Bob Felts Sr. Sports Field

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE SEQUOIAS CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING

of their brand-new sports field located at the Ivanhoe Boys & Girls Club on Thursday, November 15th, 2018. The sports field has been named in honor of Bob Felts Sr., who dedicated his life to community service and established the first youth center in Ivanhoe.

Bob Felts Sr. was born in North Carolina and attended Duke University School of Law. He moved to California with his wife, Pat Felts, where he passed the Bar Exam and began his work as an attorney. However, his true life passion was serving his community. Along with the help of Pat Felts and daughter-in-law Cindy Felts, Bob Felts successfully established the Ivanhoe Youth Center in 1999.

Felts served as director of the Youth Center and donated his legal services to the community as needed. When Felts developed Parkinson’s, he realized that he could no longer hold his position as director. He came into communication with Dr. Sid Frank, who facilitated the transfer of the Ivanhoe Youth Center to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias.

Since then, the Ivanhoe Boys & Girls Club has moved from the Presbyterian Church into a new building on 15892 Azalea Ave. After much community effort and construction, the empty lot and road in front of the Ivanhoe Club has been converted into a sports field.

Dustin Stewart, Second Vice President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias and lead on the project, views the sports field as “a new beginning” for the Ivanhoe community. Stewart helped gain the support of Tulare County in the construction of the field and particularly in the elimination of the road originally in front of the club.

STEWART SAYS, “THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY TO GIVE, IT’S LIMITLESS. WHATEVER YOUR GOD-GIVEN GIFT IS, SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE.”

Elva Solano, Site Director of the Ivanhoe Club, and her club kids canvassed the neighborhood to gain approval for the field. Thanks to many supportive community members, this project has received the necessary funding; now the community has a spacious, green area to call their own.

“I think the people of Ivanhoe will really enjoy having a place to meet and celebrate,” says Pat Felts.

Cindy Felts explains,

“BEFORE BOB HAD A VISION OF THE YOUTH CENTER, THERE REALLY WASN’T MUCH FOR THE KIDS IN IVANHOE OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL. BOB BROUGHT THAT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXTEND THAT.”