Fall Newsletter 2024

Hello Halima,

We hope you are enjoying this special time of year! As the calendar has flipped to Fall, we are pleased to see the smiles on the faces of the children who have come through our doors for our Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Afterschool Program. 

Our staff is excited to see some new faces join others who have returned as they are prepared to help them with their studies and build social skills to move on to the next step in their journey to adulthood, and for our teens, we hope to improve our on-time graduation rate of 97%.

In this edition of our newsletter, we recap some of the many special educational and recreational events and programs we offered this past summer, and share news about upcoming events. We are very excited about our lineup of honorees for our annual Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Annual Gala on September 19th and invite you to reserve your place at the Surf Club on the Sound in New Rochelle. We also shine a light on our Featured Community Partner and Alumni, and welcome volunteers who have stepped forward to help our staff continue to make a difference in the lives of so many youth and their families here in Mount Vernon. 

Despite the ongoing challenges we face, with hard work and tremendous effort, our counselors and staff will shine a light on the pathway forward to help our kids flourish in this uniquely special place.

We hope we can count on you to help us continue in our mission: to enable all young people - especially those who need us most - to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.

As always, you are welcome to visit us at the Club to spend some time seeing our kids and staff engage in the many educational and fun experiences we offer them. Until then, please visit our website at BGCMVNY.org and Follow us on our social media for updates and breaking news.

Thank you for your continued support!

Warm regards,

Club Teens Attend Summit for America’s Youth in Washington, D.C.

Three BCGMV teens participated in the Boys and Girls Club of America’s Youth Conference in Washington D.C. from July 10-15th, along with 340 Club members from around the U.S. 

Carlos Garcia, Jomo Mendy and Amara Brown were joined by our Education Assistant Carolyn Richardson and CEO Mel Campos as they visited with members of the New York State Congress and Senate. It was a very informative educational experience for these aspiring members of our Teen Program! 

Kids Enjoy Summer Days in the Bronx 

A summer camp is never complete without a trip to iconic venues right here in our backyard, and our kids really enjoyed their trip to Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo.

Ray Negron, best selling author, producer and former NY Yankee batboy who went on to become a New York Yankees Executive, hosted our group at The Stadium.

Media Day- Kids Tour Studio

BGCMV arranged for our kids to experience an exciting field trip to a local media company and radio station, Bronxnet, where they had the opportunity to explore the world of radio broadcasting.

The kids got up close and personal with professional radio hosts and production studio operators who demonstrated how their radio equipment works and learning how it works behind the scenes. They also engaged in insightful conversations with the station’s crew, gaining valuable knowledge about the industry, from programming to on-air techniques. The experience sparked their curiosity and enthusiasm for media, inspiring some to consider future careers in broadcasting. 

A special thanks to Bronxnet CEO Michael Max Knobbe and his team for hosting our newly inspired Club members! 

Garden Club Grows Kids Learning Experience

 

In response to the rise in violence among youth in Mount Vernon following the pandemic, the Greater Hudson Valley Links, media celebrity Sunny Hostin, Karen St.Vil, Perri McKinney and Club Board Member Laura Lavan worked with us to create a Healing Garden for children where our kids can reflect and relax.

This summer, our kids enjoyed getting their hands dirty as they cultivated flowers and vegetables they planted earlier this year during the spring, and created and maintained a butterfly habitat enclosure.

We are so pleased to see them reap the fruits of their labor over the summer, and look forward to continuing our partnerships with volunteers, local businesses and other nonprofit organizations who support our youth programs and help our members learn valuable lessons about harvesting, spending time with their friends, the health benefits of gardening, sustainability and more.

For more information about volunteering, please contact Halima Penny hpenny@bgcmvny.org.

BGCMV Annual Fall Gala Next Week: Will You Be There? 

We are so excited to be with our community as we prepare to gather for our Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Fall Gala this coming Thursday, September 19th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the beautiful Surf Club on the Sound! 

Please join us for an unforgettable evening, as we honor Jack McArdle with our Leadership Award; Sarah Reynolds with our Community Service Award; Youth of the Year Carlos Garcia; and Lonnie Webb with our Club Alumni Award. 

The excitement continues to build as sponsors and donors are showing their support, but we have yet to hit our goal. You can purchase tickets today by clicking here or contact Jay Andronaco, BGCMV Director of Development about sponsorship opportunities at 914.668.9580/cell 203.415.9336 or jandronaco@bgcmvny.org.

Hope to see you next week! 

Spotlight on Club Alumni: Lonnie Webb

In this edition of our newsletter, we shine a bright light on a very special Club kid turned success story, Lonnie Webb.

Lonnie Webb became a member of the Club when he was just eight years old, and he fondly remembers spending much of his formative years here. Still friends with a number of Club peers, Lonnie enjoyed playing basketball and looked up to older members like Lowes Moore and Gus Williams, who both went on to star in the NBA.

Lonnie continued to grow in Mount Vernon and was a member of the Mount Vernon High School State Champion Basketball Team in 1978. After high school, he attended St. Lawrence University and worked in the United States Bankruptcy Court for 22 years. He since retired from legal work and has run a successful freelance photography and photobooth businesses since 2017.

Lonnie is the official photographer of Mount Vernon High School’s basketball team, and he primarily works with schools. He’s also worked with MSG Varsity and often shoots special events as well. While running two businesses keeps him busy, Lonnie enjoys working out and spending time with his family, who are spread across New York and other states. He lives in New Rochelle. 

“The Club became my refuge growing up, and it became my second home. Going there after school is the one thing I looked forward to every single day. Mount Vernon has always been a hotbed for inspiration, and my mentors at the Club guided me to fulfill my goals.

I am so thankful for all of the people at the Club who I thank for helping me become the man I have become.” 

Lonnie Webb, Professional Photographer

Lonnie will be honored with the BGCMV Alumni Award at this year's Annual Gala this coming Thursday, September 19th at the Surf Club on the Sound in New Rochelle. We hope you join us as we salute him on an amazing career and recall his time growing up at the Club!

Spotlight on Community Partner: Mario Bruni

There are not many local businesses that dive right in when you ask them for a little help, and one that comes to mind is a company familiar to just about everyone here at the Club and in the greater Westchester area.

Bruni & Campisi has served customers in Westchester, Rockland and Connecticut for over 45 years as one of the largest Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning service companies in the Tri-State area, and under the leadership of one of our more hands-on, committed Board members, Mario Bruni, they stepped up in a big way when he joined us over 15 years ago.

Although Mario has announced that he may soon retire from Bruni and Campisi, we are pleased to share he will continue to serve and support us with his heart and positive attitude. As a founding owner Mario was in a unique position to help us, and his team of technicians upgraded our heating system, added air conditioning, and made other plumbing repairs and upgrades, including repairing our bleachers.

“ I was introduced to the Club by an old friend and fellow Board Member, Joe Solimine, and I soon came to understand what the Club stood for, and recognized its role in the community to positively impact the children of Mount Vernon. When I joined the Board, the Club was housed in an older building that needed a great deal of repair and upgrades and the Club was in dire financial straits, struggling to survive. I recognized that we could help. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to assist the Club and in our small way have a positive influence on the kids of Mount Vernon. It’s such an honor to work alongside the dedicated Club staff and see first-hand the positive influence they have on the kids of Mount Vernon. Their work is critically important to the community. They say it takes a Village to raise a child. Well it takes a Club like the BGCMV to support the Village in doing so. The BGCMV IS a great place that has a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the young people of Mount Vernon at a time in their lives when they need it most.”    

Mario Bruni, President, Bruni & Campisi

We are forever grateful for Mario and his company, for giving so much to the Club, and look forward to working with him to support our kids continue on their way to a Bright Future!  

Club End of Summer Celebration

On Friday August 9th we brought to a close a very successful 2024 Summer Program. The campers had a fabulous seven weeks learning and having fun. Our year end celebration included a luncheon sponsored by Honey Baked Ham and their CEO Rosa Ramirez. Over 130 people, including our staff and member families ended the summer on a high note with a delicious BBQ.

We appreciate the generosity of Rosa and wish to also recognize our own Ms. Halima Penny, who led the planning and setup for this special day, and to our volunteers who stepped up to make it one memorable season in the sun!

After School Program Returns This Fall    

The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon offers a safe, enjoyable, and educational place for children to spend their time after school. Our After School Program provides homework help, a healthy snack, a hot meal, and daily physical activity, as well as mentoring and guidance to children from ages 6 – 13. To participate in our After School and Specialty Programs, parents must register their children to become a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Vernon. For more information click here or call us at 914-668-9580.

Wednesday, September 4th

First Day After School Program '24/'25 

Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon

Thursday, September 19th

BGCMVNY Annual Gala

Surf Club, New Rochelle, New York

Thursday, November 16th

Thanksgiving Community Dinner

Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon

Friday, December 15th

Holiday Celebration

Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon