Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
The Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada has the money to finish its new building because of a donation raised at a roast of former Mayor Marv Teixeira.
The Carson City Rotary Club on Tuesday gave $20,000 of the $48,000 it raised at the roast to the Boys & Girls Club, said Chick James, Rotary president.
The rest of the money will go to scholarships, a teacher of the year award and the Rotary foundation to provide more scholarships, he said.
The Rotary Club was happy that the Lesch family matched the donation to the Boys & Girls Club as part of a campaign to finish the new $5 million youth building at the corner of Northridge Drive and Russell Way, he said.
The Boys and Girls Club has raised $93,000 during the campaign. The Lesch family has matched that with a separate donation.
James said he was grateful but surprised by the 320 people who came to the roast Jan. 9.
"With the economy, we had no idea," James said.
Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Hal Hansen said the money will help finish the new 12,600-square-foot building and sports fields.
The club wants to open by June, so it has a little more fundraising to do, he said.
"I'm pleased that this generous gift will help the Boys & Girls club continue to make a difference in the lives of so many youngsters," Teixeira said.
The club has been in its 7,000-square-foot building on South Stewart Street for more than 14 years. It has about 1,600 children and teenagers as members and runs education, social and mentor programs.