SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - The Boys and Girls Club of Summerside and Forbes Kennedy will always be connected.
Club executive director Adam Binkley said there were times when finances were tight at the club during the past 15 years. Every time club officials called Kennedy to see if he would help out with a gala, golf tournament, alumni hockey game or other fundraiser, the response was quick.
“You were always there,” Binkley told a sold-out crowd Wednesday for the launch of a new book, entitled “Forbie”. “You supported our club 100 per cent.”
The club now has 30 full-time staff, 60-plus seasonal workers, 41 programs and more than 4,000 members annually.
The club opened the Consolidated Credit Union Youth Engagement Centre in 2016 near the club’s home. The non-profit organization is now undergoing about a $1-million renovation project to its main building. They are partnering with the Canadian Armed Forces to complete the project, which is expected to be done around February.
When complete, the club will have a special place in Kennedy’s honour on the lower level.
“One of the rooms is going to be named the Forbie Kennedy Homework Heroes Educational Centre,” Binkley announced. “The slogan of the centre is where hard work pays off and it couldn't be named after a better person.”
The club received $4,000 from the proceeds of Wednesday’s book launch and silent auction, which it will use to outfit the Kennedy room.
Kennedy was appreciative of the announcement and grateful he could assist them along the way.
“Everything (Binkley) did was right from the heart.”
A ribbon cutting for the new room is scheduled to take place July 15 in conjunction with its annual golf tournament and gala.
