Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) set the table for another year of community service during its 15th Annual Table for 4 Luncheon Thursday April 27 at St. Louis City SC’s CityPark.
The event raised $150,000 and Flint W. Fowler, president and CEO said the luncheon “is always energizing because it allows us to connect with so many friends who are committed to the growth and development of girls and young women.”
“Your support means that our members will have access to programs and services that will help them develop the capacities they need to succeed.”
CityPark’s location was once a thriving Black community called Mill Creek Valley. It was cleared under a city “urban renewal” plan.
Vivian Gibson, a former resident of Mill Creek Valley and author of the memoir, “The Last Children of Mill Creek,” was the event’s keynote speaker.
She spoke about her experiences growing up as a young girl in Mill Creek Valley with eight siblings, and detailed a program she inspired called BGCSTL’s SMART Girls Program.
“It offers a curriculum that helps to develop healthy attitudes and healthy lifestyles mastering social, emotional, and physical challenges of growing up for young girls,” she said.
Gibson said her “S” would stand for sisters because she had four older sisters, who she received hand me down clothes and lots of sound advice from.
Her “M” stood for her mother who was a stay-at-home mother and ensured she and her siblings were set up for success.
Her “A” stood for art because her mother was an artist and she encouraged them to be creative and make their own creations.
Her “R” stood for recreation because she played outside a lot and learned the value of self- directed play.
Her “T” stood for teamwork as she and her siblings worked together and learned the art of negotiating, planning, and compromising.
“My experiences and relationships helped to shape and different modes of community followed me,” Gibson said.
2023 Youth of the Year Zhariah Davis told the audience she aspires to become a biomedical engineer and enjoys the SMART Girls Program because it helped boost her self confidence.
“I love being a part of the Boys and Girls Club,” Davis said.
“Interacting and getting to know kids of different backgrounds and ages played a big role increasing my confidence and better developing my social skills.”
Ismail Botchway and Jiyu Zhang, members of the club’s St. Louis Internship Program, were each presented $1,000 scholarships for their award winning essays.
Botchway was awarded with the Dr. Flint W. & June McAllister Fowler Award for volunteerism & leadership. His winning essay discussed how he used the skills he gained from the program in helping himself and his peers feel safe after the tragic Central Visual Performing Arts School shooting on Oct. 24, 2022.
“After the tragic shooting at my high school [Central Visual Performing Arts School], I used my leadership and team-building skills to help students feel safe during this tragic time,” Botchway said in his essay.
“I was able to use my voice to reach out and support not only my friends but any student in my school to let them know I was there for them.”
Zhang was awarded with the Dr. Joan Silber Award for volunteerism & leadership. Her essay detailed her experience of immigrating to America at the age of six.
“My journey to achieving English fluency was a strenuous one that involved self-driven studying with resources from public libraries and guidance from various support groups,” Zhang said in her essay.
2023 Table for 3 Guest of Honor, Carolyn Kindle, St. Louis City SC CEO and president and her family have been associated with BGCSTL for three generations. Her affiliation with the club started when she was in high school.
“[It was] one of the best experiences I ever had,” Kindle said.
“Thank you to the Boys and Girls Club for allowing a senior in high school who thought she knew everything to come spend a month learning about all the great things inside and out that the Boys and Girls club does.”
LaVicki Hart and Karen Middleton of BGCSTL’s Women’s Leadership Circle encouraged other women in the room to donate $1,000 and secure membership. Women’s Leadership connects women business and community leaders to BCGSTL’s mission in changing the lives of youth, especially young girls.
“As a member, you can connect with dynamic women to support and mentor girls at the club,” Hart said. “A lot of young girls [like our special young girls with us today] that need us. When women come together and lift each other up great things happen.”
“We are proud of our heritage in the field of youth development,” Fowler said.
“Our focus on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles help to ensure our members graduate from high school with a plan for their life with the credentials needed to embark upon their post-secondary interests.”
