In the late 1990s, a group of community leaders recognized that Olympia was a state capital without a Boys & Girls Club. “How is that possible?” asked a core group including Steve Boone, who had experienced the clubs as a youth in Los Angeles. “Without Steve, it would not have started,” says Shellica Trevino, Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County CEO.
When speaking with Steve, he likes to listen to one of your stories or talk about classic cars. He is humble about his involvement with Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC). It is good to take a moment to recognize Steve’s years of steady support for the youth in our community.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County Started Small
“The club was deeply needed here,” says Shellica. The original group did feasibility studies, fundraised, and found its first site with the Tumwater School District. Steve saw the need, came onto the first board and has remained a member ever since. His adult daughter, Amee Kiefer, is the past president and his other daughter, Jen Foley, who now serves on the hospital board, also served on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County board. In 2000 the family established the Boone Family Foundation, which has been a steady supporter of the BGCTC. Making contributions of time, talents, and energy is part of the Boone family legacy.
The earliest days of the Club were conversations over breakfast and lunch meetings. “We had to find a place to put it,” recalls Steve, and there was not much money. The Tumwater School District became an early partner and offered two possible locations. One was a bus drivers’ lounge, and the other building was a bus garage. They would make it work.
The spaces were cleaned up with half the space as a gym and half as classrooms. In the fall of 2001, it opened for 20 children. Since then, it’s grown by leaps and bounds. For those who aren’t familiar with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County, it is a premiere youth-serving organization with nine clubs in Tumwater, Olympia, Lacey, Rochester, Tenino and Yelm. Nearly 1,900 youth from grades K-12 are engaged annually with BGCTC. The programs run out-of-school hours to offer programming to inspire service leadership, give academic enrichment and have healthy lifestyle activities.
Steve Boone’s Life Energy Ignites Others
Mike McKinnen Sr. is a life-long friend of Steve’s, going back to their days at Olympia High School. “We were on the Marque Committee and once a week put up the messages on the sign at Davis’s Brown Derby. He’s a wonderful friend,” says Mike. One day Steve stopped by Mike’s work to tell him about the need for a Boys & Girls Club in Olympia. “I learned about what they do. The clubs fill a niche after school for youth before the folks come home,” he adds. Steve masterfully enrolled his friend to not simply give a donation but to get involved. Mike served on the board, including time as president. They continue to be great friends and share their love of cars.
Steve Boone’s Love of Cars Comes From His Father
When Steve’s father, Ken Boone, returned from serving in WWII, he worked for Ford as a management trainee.“Dad changed jobs about every three years,” says Steve, who remembers the family’s frequent moves. His father had various positions with Ford in service, parts and sales. He was the new car manager in Montesano and later a new car manager in Portland. Ken was a comptroller at a large Ford store in downtown LA. When an opportunity in Yakima came up to buy a dealership, he partnered with a friend to buy it. After two years, Ken wanted to own his own place and found the Olympia location.
By this time, Steve was a young adult working at a bank in Seattle and was married to Michele. When the Olympia salespeople went on a strike, his father made a request that Steve move to Olympia to help him sell cars. “I liked it. I like talking to people,” says Steve, who not only stayed in the business but eventually bought the dealership from his father in 1980.
Steve also bought the Harley Davidson shop when it was out Pacific Avenue. “I rode a little,” he says remembering his small 175 cc motorcycle. He saw an opportunity and moved the business to the Capital Auto Mall. Later it was moved to its current location at Hawks Prairie. He sold the Ford dealership in 2000 and sold the Harley Davidson dealership in 2013.
Steve owned his first car in high school. He became interested in classic cars in his late 30s. “The first car I ever bought was a 19641/2 mustang convertible,” he says. “He still owns it, and over the years acquired a collection of other classic vehicles. Not surprisingly, he had interest in the Lemay cars and began serving on the board of Lemay America’s Car Museum from its inception.
Olympia’s Steve Boone Continues to Give Back in Retirement and Beyond
Steve and Michele raised their two daughters in Olympia. The Boones contribute to youth-centric agencies including Boy Scouts and the Hands On Children’s Museum. They support United Way Thurston County, which provides funds for many community organizations. He and Michele like to ski, travel and enjoy their grandchildren.
Thank you, Steve, for continuing to make a difference to our community.
