One of the blue children’s handprints on the wall of the West County Salesian Youth Club says it all.
This particular print was put there three decades ago by then 10-year-old David Arriaga, who said he used to walk three blocks from his home to the club almost every afternoon after school to play sports and do arts and crafts.
“The handprint brings back a lot of memories,” Arriaga told Richmondside during a recent tour of the central Richmond center. “We all needed to be kept out of trouble. The club was a safe haven for kids.”
He’s now the executive director of the place known simply as “The Club” to those who frequent it. The program is celebrating its 70th year with its original mission of being a refuge for children like Arriaga still intact.
West County Salesian Youth Club
What: A 70-year-old nonprofit afterschool and summer activity program.
Where: 2801 Moran Ave.
Details: Fall sign-ups are ongoing. The school-year program runs weekdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. An annual membership is $75.
Coming up: 2026 Charity Golf Tournament, Mon., Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Richmond Golf Club; Fall Wine Tasting & Cocktail Party, Sat., Nov. 7, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., West County Salesian Youth Club
“It serves that area of town very well. It is a solid anchor for the community,” said John Ziesenhenne, a former Richmond City Council member who’s served on the Youth Club’s board since 1983.
About 100 children are participating in a summer program there, and it also offers after-school activities including sports such as basketball, flag football, soccer and baseball, as well as crafts and music lessons. There are also homework and tutoring services.
The after-school program, $75 a year per child, serves more than 400 youths, with as many as 125 coming through the doors on any given day.
Arriaga said they had to limit summer enrollment due to the limited number of staff and volunteers.
Most of the families served are from Richmond but some come from other west county cities.
Humble beginnings for ‘The Club’
The youth program began in 1956 as the San Pablo Boys Club, located at an old house next to Salesian High School, a private Catholic school that today is called Salesian College Preparatory.
Lou Davies remembers the program well.
He spent many afternoons at the club, starting when he was an eighth-grader.
“A lot of kids who went to Salesian High School went there after school,” Davies told Richmondside. “We needed a place to hang out.”
Like Arriaga, Davies has continued to support the club as an adult. He worked for 38 years at Mechanics Bank in Richmond and was instrumental in getting the company to support the club.
“It’s a crucial service in an area that needs it,” said Davies, who retired from the bank 19 years ago but still volunteers as a chef at some of the club’s fundraisers.
In the 1960s, the facility was renamed the San Pablo Salesian Boys’ Club. In 1991, the name was changed to the West Contra Costa Salesian Boys and Girls Club. And in 2023, the program became the West County Salesian Youth Club.
In the early 1990s, the club expanded into a gymnasium that was there. It now sits on a lot bordered on three sides by the private high school, Richmond High School and J.O. Ford Elementary School. A neighborhood of working-class homes is across the street.
The Salesians are a religious order of men connected to the Catholic Church. Five of the Youth Club’s 25 board members are Salesians, but Arriaga said the club’s programs don’t contain religious-oriented subject matter.
Arriaga started working at the club in 2018 before being promoted to executive director two years ago.
“It’s great to be part of a program that helps the community I grew up in,” he said.
A wide variety of summer activities
A few days before the club’s summer program began, dozens of children were busy in a host of rooms, supervised by older teens and young adults. The kids were in constant motion and expressing their excitement.
In a classroom behind a dark curtain, a dozen children were at play. A trio was engaged with Uno cards. Another group was busy with an art project. Two young boys, Kenzo and Rey, were building a house and a car out of Magna-Tiles. (Richmondside agreed to only use young children’s first names to protect their privacy.)
Natalie Gaspar, a youth specialist, said she hopes to teach kindergarten one day and figured working there would be a valuable experience.
She said she likes to split the children’s time between organized activities, such as circle time, and free time to do what they want.
“They’re very active,” Gaspar said. “I like talking to them.”
Not too far away other children were spread out in a large activities area. Nicholas and Barkot were playing pool. The boys attend different schools in Richmond but met at the club.
“There’s a lot of fun activities here and people I can talk to,” noted Barkot.
A darkened video game room nearby offered space for children to lounge in soft cushioned chairs while either playing games or watching other kids work some electronic magic. Much of the equipment here has been donated, and there are time limits on using it.
In the art room, three elementary-age girls were making mini-sculptures out of tiny beads. Kehlani said she and her friends, Michelle and Camila, enjoy this part of the building.
“It’s fun and we get to make art,” she said.
Watching over them was Megan Zamora, a Richmond High School student who has been coming to the club since she was a first-grader. This summer, she’s now a part-time coordinator.
“I like helping out the kids,” she commented.
Next door was a music room with eight guitars, three pianos and a drum set. Arriaga said children can sign up for free lessons.
At 2 p.m., all the children head to the gym for snacks and to play sports of their choice.
A handful of students sat in the bleachers while they ate and talked while the rest were on the court, shooting basketballs.
Another contingent headed outside and scampered to the Salesian baseball field for a game of kickball.
“We like to utilize all of our areas,” Arriaga said.
Making the most of a limited budget
The club definitely does a lot with a little. Its annual budget is about $430,000. Program fees make up only a small portion of the revenue. The rest comes from grants, fundraising, donations, sponsorships and community support. Mechanics Bank still donates annually, and Richmond Sanitary (now Republic Services) is another long-time backer.
Other groups also pitch in. A new gym floor installed in 2019 was funded by the Golden State Warriors, Chase Bank and others.
The club has just two full-time employees: Arriaga and program director Caleb Maldonado. They employ two part-time activity coordinators during the school year and four during the summer, relying on volunteers to help fill in the gaps.
The Richmond YouthWORKS program also provides some assistance, assigning some of their teen members to work at the club.
“We do the best with what we have,” Arriaga said.
The club also coordinates with other similar programs, including the Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL) and the Richmond Youth Space for Empowerment (RYSE) center.
In the end, Arriaga said the club aims to provide a place where parents can rest assured that their children are safe and engaged in fun activities.
“It’s a place where parents can drop off their kids and they don’t have to worry,” Arriaga said.
“It’s an extension of the family,” added Ziesenhenne. “It’s like dropping your kids off at your sister’s house.”
Verry nice. This club has been a godsend to the area. many kids have gone and I would like to see a story about Mr. Eddie & jan Menosse, with there family, Eddie was callled pops by many of the students who knew him. Be was among the Largest donors and benefactors of the club. of course, Republic Services, Chevron, However Eddie was there from the beginning . He just recently passed away. He & his family were at each event.