between Ladies’ Auxiliary of Arlington and BGCGTC, there were many improvements that were made for the youth of Arlington. Those included building a Basic Needs Center at the East Branch and renovating the kitchen at the Kromer Branch. There have also been capital projects to replace aging buses, improve facilities and enhance technology provided youth with not only the highest quality experiences but also the safest. These improvements resulted in the organization’s ability to continuously improve child safety and monitoring at the four Clubs and school sites located in Arlington.
Also, as a result of Ladies’ Auxiliary’s investments in daily programming, the Clubs in Arlington have continued to evolve to meet the needs of youth. In 2019, the daily Club Experience, how the kids describe and rate their experience, exceeded the national average by 25%. In fact, in all areas of Optimal Club Experience, Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, Healthy Lifestyle, and Risk Behaviors, Clubs did better than national average. This means that Club members are more likely to graduate school, make better choices about drugs and alcohol and give back to their community. The Ladies’ Auxiliary has played a critical role in supporting BGCGTC with much-needed funding. With the success of the Cinderella Ball these resources have increased over the years but still only provide a portion of the annual budget. In addition to financial efforts, the Auxiliary has a long history of assisting the Club with volunteer support at these special events. Whether the need is large or small, the Auxiliary stands ready to aid the Boys & Girls Clubs and their many challenges. This partnership between the Ladies’ Auxiliary and the Boys & Girls Clubs Board of Directors is unlike any other that exists among Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.
Throughout the years, the Ladies’ Auxiliary has been instrumental in:
● The addition of the boxing gym at the Main Branch
● The completion of the Southeast Branch building in 1981
● The addition of the Southeast basketball gym in 1996
● Building the Kromer Branch in 1998
● Building the North Branch located at Peach Elementary in 2016
● Renovating the Kromer Branch in 2018
● Three large buses, programming supplies, East Branch’s teen space renovation, security and safety renovations in 2019
● 2020/2021 the candidates fundraising helped to build a basic needs program at the East Branch and renovating the kitchen at the Kromer Branch.
Ladies’ Auxiliary Leadership
President … Dawn Serman
1st Vice-President … Dana Queenan
2nd Vice-President … Dawn Peznell
Secretary … Lee Ann Jerome
Treasurer … Trisha Barling
Past Presidents: Mrs. Adolph Reinhardt, Mrs. B.J. Fuller, Mrs. Gerald Monroe, Mrs. Darel Spangler, Mrs. John Kearley, Mrs. Ed McGowan, Mrs. James Miller, Ms. Sue Stevens-Durbec, Mrs. Pete Link, Mrs. Jack Riley, Mrs. Rodger Groves, Mrs. Dick Davis, Mrs. Diane Frost, Ms. Priscilla Hankinson Mills, Mrs. Peter Hatton, Mrs. Don Illingworth, Mrs. Dave Cradick, Mrs. Glenn Ezell, Mrs. Paul Knuckley, Mrs. Curtis VonDerAhe, Mrs. Robert Malone, Mrs. James Bass, Mrs. Craig Hubble and Mrs. Bill Spradlin, Ms. Suzanne McCabe, Mrs. John Landry, Mrs. Mike O’Donnell, Mrs. Kevin Queenan, Mrs. Tony Cerza