Inspiring & Enabling Youth to Realize Their Greatness!
Rochester Branch
About
The Rochester Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County was founded in 2003. It is located in the Rochester Community Center, next to other services such as ROOF, HEART High School and the Timberland Library. The Club houses a Games Room, Gymnasium, Kitchen, Teen Center, Homework Room, Art/Computer Lab and an outdoor playground with a playfield. The playground was updated and expanded in 2019 in partnership with the Olympia, Gateway and Lacey Rotary Clubs.
The Rochester Branch prepares young people for real-world success by offering programs and activities that promote Healthy Lifestyles, Academic Success and Good Character & Citizenship. The Club provides academic support, an array of educational programs, enriching games and activities, time to play and enjoy the company of peers, and positive adult role models dedicated to supporting the social and emotional growth of the youth they serve.
Through a partnership with OSPI, the Club offers a daily dinner program for all youth under 18 in Rochester. Additionally, the Rochester Club receives annual funding to run Mentoring with Youth, which focuses on improving social and emotional wellness. Family nights are a regular occurrence at the Rochester Branch and include dinner and fun activities for the entire family. The 2021 BGCTC and WA State Youth of the Year, Alizabeth A., calls the Rochester Branch her Club home!
The Rochester Branch location partners with the Rochester School District, ROOF Community Services and the ROOF Food Bank, all of whom have supported youth and families at this Club location.
Youth Spotlight
“I love Club because it's fun and I can play.”
— Emi, 1st Grade
Heather Harris, Rochester Branch Director
Meet Hadley, 2023 Rochester Branch Youth of the Year
Notices & Reminders
Branch Closures
To receive updates on the status of the Rochester Branch location, call (360) 273-9397 or visit the Rochester Branch Facebook page.
All Boys & Girls Club branch locations are closed the first Friday of every month during the school year for Staff Training (excluding July & August).
Additionally, we are closed on the following dates:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- One week before summer camp programming begins
- Independence Day
- One week after summer camp programming ends
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving and the following day
- The week of Christmas
The safety of Club members, their families, and our staff is our top priority. When the Club’s respective School District is closed due to poor weather conditions, Boys & Girls Clubs will also close before and after-school programs. When schools release youth early due to inclement weather, Clubs will also close.
If school is in session and the weather worsens during the day, decisions to remain open or not are made by Club leadership and are dependent on the specific weather conditions in and around each community.
School Year Hours of Operation
Morning Program:
6:30 to 8:15 a.m.
Club members must be pre-registered.
After School:
2:00 to 6:00 p.m. (Monday-Thursday)
12:45 to 6:00 p.m. (Friday)
The Rochester Branch also offers programs during the summer and during school breaks!
Inquire at the front desk regarding the availability of programs and openings during school breaks and holidays.
Program Fees
Regular school-year activity fees are $244/month with an additional annual membership fee of $80.
Daily rate of $12/day up to 4 days per month.
Scholarships to cover fees are available to families who apply and qualify. Please inquire at the front desk of your respective branch.
Branch Location
The Rochester Branch is located in the Rochester Community Center:
10140 Hwy. 12 SW
Rochester, WA 98579
Phone: (360) 273-9397
Email: info@bgctc.org
Mailing Address
2102 Carriage Dr SW Ste A
Olympia, WA 98502
Academic Success
We want every child to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. Our members have resources such as:
- Homework help in the education center
- Reading and writing clubs
- Programs in the tech lab and various art projects
We also have many volunteers who help mentor our club members.
Character & Citizenship
Every day, our members are taught about:
- Being respectful
- Being responsible
- Having integrity in their lives and interactions with others
We maintain these expectations not just for our kids, but also for our staff and volunteers, whose leadership and mentoring help guide our young people by example.
Healthy Lifestyles
We want children to live healthy, active lifestyles and practice making good decisions for themselves. In order to achieve this, we:
- Serve nutritious food for snack sand dinners
- Encourage kids to play sports and be active
- Help them find new ways to communicate in the art and music rooms
- Make sure they are surrounded by great mentors