Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Honor Generational Youth Leaders at Annual Benefit
October 24, 2022th Mount Vernon, NY – The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon honored former Club Counselor and Executive Director Billy Thomas; former NBA Basketball star and Club Executive Director Lowes Moore, and Club Youth of the Year Jenae Brown at their annual Fall Gala on Thursday, October 20th at the Surf Club in New Rochelle, New York.
Billy Thomas received the The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Lifetime Legacy Award for his support for youth members in the greater Mount Vernon Community spanning over 75 years since he started in 1956 at the Boys Club of Mount Vernon, continuing as Executive Director, and for his lifetime of commitment to working with thousands of youth in his home city.
Lowes Moore was presented with the Champions of Youth Award for his career working with youth in Mount Vernon and throughout the New York metropolitan area. Lowes was a member of the Club in the early 1960’s and went on to play college basketball at West Virgina University and was enshrined in their Hall of Fame, and then starred in the NBA with the New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Diego Clippers, and then returned to serve as Executive Director with the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, and as a professional coach.
Jenae Brown was presented with the 2022-23 Youth of the Year Award. Jenae is currently enrolled at the Denzel Washington School of the Arts in Mount Vernon. Jenae was recognized for her work as a volunteer at the Club, for her academic achievements, and for her participation in Club Community Service projects. She was also recognized for her work as a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon Dream Chasers Keystone Club, a group of students who won the prestigious 2022 National Award for Teen Outreach from among 4,300 clubs around the world at the Boys & Girls Club of America’s National Keystone Conference held in Los Angeles, CA last July. This group of Club Teen members organized and led a march held earlier this year to protest violence and bring the Mount Vernon community together in the wake of the tragic murder of a Mount Vernon teen student.
The event was presented by the Lavan Family and was made possible through the support of donors and sponsors, including Diamond Sponsors Rob & Julie Potack, and Unitex; Gold level sponsors Powers Private Equity; William & Cheryl Geffon; and Simone Development Companies; and Silver sponsors Benchmark Title Agency, LLC; CBRE New York Tri-State Region; David & Laurie Lederman; Paraco Gas Corporation, and PCSB Bank. The music and entertainment was provided by Janelle Allbriton Jazz Ensemble and Jonavan Nolan and Miguel Cabrera, and was sponsored by Daniel Bernstein and Munoz & Munoz Insurance Consultants.
“Mere words cannot fully express what these honorees have meant to our Club as role models for our members.” said Mel Campos, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon. “Seeing the community come together last night to support them reminds us of what they mean to our city, and we look forward to continuing our work with these special people who span generations of alumni who have come through our doors at the Club.”
The event also featured a guest appearance by former New York Yankees catcher and post-season hero Jim Leyritz, and a performance by the Mount Vernon dance team The Revelators. All funds raised by this event support programs and resources provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon. For more information on how to support the Club, visit bgcmvny.org.
About The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon
The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon offers after school programs for over 1,400 youth in the Mount Vernon community to help them learn and grow in a safe, fun, educational environment. Every day, their dedicated, highly trained staff and volunteers serve youth members with a wide variety of engaging, interactive activities and programs to help them improve their self- esteem, develop positive values, and achieve their highest potential in academic success. The Mission of the Boys & Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. For more information, contact Mel Campos, Chief Executive Officer, at 914 668-9580 mcampos@bgcmvny.org or visit bgcmvny.org.