Only a vacant lot remains where the Terlingua Boys and Girls Club meeting place once stood.

The building, which belonged to Brewster County, was demolished to make room for the South County Emergency Response Center. The club welcomes "10 to 25 kids most days," and the building was open year-round with few exceptions, according to Bonnie Hill, a representative for the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club. Fewer kids come to the club during the summer, Hill said, because many of them leave the area.

In searching for a new meeting place, the group discovered that rebuilding could cost around $250,000.

"I would love to build a green building," Hill said, adding that it would be "self-sustaining with water and energy."

In the meantime, the club will take anything, including portable classrooms. Land near the local baseball field, which is also owned by the Boys and Girls Club, provides a possible spot for a new building. It's a safer place for children than the old location, near a state highway.

"The main thing is to get kids something to do," Hill said. Except for school activities and local sports games, there is nothing for kids to do except "hang out."

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America allocates money to the Terlingua chapter, and grants have supplied additional funding. Hill said that the group plans to request more grant money to help with a new facility. Money raised from the baseball concession stand is also going toward the building fund.

Residents of Terlingua have their own ideas about who should take responsibility for the new clubhouse.

"The state of Texas should be able to replace the Boys and Girls Club," said Keith Chapman, a coach for the 11- and 12-year-olds baseball team.

In addition to their fundraising efforts, the organization is seeking help from Brewster County officials, but county officials say they are strapped for cash.

"The county cannot do the building for them," said Kathy Killingsworth, Precinct 2 county commissioner and superintendent of Terlingua schools. "It is their responsibility to find the money to build a new building."

Killingsworth added that the organization has contacted Brewster County about site preparation for a new building, but nothing has been decided yet.

Right now the group has nowhere to meet, and activities need to be up and running "ASAP," according to Hill.

"These are wonderful kids that need a chance," she said.

HOW TO HELP

>> If you would like to donate money to the Terlingua Boys and Girls Club or help with a new facility, contact Bonnie Hill at 432-371-3078.