BGC Wolf Creek celebrates 25-year anniversary

PONOKA -- BGC Wolf Creek is celebrating its 25th anniversary of supporting local youth.

The organization was founded in Ponoka back in 2001 and within two years was offering multiple programs and services to local youth. Their mandate over their quarter-century in the community has been to provide safe, supportive spaces where children and youth can experience new opportunities, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and life skills. Executive Director Beth Reitz says the organization continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

"Society is changing and what kids need is changing," said Reitz. "It's challenging, sometimes it can be discouraging, but at the end of the day we just have to come back to the fact that what we do matters, and we are very supported in our communities."

Originally opening exclusively in Ponoka, BGC Wolf Creek now also serves local youth across the region in Rimbey, Lacombe, and Blackfalds. A community event was held in September to celebrate their 25-years of service as several former youth who had accessed the organization's services in the past were on hand to share their positive experiences.

"It's really encouraging to hear that what we set out to do, is exactly what happened," said Reitz. "Their kids are now attending our programs, so now we're seeing a second-generation of kids coming to the youth centre. That to me, having been here the whole time, is really rewarding."

Beth Reitz was one of the initial members of the Ponoka Youth Centre when it first launched its operations many years ago, and has seen the organization grow with new events and expanded programming. In 2003, they offered three programs for local youth, and ten years later they had expanded to 15 programs and nearly 16,000 youth visits annually. Reitz says that one of the key moments for BGC Wolf Creek was when they moved into their current location in 2006. 

"When we were able to obtain this building from the Wolf Creek School Division in Ponoka, it really was the turning point," said Reitz. "We were operating out of three different spots prior to that, and so being able to have such a centrally located building where kids know that it's the place to go, that was a really pivotal change for us." 

BGC Wolf Creek continued to grow its overall impact in the community throughout the progression of the 2010's. In 2013, the organization was presented with a provincial crime prevention award, and two years later they won the Ponoka Chamber of Commerce's Non-Profit of the Year award. 

Even through the early COVID years, the organization pressed forward with 22 programs and nearly 17,000 youth visits in Ponoka. In 2025, they set a record for the highest program attendance in their history with 35,737 across all locations.