In partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS), Fiesta Bowl Charities celebrated the opening of a newly-renovated Community Resource Room at the Peach Springs branch of BGCS.

The Community Resource Room fosters a sense of connection and support designed to serve as a safe space for local youth and teens in Peach Springs. The revamped room includes additional seating and tables for collaborative activities, a dedicated area to showcase their art, new electronics including a television, Nintendo Switch, two virtual reality headsets and more. A 12x10 foot mural representing the Hualapai people, The People of the Tall Pines, decorates an interior wall of the resource room, painted by Native American artist Leonard Siyuja.

"Fiesta Bowl Charities is proud to join forces once again with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale to bring this innovative Community Resource Room to the Hualapai Tribe in Peach Springs, Arizona.” said Kristina Chumpol, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Community Investment at Fiesta Bowl. “We believe in the transformative power of community collaboration, and know that this space will deliver a positive, lasting impact on the lives of youth and families in this vibrant community.”

The unveiling of the Community Resource Room is another step toward Fiesta Bowl’s mission to spread community impact to every corner of Arizona. Local youth and teens will utilize the upgraded space as a hub to gather and engage in fun recreational activities that will strengthen their connection to each other and their community.

“As we celebrate this achievement, we anticipate the positive ripple effect the new room will have on the Peach Springs community and our ability to attract more area teens to the Club,” said Ivan Gilreath, President & CEO, BGCS. “We are thrilled to be part of this initiative and look forward to witnessing the transformative journey that unfolds within these walls, empowering the youth we serve to reach their full potential.”

This collaboration between Fiesta Bowl Charities, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona marks a significant milestone in the ongoing combined efforts to uplift the community, promote well-being and provide a solid foundation for Arizona youth. This is the fifth resource room that Fiesta Bowl Charities and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have renovated together in the last five years. Through the partnership, Fiesta Bowl and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have also created the Empowering Diversity Scholarship and set a Guinness World Record for the largest game of Freeze Tag.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Fiesta Bowl Charities and together we share a mission of enhancing the lives of Arizonans. We are proud to be a partner in another resource room renovation that will surely serve as a valuable asset for Peach Springs children and teens, and bring vital resources and support to them,” said Christine Bracamonte, Staff Vice President, Community & Health Advancement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.



ABOUT THE FIESTA BOWL

Since 1971, the Fiesta Bowl is a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans during and outside of college football bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision for the importance of community outreach and service. Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl and its year-round events, such as the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the organization provides charitable giving to enhance Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through youth, sports and education.


ABOUT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA

Blue Cross ® Blue Shield ® of Arizona (AZ Blue) is committed to helping Arizonans get healthier faster and stay healthier longer. With a mission to inspire health and make it easy, AZ Blue offers health insurance and related services to nearly 2 million customers. AZ Blue, a non-profit company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The company and its subsidiaries employ nearly 3,000 people in its Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson offices. To learn more, visit azblue.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.?



ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER SCOTTSDALE

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) serves thousands of youth at nine locations within the communities of Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Mesa, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Hualapai Nation. Research shows that when compared to their peers, Club members have a higher interest in pursuing STEM careers, volunteer more in their local communities and are more physically active. No matter the circumstances that bring a child to us, our youth development professionals help them set and achieve personal, academic, and creative goals. We work to prove that every kid has what it takes to succeed. Great futures start here.

Photo credit: Taeler Gomez