The Foundation For Youth (FFY) was incorporated May 12, 1928, and since its inception has served:
The Foundation For Youth has been one of this community’s most outstanding accomplishments – recognized as such the nation over.
We salute those forward-looking people who shared this dream and brought it to reality with intelligence, hard-work and open-handed generosity in terms of financial support and endless donations of time and talent.
The FFY stands today as a living memorial to what a small community can do on its own to ensure the well-being of its citizens.
1926 | Boys Club of Columbus started. Purpose was to improve the leisure time of area juveniles. First clubhouse located in Washington School at 724 Pearl St. |
May 15, 1928 | Incorporation papers filed creating Foundation For Youth. |
May 12, 1932 | Boys Club joins national organization Boys Club Federation of America. |
January 23, 1935 | The first Girls Club opened in Lincoln School building at 2nd. & Franklin St. Dues 5 cents per month, for ages 8 – 21. |
March 28, 1935 | FFY accepts donation of 70 acres in Harrison Township from Q.G. Noblitt. |
February 18, 1936 | FFY receives $25,000 from federal government to develop Youth Camp. W.P.A. program develops trails, and dug lake. |
1936 | Youth Camp cabins donated by area civic groups: Kiwanis; Rotary; Elks; Chamber of Commerce; Business Professional Womens Family. |
1936 | Boys Scouts troop affiliates with F.F.Y. |
June 8, 1937 | Official dedication of Columbus Youth Camp with Indiana Governor Townsend in attendance. |
1937 | Columbus teachers finance erection of arts & crafts building at Youth Camp. Named in honor of longtime teacher Miss Lois Wetz. |
1940 | Youth Camp plants 10,000 pine and locust trees around athletic field and lake. |
1943 | Jive Kennel opens for area teenagers. Stays in operation until 1960. |
1945 | Girls Club moves to new clubhouse at 3rd. & Franklin St. The building also houses FFY offices, Jive Kennel, Girls Scouts. Building donated by Q.G. Noblitt. |
May 9, 1945 | Girls Club becomes charter member of national organization – Girls Clubs of America |
December 22, 1947 | Boys Club moves into new clubhouse at 5 th & Franklin (currently Columbus area Visitors Center). Ray Brown's family donated the facility. |
1948 | Youth Camp dedicates Joan Spies memorial. |
May, 1953 | FFY celebrates 25th anniversary. Member organizations include: Boys Club,Girls Club, Boys Scouts, Girls Scout, Jive Kennel, Cub Scouts, Youth Camp, and Brownies. |
1953 | Mr. & Mrs. Ray Brown donates $10,000 towards construction of new Boys Club facility. |
1953 | Noel Genth named Youth Camp caretaker, and holds position until 1967. |
1954 | Eastside Boys Club and Eastside Girls Club opened on McClure Street. |
| 1955 | Youth Camp dedicates Carpenter chapel. |
| September 15, 1955 | FFY board hires Paul Stacker (Columbus Parks & Recreation Director) as Business Manager, and Recreational Consultant. |
1958 | Lowell Engleking family donates 40 acres to Youth Camp. |
August 7, 1959 | FFY board names Paul Stacker as Executive Director. Holds position until retirement in 1982. |
| 1964 | FFY offices move to Donner Center. |
December 5, 1965 | Open House held for new Boys Club on Cherry Street, new gymnasium and swimming pool, and renovated Girls Club facility on McClure Street. FFY offices relocate from Donner Center. |
| 1967 | FFY becomes charter member of county United Fund (predecessor of United Way). |
1967 | Bob & Juanita Harden named Youth Camp rangers. Hold position until retirement in 1990. |
1967 | Boys Club names Eugene Gurthet as Executive Director. Holds position until retirement in 1989. |
1968 | Boys Scouts and Girls Scouts remove affiliation with FFY. |
| 1969 | Cummins Engine Co., and Cosco Corporation hold annual shareholders meetings at FFY. |
1971 | Boys Club membership at 1368 (2 nd. largest in state) and Girl Club membership at 783. |
| May, 1974 | After Prom party for area high school students moved to FFY from Donner Center. 1300 students, and 200 parents attend the 25 th annual After Prom party in Columbus. |
1974 | Boys Club membership at 1557, and Girls Club at 1068. |
| May, 1977 | Robert Hollenbeck, Boys Club Athletic Director dies. Biddy Basketball program Sportsmanship Award named in his honor. |
1978 | Arvin Foundation donates funds for 3,000 square foot dining hall, and kitchen addition to Noblitt Memorial Shelter at Youth Camp. |
1983 | Youth Camp boathouse renovated. |
| 1989 | FFY reorganizes. Boys Club, Girls Club, Youth Camp, and Foundation For Youth merged under a single Board of Directors. New organizational name is Girls Club/Boys Club/Foundation For Youth. |
1992 | FFY named changed to Foundation For Youth of Bartholomew County, Inc. |
June, 1992 | Youth Camp receives endowment from Aileen Marshall Graham fund. |
1996 | FFY assumes leadership and responsibility for the Children, Youth, and Families Initiative. |
| June 7, 1999 | the current FFY facilities dedicated. A $5.5 million dollar capital campaign culminated with donors names etched in glass in FFY main lobby. |
2003 | Big Brothers big Sisters of Bartholomew County affiliates with F.F.Y. |
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