GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY, AZ — The Boys and Girls Club in the Gila River Indian Community looks a little different, in a big way, after a major donation.
On Monday, dozens of cardboard boxes and instruction manuals were laid on the floor of the Boys and Girls Club at the Gila River Indian Community.
For those who had to put together the furniture and install TVs, crouching down on the hardwood floor may be a little tough on the knees while instruction manuals could be a little tedious on your patience.
But the sweat equity put into this location will be worth it when the teens finally get to see their new digs.
Before the big reveal, COO Mark Clavell didn’t mince words about what it used to look like. “The room, dingy,” he said describing a broken ping pong table and torn couch cushions.
Aaron's Furniture donated thousands of dollars worth of arcade and video game consoles nestled into new furniture, bumper pool, board games, and even a digital fireplace that emits heat for cold desert nights.
These additions are what the teens asked for.
Aaron’s Furniture has made just under 60 similar donations at Boys and Girls Clubs across the country.
This one, however, is the first for an Arizona tribal community.
“We serve lots of different reservations and the customers are so good to us, it’s the least we can do to take care of them,” said Jeremy Kudlo with Aaron's Furniture.
When the teens saw it for the first time, there was no waiting to play.
“That wasn’t there, that wasn’t there,” said Joseph, a preteen.
For some students, Tuesday was their first time ever having access to this kind of stuff. Some had never played a PlayStation 5 before.
The club on the tribal community that once isolated their services due to the pandemic recently opened up to the larger community in the area.
Boys and Girls Club staff hope these upgrades can boost membership and smiles.
“This is the best place I’ve ever been,” shouted Joseph.