Brief History of Olivet

Olivet Boys Club was founded in 1898 by newspaper publisher, William McCormick. As he traveled throughout the city, he saw unsupervised youth participating in negative activities. He rented a hall and invited the boys to participate in organized recreation, education, and guidance programs. One of the locations they met at was the Olivet Presbyterian Church, from which our name came from. The Clinton Street Club (Club #1) was built in 1910 and the Mulberry Street Club (Club #4) opened in 1914. The Clinton Street Pool was built in 1927. Olivet was one of the founding members of Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1906.

After the passing of Mr. McCormick, the Club operated two locations until 1990. Both buildings were renovated in the 1970’s. Olivet officially became co-ed and changed our name to Olivet Boys & Girls Club in 1990, the same year our Oakbrook Club opened. In 1992, Olivet acquired the YWCA of Reading and Blue Mountain Camp in Hamburg. Olivet celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 1998, and in 2006, participated in the Centennial Celebration of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

As Olivet entered the new millennium, a merger took place with the PAL of Greater Reading in 2005. We entered a period of growth over the next 15 years by reaching previously underserved areas of our community through targeted outreach programs.

Today, under the guidance of an all-star Board of Directors and the leadership of a CEO who spent his childhood as an Olivet Club Kid, we strive to meet our original goals of recreation, education, and guidance, while adapting to the current needs of our community.