New playground unveiled for Dayton's Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley thanks to generous community support
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Fri, 10/21/2022 - 9:00am
The giggles of children as they slide down slides, play on a jungle gym and practice tetherball will be heard starting today as a new playground makes its debut as part of upgrades to the Dayton clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley, made possible thanks to donations from community members and organizations.
The Dayton clubhouse on Riverboat Road opened in the fall of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each day, the clubhouse welcomes around 130 children according to Nick Beaton, Director of Development at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley.
It is formally known as the William N. Pennington Clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley, in honor of a $2.3 million grant from the William N. Pennington Foundation. The organization also received $465,000 from Lyon County CARES funding to help with renovations, upgrades and equipment.
An open house was held at the clubhouse Thursday to show off the playground, which includes a jungle gym, six swings and a multiple-seat team swing.
Two tetherball courts have also been completed on the 4-acre site, which serves children from three Dayton elementary schools with before and after school programs and other activities. In addition, two basketball hoops have been installed and are ready for use.
Beaton said the playground will help get children outside and encourage physical activity, which fits in with one of the groups’ goals for its members.
“One-fifth of our program is fitness,” he said. “This is an opportunity to get out, active and fit in a neat environment for them.”
Two elementary school boys at the open house expressed their eagerness to get outside and use the new outdoor equipment.
“I’m really excited for the playground and to play football and soccer,” said Tyler Alfred, 9, of Dayton.
Also ready to try out the new playground was Maysin Sabin, 7, of Dayton.
“I’m excited to play on the monster equipment and to play soccer with my friends,” he said.
Club members will have to wait a while for the football and soccer fields as land has been graded but artificial turf will be installed at a later date.
The open house, a mixer for the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, brought community members such as Doris Blatchford of Dayton to check out the new playground and to tour the clubhouse.
The 7,500 square-feet clubhouse includes an activity room with pool tables, foosball and ping pong tables, a computer room and an art room.
Blatchford said she was impressed with what she saw.
“It is more expansive than I thought it was,” she said.
Nathan Fogelsong of Reno, who works in Dayton, said he was pleased with the progress made at the Dayton clubhouse.
“I am proud of what they have accomplished and the service they bring to Dayton, it’s unparalleled,” he said.
Helaine Morres, Executive Director of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, said the new playground represents more than a place for children to play and get their energy out.
“It shows the community cares what happens to them as children," Morres said. "(It shows) you’re important. Your future means a lot to us."
Using Facebook and the chamber newsletter to solicit donations, Morres helped raise $70,000 from community members during a 30-day time period.
Along with individual donors, others who helped the cause include Rolling Rock, Coons Construction, Murphy’s Concrete, and Cassenelli Landscaping and Construction.
Carson-Tahoe Health donated $25,000 to help build the playground - and Morres pitched in $5,000, an amount matched by the Dayton Valley Lions Club and Jody Foley of Re-Max Realty in Dayton.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley, which started in 1999, has members at its locations in Dayton, Silver Springs, Yerington and Hawthorne.
In addition to before and after school programs, the organization offers food assistance, remote learning opportunities and a basketball league.
The clubs strive to enrich members' lives by helping them build character, succeed in academics and lead a healthy lifestyle, according to its website, https://www.bgcmasonvalley.org.
Those who would like to help the organization can do so by contributing to an end-of-year fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mason Valley, starting Mon., Oct. 24.
Beaton said the group hopes to raise $300,000 for the 4 northern Nevada locations.
To donate, log on to https://www.bgcmasonvalley.org/donate .
Donors can pick a site for their donation, if desired.
