Afew years ago a group of friends and family of the late Wally Bowe gathered outside the Salesian Boys & Girls Club in East Boston to officially rename the corner of Byron and Bennington Streets ‘Wally Bowe Corner’.
The street sign is a testament to the work Bowe did inside the Club prior to his untimely death–shaping the lives of Eastie’s youth during a career that spanned several decades at the Boys & Girls Club and the former Savio High School.
It was recently announced that on November 24 the Salesians will make Bowe an honorary Alumnus of Savio.
“I am beyond excited to let everybody know that we will be making Wally Bowe an honorary Alumnus of Savio,” said Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Michael Triant. “Wally was such an amazing person and mentor to so many young people at both Savio and The Salesian Boys & Girls Club. I know countless young men and women that would not be where they are in life today without his influence. This is a great way for us to continue honoring the man Wally was.”
Bowe’s influence was felt all throughout Eastie from Jeffries Point to Eagle Hill to Orient Heights.
It was at the Boys & Girls Club, first on Paris Street and later on Byron Street, and at Savio High
Bowe made his biggest impact where hundreds and hundreds of young people were influenced by him.
Bowe was 14 years old when he started working at the Boys & Girls Club. He loved helping kids. For Bowe, it wasn’t about money and it wasn’t about prestige but about giving back to the kids in the community, many of whom he was like a father-figure.
In his early years at the club the Paris Street location was open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. On the seventh day Bowe, on his day off, would take a bunch of kids to a park or to Salisbury Beach in the summer.
Bowe died suddenly in 2010 at the age of 53 years old but his memory lives on through the Wally Bowe fund that continues to help support Boys & Girls Club programs. The Wally Bowe Fund not only keeps his memory alive but also continues the good work he did every day as a coach, teacher and role model for local youth.