Our Story
The Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs has a fascinating and rich history. It began as the Boys Club of Palm Springs, with a mission was to serve in the guidance and mentorship of the boys in the Palm Springs Area. Frank Partridge founded the Club with the assistance of the Palm Springs Lions Club, and served as its first Executive Director.
In 1958, with the increasing number of members, the Boys Club outgrew their barrack clubhouse but was challenged to find a suitable new home given its very limited financial means. The City of Palm Springs stepped in and made the one-acre site where the Club is currently located available for lease at $1 per year -- and to this day, the City still honors this agreement.
With the land deal in place, a fundraising party was staged by Desi Arnaz at this Western Hills Hotel in Indian Wells, featuring Lucille Ball, Dean Martin and Walter Winchell. A total of $18,000 was raised from that event – enough to build the clubhouse, which was dedicated on December 14, 1958. That building is now known as the Children’s Center and still serves as the main clubhouse today.
In 1962, under the leadership of Ray Lockwood and with its new clubhouse, programs and activities, the membership tripled. With the help from the Palm Springs Pathfinders, a group of women dedicated to the welfare of children in the Palm Springs area, a swimming pool was added to the campus. This indoor pool is very much in use today, especially during the summer months.
In 1965, a new gym was added thanks to funds from the United Trust (now United Way) and the Palm Springs Pathfinders gala. The
Pathfinders are known for putting on elegant and extravagant events, and that year, they had their Hans Christian Anderson Ball at the Riviera Hotel where the King and Queen of Sweden were the honored guests. Not only did they donate money to build the gym, but the Palm Springs Pathfinders also had enough funds to open the Pathfinder Ranch in Garner Valley – 45 minutes away, where club members can enjoy summer camp every year.
In 1989, under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Jim Coston, a new building was added to the campus to serve as the girls’ clubhouse. At that point, the organization became the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs. Primary funding for the construction came from the Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Tournament. The building was dedicated by Mayor Sonny Bono and Dinah Shore, and serves as the Club’sHealth & Wellness Center today.
In 1999, the main clubhouse was refurbished in order to be inclusive for all children – boys and girls. In 2002, the Teen Center opened to provide teens with their own space with the support of the Bremer Family Foundation.
In 2023, the Club created a state-of-the-art Health & Wellness Center that provides a number of wellness programs for the kids – including a commercial kitchen to teach club members how to prepare foods that are healthy, tasty and have good nutritional value; a versatile classroom for activities and guest speakers; and a cannabis education resource library – which offers resources that allows club members to learn about why and how steering clear of cannabis products while they are still growing and developing will help them avoid harmful and permanent long-term effects on their bodies.
