By William Tauro
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Middlesex County this past Wednesday evening featured interactive showcases of their Clubhouse programs, food, drink, music and a celebration of their founders: former Somerville Mayor Eugene Brune and his team.
The event also featured the Youth of the Year winners, and they were honored by their Community Partner of the year Tufts University, their Volunteer of the Year Mark Johnson from Modell’s Sporting Goods, and the Outstanding Service Award to Rick Wallwork of Boston Cares.
The Inspiration Celebration was hosted at the Microsoft N.E.R.D. Center at their beautiful location in Kendall Square, Cambridge overlooking the Charles River and Boston skyline.
The event included a wine raffles and silent auction as well.
Over two hundred people in attendance including Medford Mayor Mike McGlynn attended the event to honor the founders of the Club’s.
Former Mayor Gene Brune, a founder and 1st president of the Somerville Boys Club 44 years ago speaking for the several other founders remarked: “THIS IS A GREAT EVENING FOR ME AND FOR THOSE THAT COULD ATTEND THAT WERE PARTNERS IN OUR VENTURE 44 YEARS AGO TO BRING A BOYS CLUB TO SOMERVILLE.
ALOW ME TO INTRODUCE A FEW OF THEM TO YOU THAT COULD BE WITH US THIS EVENING
PETER ARDAGNA , ANNE KELLY, TONY RICCI, BOBBY COVINO, JERRY DI GIOVANNI AND TOM AND ELENOR KILLEEN AND NANCY ANDREWS REPRESENTING HER HUSBAND ANTHONY (BUDDY) ANDREWS.
SEVERAL OTHERS THAT ALSO PLAY A STRONG PART HAVE PASSED AWAY. LIVE OUT OF STATE , NOT IN GOOD HEALTH, OR THEY COULD NOT BE CONTACTED, OTHERS WISH THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN HERE BUT HAD PLANS THAT COULD NOT BE CHANGE.
WE WERE DETERMINED TO OPEN A BOYS CLUB IN SOMERVILLE BECAUSE IT WAS DESPERATELY NEEDED. WE HAD SO MANY CHILDREN THAT FOR SEVERAL REASONS NEEDED TO BE OFF THE STREETS AND DOING THINGS THAT COULD LEARN THEM NEW SKILLS HAVE FUN, AND TO BUILD CHARACTER.
SOON AFTER WE OPENED OUR DOORS WE HAD WELL OVER 200 KIDS AND AS TIME WENT ON WE WERE UP TO 500 CLUB MEMBERS. MANY OF THEM CAME FROM BROKEN HOMES, OTHERS DESTINE TO GET IN TROUBLE AND MANY THAT JUST WANTED TO BELONG TO SOMETHING. THEY JUST NEEDED A PLACE TO GO AND A PLACE TO GROW.
WHAT GREATER GIFT COULD WE GIVE TO THOSE CHILDREN. I KNOW THAT I SPEAK FOR ALL OF MY TEAM. IT WAS HARD WORK, WE GAVE OF OUR SELF OUR TIME AND OUR MONEY,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS WORTH DOING SO.
AGAIN, MY THANKS TO THOSE THAT WORKED WITH ME, TO THOSE WHO CAME IN SUPPORT OF US THIS EVENING AND SPECIAL THANKS TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY FOR REMEMBERING US.”
Founded in 1973 to serve 20 boys in Somerville, over the past 13 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middlesex County (BGCMC) has expanded its services to meet the needs of youth in the adjoining communities of Cambridge, Medford and Everett.
Today, BGCMC is a four-community, four-facility agency serving more than 1,500 at-risk youth and teens, ages 6 to 18, annually. Their mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as caring, productive and responsible citizens.
Sponsorship Opportunities are still available.
Please visit http://www.kidsclubs.org or contact Lindsay Smythe at (617)764-5958 orlsmythe@kidsclubs.org.
