KaRe Camp Program
Nap Lawrence Branch / Casa Grande Recreation Center, 1905 N Peart Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122
About
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sun Corridor offers activities that include a youth soccer program, drug and alcohol prevention programs, an internet safety course, homework help, mentoring, and a supervised homework time called Power Hour. The program has also offered NetSmartz, which taught children about internet safety, and Club ZOOM, which engaged children in hands-on science experiments.
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sun Corridor is to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. It is a nonprofit organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and provides access to high-quality after-school and summer programs. Club members reflect the diverse socio-economic backgrounds, genders, races, and ethnicities of the communities served. The organization has grown to include eight branches in Casa Grande, Arizona City, and Maricopa and serves more than 2,100 youth annually across Pinal County.
The Boys & Girls Club of Casa Grande was formed in 1998, and the one-year-old Boys & Girls Club of the Casa Grande Valley moved to 798 N. Picacho Ave. in 1999. The organization has grown over the past two and a half decades, and in 2005 more than 2,100 children were participating in various club programs. The Picacho Avenue facility included an art room, computer lab, game room, gymnasium, and learning center. Hal Hansen was hired as the first director, and Matthew Lemberg was named as the new executive director in 2005, replacing Hansen.
The organization partnered with the Casa Grande City Council, which approved an increase in the local sales tax “accommodations” category and allocated a portion of these funds to the program and entered into a lease agreement for the use of a city-owned facility. The partnership between Casa Grande and the Boys & Girls Club of Casa Grande Valley included the club running the city’s youth soccer program for nearly 20 years. The Arizona City Branch offered three national programs: Power Hour, NetSmartz, and Club ZOOM.
Founders and community members described why the club was started and how it grew. One organizer said, “We knew we needed something for the kids in the area,” and explained that “at the time, there weren’t a lot of alternatives for kids to go after school.” They recalled that “we had maybe 30 or 40 kids that first year” and that “just seeing how many kids showed up when we opened and seeing their smiling faces, we knew we did something right.” Another parent noted, “When kids have a club to belong to, that’s pretty neat. Pretty soon, the club members were bringing other kids and membership grew. All six of my kids eventually became members at the Boys & Girls Club.”
Casa Grande resident and Arizona New Horizon Realty owner Paula Lambert said, “I joined the executive board for the Boys & Girls Club in the early 2000s because I believed in what they were doing.” She remembered that “they had only one club at the time, but it was very exciting because they were starting to grow,” and that “we’d have a Thanksgiving meal every year for the club,” with “Michael Jackson would prepare the turkeys at BeDillon’s and we’d all gather together with the member families at the club on Picacho Avenue.” Lambert said, “It was quite rewarding to see kids walk in for the first time and very exciting,” and “I feel very honored to have watched the club evolve over the years.” She also stated, “I was on the board when we hired Matt and it was one of the best moves the board made,” and that “his love of community is evident. His leadership is the reason we have been able to expand over the years.”
Last updated January 17, 2026.
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sun Corridor is to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. It is a nonprofit organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and provides access to high-quality after-school and summer programs. Club members reflect the diverse socio-economic backgrounds, genders, races, and ethnicities of the communities served. The organization has grown to include eight branches in Casa Grande, Arizona City, and Maricopa and serves more than 2,100 youth annually across Pinal County.
The Boys & Girls Club of Casa Grande was formed in 1998, and the one-year-old Boys & Girls Club of the Casa Grande Valley moved to 798 N. Picacho Ave. in 1999. The organization has grown over the past two and a half decades, and in 2005 more than 2,100 children were participating in various club programs. The Picacho Avenue facility included an art room, computer lab, game room, gymnasium, and learning center. Hal Hansen was hired as the first director, and Matthew Lemberg was named as the new executive director in 2005, replacing Hansen.
The organization partnered with the Casa Grande City Council, which approved an increase in the local sales tax “accommodations” category and allocated a portion of these funds to the program and entered into a lease agreement for the use of a city-owned facility. The partnership between Casa Grande and the Boys & Girls Club of Casa Grande Valley included the club running the city’s youth soccer program for nearly 20 years. The Arizona City Branch offered three national programs: Power Hour, NetSmartz, and Club ZOOM.
Founders and community members described why the club was started and how it grew. One organizer said, “We knew we needed something for the kids in the area,” and explained that “at the time, there weren’t a lot of alternatives for kids to go after school.” They recalled that “we had maybe 30 or 40 kids that first year” and that “just seeing how many kids showed up when we opened and seeing their smiling faces, we knew we did something right.” Another parent noted, “When kids have a club to belong to, that’s pretty neat. Pretty soon, the club members were bringing other kids and membership grew. All six of my kids eventually became members at the Boys & Girls Club.”
Casa Grande resident and Arizona New Horizon Realty owner Paula Lambert said, “I joined the executive board for the Boys & Girls Club in the early 2000s because I believed in what they were doing.” She remembered that “they had only one club at the time, but it was very exciting because they were starting to grow,” and that “we’d have a Thanksgiving meal every year for the club,” with “Michael Jackson would prepare the turkeys at BeDillon’s and we’d all gather together with the member families at the club on Picacho Avenue.” Lambert said, “It was quite rewarding to see kids walk in for the first time and very exciting,” and “I feel very honored to have watched the club evolve over the years.” She also stated, “I was on the board when we hired Matt and it was one of the best moves the board made,” and that “his love of community is evident. His leadership is the reason we have been able to expand over the years.”
Last updated January 17, 2026.
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