On November 8th, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield will host their 4th Annual Gala at the Danversport Yacht Club. They will rechristen the event the Bill Chetwynd Memorial Gala after Board Member & Wakefield Club Founder William Chetwynd.
His daughter Lauralyn Chetwynd & granddaughter Brittney commented “Bill was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, a friend. He was also an activist, a leader, a mentor, and a confidante. He believed that children are our greatest resource and that investing in them is the only way to a bright future. He was passionate about the mission of the Boys and Girls Club and was so proud to be a part of it. We are proud of him and honored by this recognition.”
This year the Clubs will also be honoring Wakefield Firm C-4 Analytics, the Houghton Family of Stoneham, and the McGrail Family of Wakefield.
Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield Adam Rodgers described the honorees as partners “who have made a significant difference in the lives of young people.”
“We often talk about how our best-in-class strategies set us apart, but really, what makes the biggest difference is our people,” said Michael Weiss, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at C-4 Analytics. “We’ve worked hard to establish and build upon a culture of collaboration and teamwork at C-4, and we’re proud that our team’s desire to give back and help others extends to our community. The relationship we’ve formed with the Boys & Girls Club over the past several years is truly special, and we look forward to contributing more to the good work they do in the future.”
These sentiments were echoed by Attorney Brian McGrail who commented, “The McGrail family is honored to be recognized by the Boys & Girls Club. Our father, the late Richard J. McGrail, would be so proud. He served as Wakefield’s Veterans Agent for approximately 35 years providing guidance and services to countless veterans and their families in times of need. He set a high bar of civic engagement and helping others for his six children who were all raised in Wakefield and attended the public schools. The Boys & Girls Club is the epitome of caring for and helping others by providing invaluable services and resources to the children of our communities. We are humbled by the Boys & Girls Club’s recognition of our family.”
However, it is the Houghton Family that has the longest history with the Boys & Girls Clubs. The family commented “Our family has a legacy of community service, civic engagement, and philanthropy. This value was instilled and modeled in the family by Frances and Robert Houghton the mother and father of Karen, Janice, Charlie, and Katherine. While Janice and Charlie focused on serving and significantly contributing to the local and surrounding areas of Stoneham their hometown, Karen after working at the Boys and Girls Club moved North and worked in the human services area with children in need. Katherine committed herself to the field of higher education administration which provided opportunities for national and international service to others. In summary, the Houghton family has been fortunate to be able to continue the family tradition of civic engagement and community service locally, nationally, and globally.”
For the past 3 years nearly 350 guests attended the event and heard powerful testimonials from current and former members of the Clubs. They heard inspiring stories about overcoming abandonment, abuse, addiction, bullying, and more. All the stories had one theme in common: how the Clubs in Stoneham & Wakefield helped them during very difficult times.
Other than hearing testimonials – guests will bid on auction items from vacation homes to sports tickets/memorabilia, enjoy a gourmet dinner, and hear about the Clubs’ plans for the future.
To learn more, sponsor, and/or purchase tickets, please visit www.StonehamWakefieldGala.com.
