The Central Arkansas community came together for the Thrasher Community Summerfest to raise funds for the Thrasher Boys and Girls' club Saturday.

The Thrasher Boys and Girls' club has been an important part of the Little Rock community since 1971. Many believe that it's programs like these that will give our youth positive outlets to assist in decreasing our crime rate.

The club was forced to close down for two years due to the pandemic and reopened in the spring of 2022. However, due to lack of funding the facility is only open 3 days a week and requires many additional renovations to provide quality service to the kids in the community.

"People have told me that it saved their lives. And so, it just it was very clear if you can come to the south end, you know, that the thrasher boys and girls club is what people are trying to talk about. So, that was, it was clear that that was something that we needed to focus on, to try to get this club back opened," Malik Marshall, Arkansas Community Organizers, said.

So the Central Arkansas Boys and Girls club teamed up with Arkansas Community Organizers a community summer fest to help raise money for the club.

"This is work that's being done by the community. This is an event where the community got together just like we did earlier this year, just like we do. We got the boys and girls club open. This year. We came together and we made this happen and that's what we do," Marshall said.

For many, the Thrasher Boys and Girls' club is where they found positive role models, learned how to play sports, and swim, and cultivated various other skills that have lasted them a lifetime.

"It's an alternate for violence or streets. They can come here. We've got to have more community programs. Without the community having structure and programs for the children to go to, they'll just go to the streets or to violence," Koby Knight, community volunteer, said.

Dozens came out in support including Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. The mayor spent time at the Thrasher Boys and Girls' club as a child and shared how happy he was to be a part of rebuilding the facility to better our youth today.

"Being a son of the Little Rock, you can't not be someone who understands the meaning and the impact of Thrasher Boys and Girls' club right here in the heart of the south end. I'm one of those youth that grew up playing basketball, swimming in the pool. Uh, it just brings back a lot of great memories of what it means to the community," Scott said.

With the funds raised organizers plan to hire more staff, fix the pool, buy heating and air units for the facility as well as make additional renovations needed to create a quality experience for the little rock youth.

Organizers say they will need around 40,000 dollars to complete all of the tasks needed.

For more information on how to donate visit the William E. Thrasher Boys' Club's Facebook page.