East Boston: Vacation Camp

By Br. Bob Metell, SDB

(East Boston, MA – March 6) – The Salesian Boys and Girls Club has a long history and relationship with East Boston’s Police District A-7. Community service officers have run a wide range of activities and events at the Club from bicycle safety workshops to high adventure canoe trips and hikes in the Berkshire Mountains of western MA and the Monadnocks Range in NH. Currently, the local community service officers organize girls' and boys' instructional groups to help youngsters deal with issues faced by inner-city youth.

During last month’s winter break, the Club, along with Brenda, the Boston Police Service Officer, and two staff members, conducted its monthly baking class. I had the pleasure of being the baked goods’ tester! The girls prepared, baked, and decorated cakes, brownies, and cookies for their bake sale. It is debatable how much of the brownie and cookie dough was eaten before it had a chance to bake in the oven! After all, don’t all kids need to taste grandma’s chocolate chip cookie dough or pie crust before it’s baked?

Five years ago, a local charity gutted out the Club’s over-50-year-old kitchen and modernized it with a new range, grill, pizza/baking oven, and an industrial heavy-duty cooking oven. The contractors designed and built the kitchen to provide cooking/baking classes for club members.

The Club's staff has exciting activities and events planned in March, especially around St. Patrick's Day, which is also called Evacuation Day, a city holiday in Boston. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington drove the British out of Boston. The British fleet and army departed Boston on St. Patrick’s Day. Stay tuned to hear about the Club’s celebrations.