The Salesians Boys & Girls Club in East Boston celebrated its 15-year partnership with the Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub in Revere. The celebration and fundraiser generated $1,200 for the Boys & Girls Club. The night also marked the anniversary of the restaurant’s Revere location.
During the anniversary event, guests enjoyed a spirited game of trivia and participated in a commemorative ceremony that honored the restaurant’s longstanding team members that have worked to promote Salesians’ programs.
Funds were raised for the Boys & Girls Club through raffle ticket sales and a percentage of the restaurant’s total net sales that entire day were donated. Scott Drago, General Managing Partner of the Revere Ninety Nine Restaurant, proudly presented the check to the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston.
“We are proud to celebrate 15 years of serving great food and drink to our guests and are passionate about giving back to the community in whatever way we can,” said General Managing Partner of the Revere Ninety Nine Restaurant Scott Drago. “We fully support the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston and look forward to continuing that relationship for years to come.”
Salesians Director, Father John Nazzaro said that the Boys & Girls Club staff has been able to move mountains with very little funding and by charging kids that attend a very nominal yearly fee so every donation counts.
Nazzaro, who grew up in Eastie and knows the neighborhood, has been running the Boys & Girls Club inside the former Savio Hall with tremendous success.
After Savio closed, the Boys & Girls Club officially moved its headquarters from the big brick building on Paris Street up to Orient Heights. It’s a new location and took some time getting used to but the results have been nothing short of amazing.
“We were lucky we got 60 to 80 kids a day at Paris Street,” said Nazzaro. “Now we’re getting 150 to over 200 children.”
The 150 to 200 children who show up daily do so primarily for the Boys & Girls Club’s after school program that costs local families a very modest $20 for the entire year. The club also runs a summer program for kids and teens that is only $120 per week.
“The program serves children ages 6 to 19 from 2:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday,” said Nazzaro. “We offer computers, after school held, homework help, sports, art and crafts and provide snack every day at 5:15 p.m.”
The Boys & Girls Club has had a longstanding partnership with the Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub, New England’s first locally based casual restaurant chain, established in 1952 at 99 State Street in Boston.
Each month the Salesians and the Ninety Nine Restaurant honor the Boys & Girls Club’s standout participant with a free luncheon that encourages more club members to aspire to receive the honor.