Gary Miller introduced Sam Gray. Gary had heard him speak as a part of his own involvement with the Canton Boys and Girls Clubs.
1. Mr. Gray's Biography:
Samuel S. Gray, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of the country’s first Boys & Girls Clubs organization, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford (BGCH). Promoted to this position in October of 2007, Gray is responsible for providing leadership for all aspects of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, which annually provides youth in Hartford with quality after-school and non-school hours programming. He recently led his Board and key stakeholders in raising more than $20M to build a new Boys & Girls Club in Hartford’s South End community. The South End Clubhouse opened in the Fall of 2021.
Gray began his career with the Boys & Girls Clubs movement in 1991, serving as Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Richmond, VA. In his 31 years as a Boys & Girls Club Professional, Gray has worked in numerous program and management capacities in Richmond, Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Gray received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Albertus Magnus College. He also received his Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership from Albertus Magnus College. He is a Woodruff Fellow through Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Gray has also received Executive Leadership certificates from Clemson University and Harvard University. He also received a certificate from the University of Georgia’s Sherpa Executive Leadership program.
Gray is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and is currently the Vice Polemarch of the Hartford Alumni Chapter. He entered in fall of 2017 with the Hartford Alumni Chapter as the only initiate on its line. He truly lives a life equal to the fundamental purpose of the Fraternity which is achievement.
Gray has been associated with Boys & Girls Clubs since the age of eight. He believes that his journey as a club member to a youth development ambassador is a gift. He challenges youth to dream and exposes them to things they may not otherwise be exposed, to become productive, responsible, caring citizens in our community. What he cherished the most is his responsibility as a father. He can be best described as a caring and supportive father to his three sons, Marcus, Myles and Mason. He balances his work life to ensure that he is an example and visible in his son's life. Gray wants the best for his son’s and challenges them to be better than he is.
2. In his opening comments, Mr. Sam Gray said he "is still having fun after working with the Boys & Girls Clubs for over 32 years. The Hartford Club was the country's very first, founded in 1860. Since then many thousands of kids have benefited from its programming, now for for over 162 years." He immediately presented a short video portraying kids and adults interacting within the Clubs. The messages within the video were:
I said Yes and the rest is history;
Be involved, Be here;
Yes grows, Yes teaches;
Be a friend, Be connected;
Yes lifts, Yes provides;
Be a mentor, Be a volunteer;
Great things happen when you say Yes!
At the conclusion of the video, Mr. Gray said: "I'm hoping upon the conclusion of my presentation today that you too will say yes!" Continuing, he said "I love what I do for kids every single day. Our mission as an organization is to serve young people every single day."
He went on to present a Powerpoint show, as follows:
Children between the ages of 2.9 to 18 years old are served.
The 6 pillars of the Boys & Gorls Clubs.
Note the new club in Hartford's "South End" section.
60% of Hartford students live in the South End, approximately 6000 kids.
COVID reduced the number of participants from 1300 to 600.
We closed on 3/18/2020 and went virtual for the pandemic's duration.
Our capital campaign raised 20 million dollars.
Six major companies gave generously, and as a result we are a fiscally sound organization.
The McKenzie Scott gift was unexpected and deeply appreciated. We are one of just 62 Boys & Girls Clubs out of 1500 nationally that she funded. That gift helps us to ensure our staff have livable wages, so that they can be doing something with their hearts, not living check to check, and also getting paid to simply have fun. It has also helped to ensure our facilities are up to national standards and allows us to have reserves for the future.
How to get involved? Just say yes! Share our website.
Concluding his planned presentation, Mr. Gray said, "The reason why kids come to a boys and girls club is not because of the building but because of the staff, the people. Please give of your time. What was most memorable to me when I was a Club kid, were two Club board members, people that didn't look like me, yet who took me to my first college visit at William & Mary, and my first college football game. I'll never forget the kindness of those two gentlemen."
Questions & Answers
Question: Linda Pendergast asked about the Silent Hill Congregational Church and the "other" Gary Miller, who was associated with it. Answer: In 1860 Father Hawley gave a sermon which compelled 4 women congregants to start the first Boy & Girls Clubs. On 10/4/2004 we opened the Asylum Hills facility. Lee Allison, Ray Ferrari and Jack Riga of that same church led the effort to build that Boys & Girls Club facility and raised 7.2 million dollars in the process.
Question: Bob Cave asked if Mr. Gray has looked at the Farmington Valley towns, such as Avon, Canton or West Hartford to see if there is a need for a Boys & Girls Club in them? Answer: Yes, but we started in Hartford and there are still neighborhoods there that are as yet unserved. Expansion beyond Hartford is a dream and yes one day we will get there.
Question: Chris Lamadrid asked if someone wanted to give or volunteer how should they go about it? Answer: Go to our website and there are opportunities listed there, or reach out to Mr. Gray directly.
In closing, Mr. Gray said, "The most precious gift you can give a young person is a conversation. Exposing them to things you have been exposed to yourself, is a gift."
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